In 2011 I stayed at the Spa Resort Koh Samui, Thailand, a cleansing retreat center, as part of my periodic cleansing, health renewal lifestyle. For many years I had been exploring dietary changes, detoxification and cleansing practices, yoga and meditation in pursuit of vitality, vibrant health, wisdom, and peacefulness.
During my stay at the center I was ostensibly eating well and cleansing. Nevertheless I was struck by fatigue and knew that something was awry, that something crucial was missing from my daily health regime. I reached out for help from the resort consultant who recommended Donna Gates’ book, “The Body Ecology Diet“.
That book opened up a whole new area that I hadn’t considered in all my years of endeavoring to be more ‘healthy’. I thought I was doing all the right things – yes, I was eating lots of fruits and vegetables, I had eliminated animal protein and gluten, and I was enjoying yoga and meditation, and I was undertaking regular cleanses. But I hadn’t considered the possibility that my body was suffering an overgrowth of candida. I completed the questionnaire, which suggested my history (including abundant antibiotic use in my youth) made me a candidate for yeast overgrowth. Even though I wasn’t eating chocolates, ice-cream or the like, I reflected on my constant desire for and consumption of sweet fruits like mango and pineapple, and banana smoothies and so on. Hmmm, perhaps this was the missing link?
Searching the internet for more information on candida and its treatment, I came across Elicia’s website and learned that she was on Koh Samui itself at that time and offered consultations, and so I booked an appointment. I wasn’t sure what to expect, whether it would be a prudent investment of my time and money, but the time with Elicia proved to be most valuable.
After listening to my description of my symptoms and signs Elicia was confident that it was a candida problem. She then gave me very practical advice on what foods and herbs to incorporate into my diet and what to avoid. Elicia was also very holistic in emphasizing an appropriate state of mind and a balanced approach to healing and rejuvenation. She answered all my numerous questions confidently with clarity and precision.
One can lose a lot of time scouring the internet and searching for authoritative books for useful information and yet still not know quite where to start and what to do to become the vibrant, positive, empowered person that we all wish to be. It takes so much of the confusion and stress out of it to simply go to someone like Elicia who knows what she is talking about from her own experiences and her own journey of discovery and healing, and who will guide you on your way by providing clearly discernible information and simple to follow and practical recommendations.
I changed my diet quite significantly for a certain period of time (predominantly by eliminating sugars) which demanded a lot of adjustment and learning new ways to nourish my body. However I immediately felt a surge in my energy and enthusiasm. Elicia also helped me to obtain a chitin inhibitor product which purports to breakdown the cell walls of the candida. I no longer need to follow such a strict diet but I do observe discipline day to day to avoid foods that I know from my own experience have energy-depleting effects on my body.
I have learned that health is a physical and mental state and that we need to educate ourselves and empower ourselves to create new daily habits of eating, resting, working, thinking and relating to others that function to bring us vitality and joy, strength and positivity to discover the life we are here to live. Regular, periodic cleansing and detoxification are important because of the quantity of toxins and chemicals that surround us in the air, water and foods we consume (especially in the cities), but I have also learned that the process should be gentle and loving to ourselves. Asceticism (self-denial) and indulgence are both extremes. In the middle there is the path of balance and of kindness to all, including oneself. Cleansing and healing is not merely physical; on a deeper level it is about releasing dysfunctional patterns of behavior and toxic emotions (especially fear) and being brought into a place of freedom to engage anew with the splendor of the world, to be open, sensitive and receptive with empathy and fearlessness.
What I learned on my trip to Thailand was a genuine game-changer for my health and well-being, and Elicia was an important part of that discovery, and I wholeheartedly recommend Elicia’s services.
Many Blessings,
Alistair