The Salun-at Wellness Festival 2023 was a turning point for those who participated in the first interactive event which focused on natural alternative ways of preventing illness.
A powerhouse group of highly respected holistic coaches and doctors of integrative medicine interacted with the audience starting with Dr. Annabelle Pabiona de Guzman, director general of the Department of Health-Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care who shared government programs on using local herbs like lagundi and sambong in the treatment of respiratory and urinary ailments.
Dr. Susana Balingit focused on how locally available vegetables are the best sources of antioxidants and nutrients that bodies need for repair and growth. She cautioned about eating too much processed foods and fast foods which her research and experience has led to chronic and fatal ailments.
Dr. Marian Alonzo, medical director of The Farm at San Benito, a premiere wellness destination in the country, shared non-invasive ways to cleanse the body and mind, the use of the traditional hilot for toning our bodies, breathing techniques for calming and releasing stress and anxiety, and eating plant-based meals as our main source of nutrition.
Dr. Ferdinand Brawner, a Baguio boy who now maintains a wellness clinic in Quezon City and head of the medical team of the Philippine Olympic Committee, is an expert on pain therapy and on regaining health by naturally using physical and mental therapy methods.
He said pain should be viewed as a partner in healing since it directs us to specific areas where we can focus our minds and our touch to restore and regain our health.
Dr. Celine Barotil, an integrative medicine practitioner based in Cavite, shared the importance of detoxifying our bodies especially our colon from the daily toxins that come from wrong food choices and our environment.
Colon enemas or “labatiba” is one way where internal organs especially the colon should be regularly cleansed to prevent bad microorganisms from starting illness and to ensure that needed nutrients are absorbed and used by our body.
Dr. Riza Shanti Lim of the Orissa Garden of Wellness showed the calming, flowing breath and movements of yoga, which she calls Kimut Dance Therapy, leads to a more balanced, mentally resilient life.
Gelie dela Pena-Bonnevie of Pranalaya Yoga showed mindfulness and the gentle asanas of yoga can be applied to correct our postures in our offices, our homes and in our everyday lives.
Danilo Quinto, a coach trained under the United States Sports Academy, shared 10 wellness habits for a longer and more mentally resilient life which include easy exercises which focus on strengthening our core muscles, upper body triceps and biceps and lower body quadriceps for as little as 10 minutes daily.
He also narrated how he maintained for the last 30 years eating fruits only for breakfast and together with meditation and mindfulness, proper hydration, enough sleep, close family and friends and a spiritually guided life, has contributed to his excellent physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
A video of the entire Salun-At Wellness Festival events will be made available on YouTube channel of Ikigai Wellness Network. – Press release
May 11, 2024
