Well and good

I just found nutrition-based justification for all those megalunches we have. Our body’s metabolism is at its optimum between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.–which is when we should have the day’s heaviest meal. So those 12-to-3 lunches are nutritionally correct; they just have to be tweaked a little bit to maybe 11-to-2 to stay within the metabolic optimum.

That’s one of the gems I learned at an informal lecture by Dr. Christine Gonzales of the Wellness Institute in Pasig that designer Jeannie Goulborn arranged for a group of friends by way of a birthday party. Jeannie wanted to share a wellness secret that she had discovered and experienced, after she had had a fever on and off for over two months and was bombarded with antibiotics and steroids and all sorts of drugs. She underwent homeopathic treatment at the Wellness Institute, including a five-day detox regimen (she wanted to give up after the second day, she admits). I’m happy to attest that Jeannie is today back to looking as fine and lovely as her silks.

Of course, homeopathic treatments cannot be generalized. Dr. Gonzales utilizes live blood analysis, a very interesting diagnostic process that enables you to see on screen a breakdown of your blood–whether your cells are healthy and whole or fragmented and fraught with parasites and unwanted crystal deposits. The institute’s arsenal of treatments range from diet regimens to herbals scrubs–it advocates internal as well as external treatments for comprehensive wellness.

There are several valid points that Dr. Gonzales raised in the course of the animated open forum. One is that a lot of the diets and regimens that are all the rage today are Western based–meaning research done on and formulated for Caucasians–and these may not be appropriate for or effective on Asians, since our environments, lifestyles, dietary habits, growing up experiences and even our basic genetic make up ("DNA is very important," Dr. Gonzales stresses) are not the same. For example, she says that virgin coconut oil will have greater benefit for us over olive oil. And it’s certainly healthier for our wallets too, I might add.

Secondly, vitamins and other supplements should be regarded as exactly that–supplements. She emphasizes eating right and getting what our body needs straight from nature. Ten minutes three times a week of morning sun (before 10 a.m.) beats Vitamin D tablets anytime. She also debunks the common practice of gulping down a whole bunch of vitamins and supplements in the morning, with or without breakfast. I will not go into the thorough analysis and explanation that she gave, but I will say that from now on the few vitamins that I take will go with my sumptuous lunch, and I will try to do my water drinking before meals–or 20 minutes after (enzymes, you see). I guess the gourmands of the Chaine de Rotisseurs have it right all along with their "no water at the table" policy.

We were shown the live blood analysis of Jeannie’s 84-year-old mother, and you really don’t have to see her blood analysis to see that she is one healthy and beautiful woman. Standing ramrod straight, with clear lovely skin and as spry as a 40-something woman, Mrs. Lim shared her "secrets" with the group: she eats a lot of vegetables and chicken, she doesn’t really like meat or fish, she walks sometimes but doesn’t really have an exercise regimen. But I think it’s a lot more than that: good genes to start with (DNA is very important, remember?), a good attitude and a good heart.

In the light of the common 21st century lifestyle, wellness requires a conscious, concerted effort at changing the way we live. It really is easier said than done; as social entrepreneur Illac Diaz, my seatmate at the lecture, concluded, "If I’m going to get this right I think I’d better start dating a nutritionist!"