When I told people that I was taking a trip to VivaMayr I got a mixed bag of responses. There was the eyebrow raised, slightly jealous “lucky you!”, the “what on earth are you talking about?” look and my favourite, the shocked gasp! The latter have usually heard shocking reports of no food, daily colonics, foul tasting Epsom Salts and days of feeling too ill or too tired to do anything. Yet my experience is the complete opposite. Yes, VivaMayr is a medical clinic not a luxury spa, but can hardly be described as torturous!
Those visiting the clinic (and trust me there are many dedicated to their annual visits, including many celebs) do so for many reasons. Some go to lose weight but for others there are a variety of health problems often quite serious, and others simply go to rest and reboot their systems. The first time I went it was most definitely a health problem. After having been sick for over six months with a list of infections that seemed to always require antibiotics and no diagnosis I was at my wit’s end. It was Dr Christine Stossier who diagnosed the glandular fever within minutes of describing the symptoms and not only that - was able to treat it homoeopathically. I can honestly say that, other than the odd sniffle, I haven’t been sick since, and that was nearly four years ago.
So there I was again off to VivaMayr Lake Worth this time for a health reboot and I was really looking forward it, I could actually feel myself starting to relax just booking the flights! The spa is located on the beautiful southern shores of Austria’s Lake Wörthersee, the largest of Carinthia’s many lakes and one of the warmest alpine lakes. The region is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty and is a peaceful and glorious setting, perfect for the Cure.
The famous Mayr Cure basically means detox, specifically a full-gut cleanse. Dr Franz Xaver Mayr (1875–1965), after whom the Cure is named, was a legendary Austrian doctor who devoted his life to the study of the digestive system. He found that long-term health stems from a healthy gut, and chewing our food between 30 to 50 times for each mouthful and eating the right food improves our gut health. Modern Mayr doctors have expanded the principles of Dr F.X Mayr and the Mayr Cure to create Modern Mayr Medicine. And seeing as Dr Harald Stossier and his wife Dr Christine who run the clinic quite literally exude health and radiance, as do all the employees, there’s clearly something to be said for it. The Cure will rid your body of toxins, leaving you lighter, your stomach flatter and skin brighter in a matter of days. Patients leave the clinic several pounds lighter, with glowing skin and loads of energy.
The Mayr method is completely tailor-made, so each visit starts with a consultation with your appointed doctor. I had requested to see Dr Christine Stossier again. It’s worth noting that all the doctors, though trained in Mayr medicine and practices, are also trained in conventional medicine, and so can offer an integrated approach combining modern medicine with, among other things, acupuncture, nutrition, kinesiology, massage and intravenous vitamin/mineral infusions. Dr Stossier picked up on a slight hormonal imbalance, easily corrected with a cream, and some vitamin and mineral deficiencies. After your appointment your daily schedule is printed out and left on your table at the next meal. The schedule is different for everyone, though the daily dose of Epsom Salts, liver compresses, kneipping and gentle stretching are encouraged for everyone. Most of the testing methods are done with kinesiology; blood and urine tests can be added for more in-depth results and even things like CAT or MRI scans can arranged off site if needed.
After the applied kinesiology testing confirmed my ever present gluten intolerance, dairy intolerance and some vitamin and mineral deficiencies I was able to collect my recommended supplements and start the healing process. The supplements are different for everyone except for the alkaline base powder to restore the acid/alkaline balance in your body, which with our modern diets is almost inevitably too acid. Everyone takes this four times a day and you learn to tolerate it - in the morning it goes some way to hiding the taste of the Epsom Salts and during the rest of the day I find it can help stave off hunger attacks!
How you adapt to the Cure does depend on your lifestyle and despite not ever having suffered before, this time I got a crushing headache. Most people seem to suffer the most around day three but tough it out and you should see a big difference around day five. Energy returns, eyes begin to sparkle and you suddenly feel as if you have awakened from the most refreshing sleep of your life. A big key being the result of one of the various vitamin and mineral infusions on offer - my headache immediately eased by a helpful dose of a magnesium concoction straight into my arm. At that point I didn’t care what it was as long as it helped!
On top of individual recommendations VivaMayr teaches basic common sense - eat slowly and chew properly, drink plenty of water in between meals, not during, and get plenty of sleep. Your diet is also dictated by your initial consultation with your doctor and any medical tests, so again is completely individual. Some patients eat more than others with some mostly on soups and teas - even if you are lucky enough to get the ‘full food deal’ (and I say this with a smile on my face) you will definitely be eating a lot less than you normally do and probably very differently. Think breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. I find the most effective way to avoid feeling hungry is to follow their advice and chew. As Dr Harald Stossier once said to me, there are no teeth in your stomach so the chewing makes digestion easier and more effective. My other favourite quote of his was “we are not what we eat, but what we chew” food for thought indeed!
The food is fantastic and what you lose in quantity you make up for in quality. And while everything is fresh, beautifully presented and delicious there’s not a salad in sight. Raw food is forbidden as, according to the Mayr philosophy, it’s harder to digest and your digestive tract is here for a rest. No arguments from me, as it was from this philosophy that I learnt firstly that raw food was really not good for my IBS and secondly my evening salads were what was contributing to my insomnia. There hasn’t been so much as a lettuce leaf in my kitchen since, much to the hubby’s delight!
Over the course of the week my daily schedule was designed to relax me, rebalance my system, detox and lose weight. Every day I saw my doctor for an abdominal massage and we chatted about any questions I had. The electrolysis footbath which helps the detox process by eliminating toxins, and the daily massage which focused where I needed it most were the most relaxing elements. Poor Roswitha gave up on me entirely after seven attempts at the Nasal Reflex Therapy and stuck me in the salt box instead, which involved sitting in a sealed glass box and breathing in very fine salt mist to kill off any bacteria in my system. I considered this to be a fantastic trade and was delighted!
As I wanted to lose weight I did a Fit Test with Aerolution which gave me a very clear picture of my performance abilities and was surprised to find my fitness levels were really good at a cardio level and not so great at the fat burning level. More walking and less hammering it in the gym, I’m not arguing with that diagnosis. I never need to be asked while I’m there to sign up for every Nordic walk on offer, as well as dragging some of my fellow ‘inmates’ out for hikes around the lake and through the woods. I also tried out Feldenkrais in which you learn to move with less effort to make daily life easier. It basically teaches you to stop incorrect movements alleviating pain and making you more body aware.
The numerous saunas, a fab garden sauna, various steam baths, indoor pool and a modern gym all help with the detox process. And if you’re feeling brave, a swim in the lake is very relaxing, if a little chilly! Want pampering? They also offer lovely beauty treatments in the studio.
I learnt a lot this week, the most important thing being to slow down and be more aware of myself and to take more ‘me time’. I left 3.5 kilos lighter, feeling thoroughly well rested, de-bloated, relaxed, with a clear head and with seriously fantastic skin! Honestly, the last time I looked this slim, toned and felt this good was the last time I got back from VivaMayr!
Visit www.viva-mayr.com for more information. -L.C.