By SeeFoon Chan-Koppen
I am often envied for all the eating and drinking that I do, trying a lot of different places before deciding on the ones worth writing about. It certainly is fun and for a foodie like me who lives to eat (versus eat to live), eating trumps all other forms of enjoyment. But culinary delights aside, too much of a good thing does take its toll and every now and then I have to take stock and undo some of the abuse I have been inflicting on my health. That is when the idea of Detox pops into my head.
One hears the word Detox being bandied around quite readily these days and there are thousands of merchants out there clamouring to sell you products or ways to help you do just that. But what actually is it all about? Do we need to detox and what are some of the ways? Do we need to travel to some exclusive health farms for the whole process or go on some punishing diet to clean out our physical system?
Maybe not. But clean out we must, as environmental and lifestyle abuses accumulate in our bodies whether it’s in the air we breathe (air pollution), the food we eat (pesticides in our fruits and vegetables, synthetic hormones in our meats), or the voluntary poisons (alcohol, Trans fats, excess sugar) we consume, and what we apply to our skin (toiletries, household products). Not all of these chemicals can be processed adequately by the body, nor can an endless amount or number of them be handled at one time.
So what are some of the ways we can help our bodies to detox, to regenerate and hopefully rejuvenate ourselves, and perhaps regain some of the energy we have lost with our lifestyle abuses?
This is where I turned to RëJeune and put myself into the caring ministrations of Grace Cheah, the proprietor and passionate advocate of FIR and Meridian Massage to alleviate some of the damage done to my body.
Our skin is the biggest elimination organ of the whole body. Yes our livers, kidneys, intestines and lungs do the work but often we forget about our largest organ, the skin and this is where dry saunas come in.
FIR Sauna
Now there are traditional saunas and then there are FIR or Far Infrared Saunas. One of the main differences between a traditional sauna and an infrared sauna is the heat involved while inside the unit. Traditional dry saunas use temperatures as high as 185°F to 195°F, which can overwhelm those like me, who are more sensitive to the heat. Infrared saunas use a much milder temperature environment of between 120°F to 150°F. However, because the heat of infrared saunas travels much deeper into the body, they are able to cause a more vigorous sweat at lower temperature.
Toxin Removal
Deep heat stimulates the cells to remove toxic substances, such as lead and mercury, from the body through sweating. Focused heat has also been used in the treatment of small local pain but all the benefits offered by the deep heat were not understood until now. In clinical studies deep heat has been discovered to activate complex neurological, vascular and metabolic mechanisms in order to relieve pain.
FIR – far infrared heat increases the body temperature to 38.5°C and this artificial fever kills bacteria and viruses. Clinical research has shown that this far infrared energy which is close to the same wavelength as that which the body naturally emits – often referred to as the (“Vital Range” of 7 to 14 microns), so the energy is well received by the body, stimulates the cells to remove toxic substances, such as lead and mercury, from the body through sweating.
The toxin removing effect of FIR is in its own class, because the sweat comes from deep within the body where toxic substances hide. The objective of aerobic exercise is to increase the heart rate and metabolism, which increases blood circulation and improves overall health. It has been found that exposure to far infrared radiation has the same effect as physical exercise and you can burn up to 600 calories in a single session with the cardio and metabolic benefits of a session comparable to a 6 to 9 mile run.
Interestingly, in a recent finding, Megan Shields, MD, discovered that even after a sauna programme is complete, your body will continue to rid itself of toxins at an accelerated rate for many months afterwards. Also the composition of your sweat is different than that produced in a traditional sauna — the sweat produced is loaded down more with toxins, including unwanted chemicals and heavy metals.
FIR Resonance Chamber
RëJeune has more than FIR sauna to help in the Detox process. The FIR Resonance Chamber at RëJeune, unlike traditional wooden saunas, is a cocoon-like capsule made of the same material as astronauts’ spacesuits and as I sat in it with my neck swaddled in a towel and my head free, I could watch the infomercial and chat comfortably with the girls who were always in attendance, as they kept wiping off the sweat which was pouring profusely from my forehead. The amazing thing is that I normally cannot stay more than five minutes in a traditional sauna and yet in the FIR chamber, 15 minutes passed easily and I found myself asking for more.
Physio Magnetic Meridien Massage
Then the best part begins. After being wiped down (such luxury!) by Cindy or Sheryl, they begin the Physio-magnetic Meridien Massage, using special magnets combined with the special RëJeune cream. Plus the use of the FIR lamp called FIR Sky Eye for focus on specific areas of the body.
Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Meridien Massage utilises unique magnetic physiotherapy tools combined with their RëJeune Women cream to activate the acupoints and deliver the cream to deeper layers. The Cream, consisting of many special essential oils and other ingredients known for their purifying and skin rejuvenating properties, work synergistically with the magnets and the massage to hasten the whole detoxification process.
I for one am very pleased with the three treatments I’ve had. For starters most of my joint pains and bloating appear to have miraculously disappeared and my energy levels feel higher.
I talked to a mother and daughter who happened to be there one day when I finished my treatment, Mrs Tan Hoong Sim and her daughter Gillian Teh Shu Tien. Mrs Tan had this to say about her experience, “I happened to just walk in one day in 2013 and was persuaded to try their Meridien Massage. I have been a fan ever since. My energy levels have shot up and where I used to suffer from restless sleep, I can now sleep through the night with only one break. My skin is brighter and I am more alert. I found the treatments so beneficial that I brought in my daughter who is now enjoying the treatments.”
Gillian who started treatments in 2015, has since, with the introduction of the FIR chamber and the FIR lamp, together with taking the other supplements carried by RëJeune (another article will cover these topics) found huge improvements in her skin and her energy levels. Additionally the 6kg weight loss she has experienced over a three-month period from this synergistic combination has made her a committed fan of the RëJeune treatments. “Coming here is better than going to a health farm,” echoes her mother. “I have tried so many other places in Ipoh and the service and caring I get from the therapists here beats anything else I have experienced.”
Rave worthy testimony indeed.
RëJeune 1 Jalan Medan Ipoh Bistari 1b/1, Medan Ipoh Bistari, 31400 Ipoh. Tel.: 012 502 2293 or 05 545 2293 Closed on Tuesdays.