My Living Valley Experience
I knew I needed to make some significant changes in my life, but until I was in my first week at Living Valley, I did not realise how much I needed to.
I am a 63-year-old female, a workaholic, and the bread winner of the family. The last time I had more than 3 days off at one time was over 15 years ago. A smoker of 15 – 20 cigarettes per day and at least half a bottle of red wine at night (on a good night !) Smokes and wine at night were my escapism and my defrag time, at least this is what I was telling myself.
My diet was good, other than the wine, and my continued increasing weight did not match what was going “in” my body. To the extent that I was a good 25 kg overweight, 7kg in just 6 months. I looked like I was overdue and having triplets, with the weight mostly in my tummy. A tummy that would often blow out even further, but we could not work out why. My excessive facial sweating: my body telling me I was anxious even if my mind was not.
I have my own real-estate business, residential sales and property management with a small team, we are like a family. I have a history of working 7 days a week, but after COVID, this dropped to 6 days.
My mind was not stressed, as I have learnt over the years to deal with every situation thrown at me, however my body was telling me differently. To the extent that I could no longer ignore it. I have two adult children 29 & 25; I am hopeful that one day I will get to enjoy grandchildren. I knew if I did not do something about my body screaming at me to make some changes, I would not get to see this.
Hence my taking a leap of faith to book into Living Valley. I knew one week would not be enough, so I took the money off my mortgage and invested in myself and booked a two week stay.
Check in was on a Sunday, and just two days later, the other guests were asking what I had been doing. I apparently was glowing and the person they met on Sunday, was a very different person they were looking at now, just two days later.
By the end of the week, they continued to be surprised by the incredible changes in me. I had lost 3kg, this is not huge, but it was a great start. The biggest change was in my energy and personality. I really felt that I had got the “old” me back, one that I had actually forgotten existed. I also arrived, they said i was like a cripple, ( bad lower back pain) and struggled to walk around the facilities, I now had a sprint in my step.
So, what caused these changes?
Embracing the experience to its fullest.
Changing my eating habits, eating a lot more food, so much protein and certainly a lot more fats – good fats. Eating like a Queen at breakfast, a princess at lunch and Cinderella at dinner. ( Broth or soup) The broth was amazing, and I miss it !!!
Willing to let go, cold Turkey to the smokes and wine.
Day one, spending time with the naturopath, finding out my body did not process fats as it should.
The amazing staff, Itah, Bec, Alana particular stand outs. My offer for you to come to visit me on the GC will always be there.
The incredible food thanks to very clever chefs, Rowan, Penny and Tamara
The treatments by Gill, working on my body with ease and an intuitiveness that allowed her to ease the physical pain in my hands, and the symptoms of Vikings disease. As well as working on my scoliosis and lower back pain with her spinal flow treatments.
The next standout was Alyce, who I had 4 colonic sessions with. The package I paid for gave me one per week, but after my first one on that Tuesday, and how I felt afterwards, I had to have more. Thank you, Alyce.
One of the best experiences of my life, yes, my life, was my 90 mins with Ribhu. Having a Zen Thai Shiatsu massage. I am not flexible at all, yet my body was easily maneuvered for 90 min whilst lying on the floor. His hands and feet, arms and body, feeling my energy flow or lack of. After the 90 mins, I was very teary as I felt so good. My lower back pain has not returned, and I have been back at work for two weeks and used to complain daily about it!
Meeting new people, out of the 32 guests over two weeks, I am still in touch with 4 of them.
I need to find clones on the Gold Coast for Ribhu, Gill and Alyce. If you are ever on the GC, I can certainly drum up some business, maybe not Alyce! but remember we do a good B & B
So, I am now less than two weeks post my two weeks stay at Living Valley. I am 7 kg down, feel great, my team and my family are all shocked and proud of me.
I have continued as much as I can with the new way of eating, my husband is making me amazing breakfasts, I am making great smoothies for lunch and my dinner now fits on a side plate, and the best thing is, I am NEVER hungry.
I do miss the daily streams and yes, those ice-cold showers, but I am blessed to have a pool I can do laps in. At 5.30 in the am it is very cold, but I have embraced it, not every day, but often.
So, thank you to all of you at Living Valley for my amazing life changing experiences.
With warmest regards
Karen ( a nice Karen ! )
PS still no cigarettes or wine consumed