Friday 12 July 2013

Greetings from the Mayr clinic in Austria

Grüß Gott or Grus Gott as they say round these parts.
It means something like may God greet you. 
You are supposed to respond if I see him, Wenn ich ihn sehe or hopefully not too soon, Hoffentlich nicht so bald.

I have been a little quiet on the blogging front as I arrived here last Thursday for a duration of 24 days.  I am doing my annual physical MOT at the Mayr Clinic.  Some of you may have heard of it recently as plummy Plum Sykes did a feature in US Vogue about a Mayr Clinic just two miles down the road from where I am. 


There are quite a few clinics in Austria that follow the Mayr Cure.
Roman Abramovich famously hired the Lanserhof Clinic when he was going through his divorce.  Another great Mayr Cure based facility that some of my friends went to and I would have joined except I went off to Southeast Asia in March is the Park Igls.


My Gesundheitszentrum ja wohl!



 But like Bray, the little town in Berkshire I went to last month  where they don't have a supermarket and yet have two Michelin star restaurants, the south side of the Lake Worthersee is dotted with a few Austrian holiday homes but then two Mayr clinics.
It's very similar in principle but there are definitely two camps to this school of thought.  Ask anyone from Harvard and Yale what the difference is from each other when it is all Ivy League anyway and you will get the same emotive responses from guests at each. 


 The guests who stand united inside the Ryanair Flight divides at Klagenfurt airport.  One can normally tell who is going to which clinicThe ones with the latest fashion color in the crocodile Birkin and monogrammed Louis Vuitton hard luggage goes to Viva Mayr and the women carrying neutral color Kelly bags and hemp tote bags (me) go to Mayr More.

Only plus to the detoxing is that you hardly sleep initially and are able to catch the sunrises and swim in unrippled waters of the lake so pure that I finally know what it is to swim in Evian.

I have been here several times so know exactly what I am in for.  
It is part boarding school, part clinic, part prison.  

When you feel like going to the nearest restaurant for a schnitzel, everyone says that you are only cheating yourself. 
That's the school part. 

When you feel ill or hungry, you go to your doctor and they will run blood tests with results at breakfast the next day. 
That's the clinic part.

When you ask everyone what they are in for and how long they're staying, learning about new allergies along with sly techniques on getting more food.  
That's the prison part.

I have just gone through a detox crisis which I will explain to you in another post soon but just thought I would share with you my daily meals.  Everyone gets prescribed a different diet but everyone eats in relative silence.



This is where I sit.


Sorry for those who are having to view some repeat pics from the ones I posted on the Facebook page where I do little updates.


Breakfast which is buckwheat bread (according to my diet), beetroot puree and local, organic, sheep yoghurt.  The bread is supposed to be chewed at least 50 times. 
Count 'em, 5 0!


Lunch is alkaline soup, buckwheat bread, and a protein spread.

Dinner is normally either tea or broth with a vial of linseed oil.
But there is a choice for some people at lunch.


This was my dinner last night because I was sooo hungry that I threw a major strop and told the staff I would not go on my lymph stimulating walk because I had no energy so they gave me a squeeze of avocado mousse. 
( I normally do not throw diva strops.)


But I feed my body vitamin infusions to make up for the lack of food.  This was my favourite cocktail of  Vitamin CB6, and glutathione which unlike most cocktails is great for your liver.


I will update you guys more about my stay and time here as I am here for  another couple of weeks but just wanted to say hello.  I am supposed to limit my exposure to electromagnetic waves ( their words not mine ) so while I will be slowing down on posting and commenting, I am cheating and still reading!
  
Stay safe all! x

40 comments:

  1. Wow Naomi, what a great post! So nice to hear this from the inside:) I get hungry just by reading this...I'mnot sure I could do it but I totally believe it's good for your body to cleanse once in a while. xo Caroline

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  2. I'm fascinated! I want to know more! How brave you are to even contemplate doing this! and, um, what are the benefits when you're done?

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  3. It has the prettiest views of any prison I've ever seen. But I will now run to the fridge, pull out a Mars Bar and lick it in your honour. Sounds like torture, but I hope you get what you want/need from it. Do sneaky posts whenever you can!x

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  4. Verrry interesting. Quite hardcore with the IV etc. Those meals look totally horrendous though. I'm not fond of Beetroot. I know it's good for you, but if they presented me with that at lunch I would be throwing a fruity. Especially when matched with that horrible looking bread. But good on you - I know you'll feel amazing by the end, and after the hell of detox. Looking forward to hearing all about your time there. xx

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    1. Oh I wolf buckwheat bread down all the time, it's nutty and delicious.

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    2. This place is made for you then the soy bread is even better butnothersnlike the spelt which is what they are famous for.

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  5. How fascinating, I've always wanted to give this a go but no dinner per se would kill me, I really need to have three meals or I go a bit mad. The IV is probably a bit much for me personally , but then I like to fool myself into believing that I clean eat 95 % of the time anyway, I do it's just those weekend cocktails!

    Good luck, that is not for the fainthearted.

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  6. Interesting post! Certainly a very pretty place but I'm not sure I could manage with the range of food (or more importantly give up my sweet treats!) However, I'm sure you will feel amazing at the end of your stay and it will all have been worthwhile.

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  7. Hang on are you going to eb doing that for 24 days? Gasp, gold medal time, that must take an incredible amount of self discipline.

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  8. Wow. I am speechless with admiration. I really am! Holy cow does that take determination. Well, just know that I am sending you bolts of strength and thoughts of peace. That sounds hippy but probably is appropriate!
    Bisous,
    H

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  9. well I am gob-smacked. I could never do this, though am fascinated that you are doing this many times. I am sure there is a great reason for doing so, however, so am quite interested to hear more!

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  10. Hi guys, will update you and post different aspects of this place. I am over the rough bit and am on a gutsier menu today!! Yes the I'VE is odd but very normal here. People do meet up at 11 for a chat over an IV. Yes I am here until the end of August! I will share with you the little details especially as there are so many articles about these clinic but they tend to overdramatise or sell the place which I am not. I am a normal member of the public who pays my way so I try and give you my personal opinion. Excuse my general reply to all but I am on iPad and it drives me nuts plus the electromagnetic waves!! :p but will post some more next week x

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    1. Most folk who go don't blog, so thank you this is fascinating.

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    2. Thanks Tabs! But you may not like it so much when I post pics of my blood oxygenation therapy - and you thought IV's were weird ;)

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  11. I am here until end of July not August!! Perish the thought...

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    1. Oh my gawd, I really thought you decided to go until the end of August. Can you really manage buckwheat and beetroot until the end of August? I'm yet to read in full that Vogue piece. If I were you, I'd have major strops plus minor ones in between :D You made me hungry so I'm having a doughnut. Haha. Sulky had a Mars bar. Naughty. Have fun and goodluck on your next batch of food! xxx

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  12. Oh wow, I could not do this, I would be throwing strops left, right and centre for more food! xx

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  13. Wow this must be very interesting! I think detox like this one should be done at least once a year..
    I'm sure you'll enjoy it, and rest in this beautiful place!
    lots of love!
    Gloria

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  14. I read that article by Plum Sykes just the other day! She made it sound both horrible and wonderful, it is as dramatic as that? You seem much calmer about the whole thing. It looks like a pretty place, thanks so much for sharing it with us. Do you always go for so long? I think Plum only went for a week but you're there 24 days! Loving the real perspective on it.

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  15. Wow! I'm gobsmacked! How fantastic to do this, although I must say the old British cynic in me thinks is horrified at the same time ;-)
    I would be very unhappy with so little food.... I eat every 2 - 3 hours and despise beetroot!
    I'm going to have to hunt down the Plum Sykes article.
    I'm very intrigued as to what the benefits are. It's so beautiful!

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    1. No need to hunt for article I linked it under the words that are highlighted! Tried to link up all the relevant things with the words, don't know how it turns up on your screen but if the letters are coloured it means there is a link relevant. Hope that helps?

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  16. Can I just say that if I can do it then anyone can do it! But anyone reading this should read the vogue article bc most articles are rather similar! Just to let you all know this is my fourth time so I am less shocked bc if this was the first time I would not have had any reserve to blog! Thanks for visiting me especially when I am solo x

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  17. Take care! This sounds rough. I will be interested if you think it is worth doing. Will read my Vogue article...

    xxKim

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  18. OMG. In one breath I'm jealous; it looks like an idyllic haven and you are away from the UK, but in another breath, I'm like "what the &*%$" lol. Infusions and pureed snacks, I just don't think I could do it but good on you girl, enjoy it. You may inspire me to do something similar, I too am intrigued as to what will come in your future posts about this xx

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  19. Perhaps we will hear all the why, what for, was it worth it ( obviously, as this is not your first time ) later on?
    My only concern is, that have you ( or are you allowed to ) socialize with the rest of your group? Do you feel lonely?
    Are you happy / sad ?
    Wishing you a relaxing time : ).

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  20. Germany is a dangerous place to have such a clinic: beer, pretzels, sausages, did I mention beer?

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  21. Grus Gott Naomi!! Not too sure whether I envy you or feel sorry for you... but you will be a very happy girl when you leave there! I spent some time in something vaguely similar in SA once - other than the physical difficulties, it was a bit lonely... but that was before the ipad etc! Hang in there - and the swimming must be glorious! xx

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  22. How much does it cost and how much weight do you lose?

    The food looks a bit...... Small.

    I went to a health spa once.

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    1. The link to website is on the word in beginning of post, there are lots of options so you can browse through the website. But this isn't a spa perse it's more of a detox and small medical facility that also does facials.

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  23. All I can mutter is Wow.
    I'm a wimp, I attended a kind of retreat once, years ago, no mobile phones allowed (ha) lots of silent periods and contemplation etc. It was only for two days and lets just say I couldn't wait to get home.
    I admire your fortitude!
    xx

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  24. My mother and I did the Viva Mayr diet at home a few years ago (we got their book from amazon). I remember (not so fondly) having to sit, and chew. OMG. But I did enjoy all the different spreads. We also just read this morning the Vogue article on the Viva Mayr, and you are quite right about the clientèle and the prison part!!
    I am sure you will be the healthiest person in the blogging community in no time at all...! Enjoy xx

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  25. Naomi, " may God greet you" if this/we kill(s) you. Is this what the greeting implies? ;-)

    WOW girl! I could only go to this extreme vacay lodge if I had real medical concerns. Hoping (& praying) you are not dealing with tumors. Have you been here before? Are you voluntarily incarcerated?

    Chin up. Grin and bear it. Chew, chew, chew,..... Have you seen The Andy Griffith Show where deputy Barney is counting his chews? Funny!

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  26. Wow, you are brave. The setting looks gorgeous. I'm anxious to follow your progress, from here!

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  27. Bon Courage...xx M

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  28. Ha, ha, if I was really hungry and all someone gave me was a squeeze of avocado mousse, I honestly don't think I could be held responsible for my actions!!

    All the best. xx

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  29. The spa looks amazing! Enjoy and relax you deserve it :)

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  30. Wow, I am late to these posts, but I am in awe! I read the Plum Sykes article and it sounded really tough. Is this now an annual event for you? What made you start going in the first place and how did you hear about it in the first place? Thanks for posting these detailed accounts, it is great to hear the real life perspective on the experience, rather than from a magazine.

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  31. Wow! Good for you. I'm just catching up on my bloggy faves and remember reading that article by Plum Sykes in Vogue. Can't wait to hear more.
    xx, Heather

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  32. Am doing the Mayr detox cleanse in Costa Rica. I literally bumped into a neighbor I didn't recognize after losing half her body size in 21 days who put me on to this. I am doing the 24 day treatment. It is as you say...but to put others at ease...
    1. You don't feel hungry on it.
    2. Thought I would hate the diet, but it is not that bad...my chef bf is making them yummy.
    3. Heath benefits are so many that if you didn't lose weight it's worth it!

    I am on day 9. The last few years I have experienced swollen feet, lack of energy, some depression and my medical dr said I am now very prone to heart disease and diabetes but never even suggested anything like this! I now have more energy, do not feel as bloated, no more pain in my chest or arm. No swelling any more in my feet or ankles. And my larger friend going this with me has lost a lot of weight already and sleeps well now at night where she didn't before. It is a whole new way of discovering how to eat and what to eat. The health benefits alone will want to keep you going on it. This doctor says not only will lower hbp, but lower cholesterol and cleans the LG intestine and liver! I've seen an improvement in those who have done this...skin as well. If interested...I can set you up with this amazing doctor at a much more reasonable price. adreanaencr@gmail.com Happy health to all!

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