My Top 5 Reasons to Visit Centro Holistico

When it comes to my family’s health and wellness, I have always believed that an ounce of prevention is always worth more than a pound of cure. 

There is nothing more stressful than your schedule going out of whack, because of emergency room visits, or worse, because you need to be confined in a hospital. Hassle yan!

That is why apart from frequent check-ups with our physicians, annual physical exams, taking vitamins, and exercise (or at least an attempt at it!) I also keep an open mind to the many different ways to prevent and cure an illness or discomfort – whether it be via Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), hilot or conventional means.

Whatever works, as long as it keeps us healthy, or resolves a health issue, I am game for it!

So when I first learned about Centro Holistico, and their integrative approach to medicine, I didn’t mind going all the way to Alabang to find out what it’s all about.

And I am glad I braved the traffic to do so, because I am totally convinced Centro Holistico is just the kind of place that will help us change the way we look at our health and body, in the best way possible.

Let me tell you why. Here are my top five reasons to visit Centro Holistico.

1. It has the feel of a spa 

If you find hospitals too clinical, almost depressing, Centro Holistico is the kind of place where you don’t have to worry about that creepy, crawly feeling.

As you enter the treatment area, you get a whiff of their fragrant oils burning, and hear a gurgling indoor water fountain insterspersed with soothing spa music in the background. You might as well be at your favorite massage place rather than your doctor’s clinic.

2. Centro Holistico practices Integrative Medicine

But yes, while in the midst of this spa-like setting, you can also totally relax knowing that you have medical doctors in charge of your health. It just also happens that they believe in holistic healing. So apart from prescribing you medication if you absolutely need it, they are not just after the cure, but your total well-being.

Dr. Candy Drilon and Dr. Ryan Dalman of Centro Holistico

Dr. Candy Drilon, the calm and lovely doctor I consulted with, shares that while they treat with medicine, they also practice complementary and alternative medicine, via energy healing, acupuncture, TCM, Ayurvedic medicine and such.

I later found out that the 4 doctors who put up Centro Holistico were formerly doctors at The Farm at San Benito. They realized that while staying at The Farm truly has wonderful health and wellness benefits for their patients, not everyone has the time to spend days, if not months there.

To make the idea of a medical retreat more accessible to busy folks, and to help them monitor their patients better, they decided to put up Centro Holistico in an area closer to where people live and work.

Now if only, they opened a branch in my area!

3. They make an effort to understand your lifestyle before prescribing treatments and programs. 

You know how some doctors just look at the symptoms and prescribe an antibiotic or medicine right off the bat? Some even make you feel rushed through a consultation, that you forget to ask important questions? Well, there’s none of that here. 

When I first consulted with Dr. Candy, we spent a good thirty minutes doing a holistic consult, where we talked about my health history, diet, stress levels, even sleeping habits. When she found out that I sleep at 12 midnight, even later, she explained that I needed to be in bed by 10 pm, because apparently, the body recovers and repairs itself between 10 pm to 2 am, and I would miss out on this important window if I sleep at my normal hours. Eeep! 

She also did a life blood analysis on me, taking a lancet and getting three drops of blood from my finger. 

After analyzing my blood under a microscope, she told me my kidneys were not cleaning out toxins efficiently (lightbulb moment, I do tend to be prone to UTI) and that I am acidic, which means I needed to make my blood more alkaline. She recommended that I eat more vegetables and put lemon in my drinking water. 

She also did a dry blood analysis, as well as a tongue diagnosis, which uncannily supported the findings of the life blood analysis. Truly fascinating!

4. They have a range of programs to offer. 

Whether you are just after general wellness, meaning you have no specific health concerns but just want to be at the peak of health, or you want to go into a program for detoxification, weight loss, stress relief, anti-aging and rejuvenation, or you want to stop smoking, there’s a program there for you.  

They even offer Alternative Cancer Therapy, which is along the lines of Gerson Therapy, and geared towards cancer patients who prefer to take the alternative path in controlling their illness. This therapy involves infusing high doses of Vitamin C and other minerals intravenously, which helps in controlling the growth of cancer cells. It also helps to boost the immune system, which improves their overall quality of life.

5. Treatments and programs are tailor fit and targeted to your health concerns. 

For those who have specific needs and concerns that are not covered by their other Holistic Health Programs, patients can choose their own treatments and make a program suited to their needs with the guidance of their doctor. 

In my case, they recommended a post-natal recovery program after I give birth. 

Their post partum recovery program, like ge lai, which I practice, helps the body recover from the pregnancy. 

The program runs for about a month, consisting of weekly colon cleansing (because of pregnancy related constipation, it removes bulk of the stool which haven’t been flushed out because of the uterus pressing on to the colon), acupuncture treatments, and IV drips every other week to replenish lost micronutrients. 

Incidentally, they also do acupuncture to help alleviate pregnancy discomforts such as nausea and vomiting in the 1st trimester as well as acupuncture to help in breastfeeding, especially for those who have gone through caesarian section.

I did try a pregnancy-safe acupuncture session with Dr. Candy on my visit, and I found the experience so relaxing, I can just imagine the lifelong benefits if I did this on a regular basis! 

For more about Centro Holistico, visit their website, http://www.centroholisticoph.com, and Like them on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/centroholistico.ph 

Centro Holistico 

2/F Commercenter 

Alabang Commerce Avenue cor. Filinvest Ave and East Asia Drive 

Filinvest Corporate City

Alabang, Muntinlupa City 

Tel: (02) 828-8863, (0917) 5812990 

Hours: 10:00am - 8:00pm

Blanca de China

Have you fallen asleep while having a facial? In the middle of pricking? Ever?

I have. I just had a porcelain facial at Blanca de China, a new spa in San Juan (near Greeka Kouzina) and OMG - it was the most relaxing facial I have ever had in my life. 

While my face was about to be steamed, soft piped music playing in the background, a massage therapist magically appeared at my side and told me I was getting an arm massage. What a pleasant surprise, I thought. I let all my cares melt away, happy that I got an unexpected massage to go with my facial.

By the time my facialist Daphne started on extraction, the masseuse was massaging my left hand and then, I don't know what happened next. All I knew was that when I woke up, I had a mask on. 

It was that good. 

I can totally see how I can do this regularly and come out with skin like unblemished porcelain. This was not torture. It was a treat, through and through.

Blanca de China, or Blanc de Chine in French means "White from China", a type of white Chinese porcelain from Dehua aka Dehua porcelain. But it also refers to the boutique spa that my former officemates from Citibank, Francis and Joanne Magboo put up with their cousins.

And what a pretty spa it is. This is the receiving area/hand and foot massage area:

While these steps lead to the private massage rooms on the second floor:

This is the massage/facial room on the ground floor. Very clean, the sheets are fresh and the towels are still fluffy. Dada and I had a full body massage here a week ago, and we couldn't help but compare the experience to other massage spas we've been to where the towels feel threadbare, sad and forlorn. There's none of that here, everything at Blanca de China still has that new spa feel.

I told Joanne how much I liked the interiors and she shares that the look was patterned after her own home, which is very "Shabby Chic". In fact, some of the decor and furniture, like that French Rococo armchair you see below was from her house and was "donated" to Blanca de China.

It seems the warmth and coziness of Joanne's home came along with that armchair. After my facial and upper lip threading, my facialist asked me if I wanted some tea at the sitting area. She came out with this tea tray, how pretty.

Needless to say, I was charmed and smitten. It's like being welcomed into the comfortably chic home of a gracious hostess. I will definitely be coming over for repeat visits.

And at these prices, Blanca de China is just hard to resist. 

 

PS - White ain't right without serious sterilizing involved. Blanca de China sterilizes all instruments, diamond peel and cautery tips using a dry heat sterilizer that kills bacteria and other harmful microorganisms.

For the complete list of services, updates and inquiries, like Blanca de China on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BlancaDeChina
 
Blanca de China 

#259A Ibuna corner P Guevera Streets
San Juan, Metro Manila
Telephone: +632 542 8499
Mobile: +63927 529 9425