I’m usually preoccupied with being healthy, trying out new wellness routines, incorporating different super foods and switching up my workouts to stay at the top of my game. A lot of you may know that part of my job involves reviewing medical establishments and wellness clinics. I’ve tried all sorts of stuff- from seemingly waterless pedicures, intermittent fasting, putting butter into my coffee to having oxygen pumped into my blood (yes, blood).

On my last trip to Bangkok, the tourism authority of Thailand was kind enough to book me a slot at the HMC. The Holistic Medical Centre, or HMC as its known, is a one of a kind integrated medical facility in the heart of Bangkok with specialists in detoxification, anti ageing and state of the art diagnostics.

I took the elevator 20 storeys up to the voice of Shandy, a young, vivacious marketing manager who welcomed me in to the clinic and started to show me around. I felt like I was transported to another world with world class amenities, a spotlessly clean interior and doctors and nurses that smile as they take you in for testing. Mind you, this is not something you see when you enter a hospital in Delhi.

Naturally, the HMC has earned a reputation for being a pioneer in detecting abnormalities early on, allowing you to make necessary lifestyle changes to avoid or manage disease. Health Care today is focused on curing on disease at a time but the system here at the clinic is different. They approach the body as a whole and test several verticals to check each and every organ simultaneously. Time is of the essence and the trick is to identify a pattern, and take corrective measures before the disease manifests as symptoms.

The technician in the room made me put on a pair of headphones and strapped me onto the screen. ‘Stay quiet and avoid fidgeting for the next few minutes’, he said. I watched the computer scan my entire body, bit by bit, organ by organ. My headphones beeped each time the monitor scanned an organ. I watched parts of my brain, spinal cord, eyes, nose and heart light up on the screen but didn’t know what any of it meant. Unlike conventional methods of diagnostics, this one is non invasive, painless and doesn’t require any abstinence from food or water. The MRIT, popularly known as ‘molecular resonance imaging technology’ detects and interprets brain waves and signals and only takes about 10 minutes to scan the body. I wouldn’t subject myself to a barrage of different blood, stool and urine tests every 6 months after having experienced this. I do think that diagnostic clinics in India should look at getting these machines to India to ease patients into regular checkups and visits because remember this one is painless.

The nurse started my session with checking my vital stats, blood pressure, weight, height and pulse. I started to rant endlessly about my coffee intake and my problems, when she held me and said it was all alright. Next up, I was sent in to a doctor for a ‘live blood analysis’. The one prick method is painless and super quick because they only need a tiny drop of blood. The doctor then puts the blood smear under a microscope which is hooked up to a screen so you can see your results in real time. This diagnostic tool is very effective in predicting cholesterol issues, diseases of the gut and excess protein and hormones in your blood. Phew! I was healthy for the most part and the doctor assured me that all the tests were indicative of the future but that a regular exercise regime and scrupulous diet control would fix most problems. The doctor did tell me though, that I was deficient in Vitamin B12, D3 and iron (something a lot of us women are- will get to this later).

Impressed yet? Well, I sure was. Based on my live blood analysis, the doctor recommended H.O.T treatment. The Haematogenous Oxidation Therapy is an hour long treatment that involves pumping fortified blood back into your system. What did you say? Well, yes you heard correctly. A lot of our chronic diseases, allergies, fungal and bacterial overgrowth stems from oxygen deficient blood. People with cancer, auto immune diseases, sluggish hormones and allergies benefit highly from this treatment. Now, I’m not scared of blood tests and needles like I once was but I was really nervous about the procedure. The entire process was going to take 60 minutes and would involve careful drawing of the blood, enriching it with uv and oxygen before retransferring it into the body. It did prick a little and it wasn’t the most comfortable experience but the nurses and staff took great care of me and kept me from watching the vials of blood. The staff wrapped me up nice and snug with comfy pillows and blankets as it does get cold when you have oxygenated blood transferred into your body. I was ridiculously sleep deprived from a week of flying and early morning starts but felt extremely fresh and alive post the treatment. I had so much energy, I didn’t know what to do with it so I decided to pace back and forth the airport shops later that day.

Shandy booked an express facial treatment while I was waiting with bated breath for my results to arrive. She thought that worry wasn’t going to do me any good so off I went. The room was gorgeous and I almost forgot for a moment that I was in a medical facility. The ingredients were organic, derived from nature and naturally paraben and SLS free. I have sensitive skin so they picked a solution that was best suited for skin thats prone to breakouts and redness. I fell asleep once she placed the cooling pads on my eyelids and woke up to a more radiant version of myself . (All smiles)

I met with the doctor who told me that I was healthy for the most part but I had a few nutritional and mineral deficiencies that could be solved with dietary supplements. He also said to me that I worried too much and needed to lay low on all the meat I was eating in Thailand- you know just to be safe. I promised him that I would try and abstain from red meat when I was back in India and I’m testing my will to see how well I can fare. Day 8 today and I’m still dreaming about the roast pork in Trang and the chicken cooked in young coconut. Aah well! I promise to be a good girl.

Anyway, I digress… If you are curious like I am and are looking for things to do on your next trip to Bangkok- pay the HMC a visit and prepare to be enthralled. I must warn you that there services are exclusive and do come at a hefty sum but I do believe that our health is our priority and it’s definitely worth it. Also available at HMC are cosmetic treatments, laser treatments, weight management, chelation therapy and immune boosters.

Quick Notes:
Book an appointment as they don’t usually encourage walk ins.
HMC Clinic
20th floor
253 Building
Asoke- Sukhumvit 21 Road
Klongtoey- Nua
Wattana
Bangkok 10110
www.holistic-medical.com