This story initially appeared on information.com.au and is republished right here with permission.
“How would you describe your health right now?” Dr Liu, a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, requested at our first assembly.
He was sitting behind a ravishing wood desk, in a big, mild and ethereal session room on the 101 Wellbeing Centre in Brisbane. I moved uncomfortably in my chair, tears started to pool in my eyes, I cleared my throat and with a slight tremble in my voice, I informed him the reality; “I haven’t felt ‘well’ in more than a decade”.
Perhaps it was that desperation that made me do it; my need to really feel properly once more after a few years spent battling auto-immune illness. A wrestle that continues at present.
But I’d be mendacity if I didn’t admit it was additionally this system’s promise of speedy weight reduction that sparked my curiosity. Blowing out my thyroid final yr triggered my physique to blow out too.
While I’m working my means again to regular, the prospect of dashing up that course of was too attractive to move up. No doubt I additionally needed to show to myself I may “achieve” one thing once more with regards to wellness, after the ups and downs of the previous yr.
These are my very private causes for accepting an invite to strive the 101 Wellbeing Program for 2 weeks. Is this system excessive? Some say it’s. It is mainstream? Absolutely not. Is it for you? That’s one thing it’s best to seek the advice of your doctor about. This is just my very own expertise.
Picture: Supplied. Skye tried the 101 Wellbeing Program.Source:BodyAndSoul
The 101 Wellbeing Program
It was some years in the past that I first heard concerning the 101 Wellbeing Program. I used to be ready for an acupuncture appointment at Dr Liu’s clinic in Sydney’s Bondi Junction once I noticed numerous folks coming into the clinic, gathering a bag from the entrance counter and promptly leaving once more.
I couldn’t assist myself and requested 1 lady what was within the thriller bag. She confirmed me the herbs and summarised this system saying, “It’s expensive, but it works”.
That’s precisely how information of Dr Liu’s program has unfold amongst internal Sydney circles for years. You gained’t discover flashy banners or infomercials promoting it, Dr Liu’s clientele comes largely from referrals by previous sufferers, amongst them celebrities and high-profile figures together with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who reportedly misplaced 14 kilos following the plan.
Weight loss versus wellbeing
With sufferers sometimes dropping between 5 to eight kilos within the first 2 weeks, the load loss ingredient is undoubtedly a lovely facet impact of this system, however Dr Liu stresses weight reduction isn’t the entire story.
101 Wellbeing is about serving to folks to stay past 100 years previous. It’s about longevity; “designed for people who have a gap between their current health and optimal health,” he explains.
Despite the restrictions of this system itself, Dr Liu says it’s about serving to folks to realize extra stability of their each day life as soon as they’re again in their very own routine to allow them to result in an extended, more healthy life; “The idea is every single person should have the chance to pass away naturally, not from disease and sickness,” he says.
My expertise of 2 weeks with out meals
The program has 3 phases; Cleanse and Release, Repair and Recover and Whole Body Recalibration. The time spent in every of the phases is determined by the clinic’s evaluation of you and your well being wants.
Generally, the minimal time spent on the entire program is 4 to six weeks. For many, it’s 12 weeks. I used to be invited to strive the preliminary 2 week Cleanse and Repair section; arguably the hardest as additionally it is the fasting and cleaning section. The size of this section varies for every individual; some will solely have to quick for five days, others for 3 weeks.
During the two-week program, I used to be given 3 sachets of liquid herbs to drink every day. I used to be additionally allowed to drink as a lot nonetheless water and pure black tea as I favored. That was it. I couldn’t eat any meals in any respect. I used to be informed the natural combination would goal my liver and kidneys — which may clarify the overwhelming bitterness of the herbs.
The first few days I struggled to get the herbs down however by the top of the fortnight I had change into an knowledgeable at guzzling the thick, black combination at lightning velocity.
Each morning I additionally went to the Brisbane clinic for a therapy with my practitioner, David. The therapies included Tui Na (therapeutic massage), acupuncture and on a couple of events, cupping.
Picture: Supplied. Skye skilled cupping as a part of the 101 Wellbeing Program.Source:BodyAndSoul
Each day, I used to be additionally weighed.
While the clinic is clear and quiet with gentle lighting and music taking part in, this isn’t a day spa. I turned more and more delicate to the acupuncture needles (at the same time as somebody who has acupuncture therapies commonly). But I regularly managed the ache and even started to nap in the course of the therapies.
Mentally, day one of many quick was the hardest. My thoughts was chaotic. Feelings and feelings swirled. As a self-confessed espresso addict, I used to be fighting withdrawal from caffeine and my head was pounding. On day 2 the headache continued and I used to be overcome with fatigue. I used to be positively swimming in self pity.
On day 3 issues obtained attention-grabbing. A peaceful washed over me, an intense calm. I started to actually reconnect with my physique. It went past starvation: Sounds had been extra intense, I reacted with robust emotion to music, I turned aware of my surrounds; the folks, the smells, and daylight.
I joked with my husband that I had lastly change into Superwoman, simply as I had at all times deliberate. I sat nonetheless with out fidgeting in the course of the day and after sinking into the mattress every evening, I slept extra deeply than I had in a really very long time. My thoughts was clearer and I turned much less reactive.
Interestingly, I used to be reminded of my emotional connection to meals too. My husband had a well being scare whereas travelling within the United States, in the course of the first week of the quick. It was a terrifying time and with my feelings peaked my ideas ran to meals for consolation. While I didn’t indulge them, it was fascinating to look at these emotions and that sample resurface.
Socially, it felt safer to change into a recluse in an effort to keep away from the temptation (and torture) of being round folks and all of their scrumptious meals. I solely left the home as soon as a day to purchase an overpriced take away black tea from an area espresso store, including a modest slice of normality to my day.
Leading as much as the quick, I had pictures of myself sprawled out in mattress in the course of the day, unable to maneuver from utter exhaustion. It was fairly a dramatic scene in my thoughts. In actuality, that wasn’t the case in any respect; I labored full days, albeit at a a lot slower tempo; my power remained regular, aside from 1 night once I climbed into mattress, largely out of boredom.
Daydreaming about meals turned my new occupation. It occupied my thoughts and my time for big elements of the day. I’d discover myself consumed by meals movies hitting my Facebook feed.
Initially, I simply stopped to look at them as they handed amid a sea of child photographs and standing updates. Soon I used to be actively in search of meals accounts, changing into utterly absorbed by their mouth-watering creations.
Picture: Supplied. The tea concoction Skye drank.Source:BodyAndSoul
I discovered myself bingeing on Netflix 1 night too; watching the complete season of Chef’s Table in a single sitting.
Awkwardly, I then started asking my husband to explain his meals to me intimately.
The bodily cravings had been fascinating as properly. The first day it was a inexperienced apple (and I don’t even eat apples) however for the remainder of the quick I solely had 1 dish on my thoughts. It wasn’t chocolate, pasta, wine or something super-indulgent, only a easy breakfast of eggs on toast.
During the each day weigh-ins I turned more and more impatient for the numbers to fall. Despite David’s reassurance, I started to sigh with disappointment every time. I may see how this might simply change into an obsession and I shortly understood the significance of each day monitoring throughout these first 2 weeks of this system.
They had been as a lot concerning the particular person’s psychological well being as their bodily progress.
My smile was a mile vast on finishing this system. I used to be filled with power. Losing eight kilos in 14 days proved that my physique is extra dynamic than maybe I’ve been giving it credit score for.
But it was overcoming the psychological problem that was by far essentially the most rewarding half for me, and a strong private reminder that maybe I had been craving greater than any connoisseur meal (and even these scrumptious eggs on toast).
This is my private account of the 101 Wellbeing Program. Consult your individual doctor earlier than enterprise this therapy. The medical data on this article isn’t for use or relied on for any diagnostic or therapy functions. This data isn’t meant to be affected person schooling, doesn’t create any patient-physician relationship, and shouldn’t be used as an alternative choice to skilled analysis and therapy.
Skye is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Fit Traveller. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
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