My Sanoviv Trip

On March 3rd-10th, my brother, Tom and I decided to visit a medical spa in Mexico called Sanoviv. Sanoviv is located one hour from the San Diego airport on the Baja coast in Rosarito, Mexico. Sanoviv has had success dealing with misunderstood and misdiagnosed patients including Epstein Barr, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lyme's disease, Parkinson's, Systemic Lupus Eritematosus and other Chronic Degenerative and Immunologic diseases.

There were people from all over the world visiting Sanoviv for their many different treatment and diagnostic programs. Sanoviv looks for the root cause of patients' illnesses. The goal is to eliminate the cause as opposed to hiding the symptom with a drug. Tom and I went through the Complete Diagnostic Assessment. I highly recommend this 7 night program. It included so many tests, treatments and educational classes that I feel completely in control of my health today.

The Complete Diagnostic Assessment included the following:

Pre arrival lab work--A CDP profile, and spectracell analysis test
A D.I.S.C Assessment

In House Tests included:

HIV
A BTA Test--bladder cancer
Urinalysis
Stool Analysis
An EKG
A Darkfield Assessment--Cell Analysis
A WatchPat Assessment--sleep problems
Endo Pat Assessment--Coronary Blood flow
Heidleberg Gastric Test--acid reflux, allergies, belching, and gas
BIA Assessment
Iridology--Iris analysis to detect inflammation and other issues
A Homotoxicology--Detects toxins
Oral Cancer Screening-performed by dentist
Vega Assessment--Whole body screening
Heart rate variability assessment

Radiology:

Ultrasound, abdominal, pelvic and breast
Chest X-ray
Panarex dental x-ray

Medical Treatments:

A Colonic--colon cleanse
Assisted Sauna
Thalasso Therapy

Professional Visits:

Doctor (up to 4 visits-50 minutes each)
Dentist (up to 2 visits)
A psychologist
Nutritionist (up to 2 visits)
A structural specialist visit
A fitness specialist visit

Spa Treatments:

A Swedish massage
A Facial

Spiritual Treatments:

Daily meditation
Energy medicine class
Detoxification class
Yoga class
Sound therapy
Psychology and spirituality class

Nutritional therapy:

Juicing class
Food preparation class
Relationship with food lecture
Emotional eating class
Integrative Weight management class
Overall nutrition

Fitness Therapy:

Initial assessment
Home program
Water class
Individual training

Supplementation:

A supplementation package

All the programs include room and board for the patient, if you wish to come with a companion you can chose to bring one at a cost of $100.00 a night (meals included). Companions are able to utilize all classes, lectures and facilities but do not receive any individual treatments.

This program retails at $9,500 not including your flights but Sanoviv has many promotions that significantly reduces this cost. I believe my entire trip was under $7,000. Although this may sound like a lot of money, there are tons of sick people who wish they had made this investment when they were still healthy because they are paying a much bigger price now.

Tom and I both learned how to better manage our health through lifestyle changes. I found out about some health issues that I didn't know I had. The biggest issue was my B12 deficiency. For the last several years, I had worked to eliminate red meat from my diet because I believed it was bad for me. Now I know that my body needs some of the important B12 that is found in red meat. Red meat is high in fat and it is very acidic. My doctor at Sanoviv recommended that I try Bison meat, which is leaner and hormone free.

In addition, I learned that I had a urinary infection. It was not a serious one and could be treated with Usana Health Science's Poly C supplement and 8 oz of cranberry juice twice a day for 3 days. It was also found that I had a glucose-Insulin Interaction due to a diet that had too many processed carbs. I met with my nutritionist and I have a large packet of information on foods to avoid and even a sample of meals to prepare.

My blood test also showed that I had low thyroid metabolism or hypothyroidism, which my father also had. To bring my levels up it was recommended that I add more Iodine, Selenium, Zinc, vitamins A,E,D,C and B complex. Dr. Mercado has me taking a product called Thyroid support complex by Pure Encapsulations.

In addition, I had a lot of acid and heavy metals that were found in my saliva, urine and stool samples. This is also due to years of poor eating, stress, environmental factors and other unnatural products that I have used on my skin. I had heard of cleansing over the years but I didn't realize how important it is for our health. I did a lot of cleansing at Sanoviv with their strict diet, lymphatic massages, saunas, colonic and supplementation. My doctor sent me home with more instructions on how to cleanse further with a 30 day detox kit and saunas three days a week. Cleansing through bowel movements is only one way to cleanse. Our body releases a lot of toxins through the skin so sweating it out is a great way to release toxins. I have experienced some skin break outs during this process but I hope it will improve once I am finished.

I was also thrilled that Sanoviv was able to get rid of my plantars warts without the pain of surgery. My podiatrist at home said my 5 plantars warts were too deep to get rid of without surgery. I had been told by friends that the pain and suffering after surgery wasn't worth it and they usually came back anyway. My Sanoviv doctor prescribed a solution that I was to apply directly on the wart twice a day with numerous coats. It took between 5-7 days for all 5 warts to fall off my feet. I took my socks off one night and there were chunks of skin with the wart right in it. It is amazing to think how simple and pain free this was.

I have learned that any health issues no matter how insignificant is a sign our body is telling us there is a potential problem. If you suffer from frequent migraines, eczema, cold sores, sinus problems, allergies, asthma etc... there is something going on in your body. These can be simple issues to fix, like a vitamin or mineral deficiency. You may need to change your diet or add some all natural supplements to better manage your condition. Some people suffer from problems due to stress or sleep issues. These can also be managed by changing your lifestyle.

Sanoviv took the time to look at the root cause for my minor health issues and ended up finding some issues that could have been more serious had they not been found. It is easy to put band aids on our problems but the underlying condition still exists and will probably get worse if it is not managed over time. This is why I am so glad I made the investment in my health today so I am better able to manage my health as I age.

I would like to share my Sanoviv experience with you. Take a look at my many pictures showing the Sanoviv facility and it's many treatment plans. Please understand that there is no make up allowed at Sanoviv or hair dryers, hair spray, gel etc... I am looking a little rough but I felt great after I got through the initial 48 hour headache during my detox.

Enjoy.................................

My Sanoviv Driver And Van At The San Diego Airport

Guests of Sanoviv are picked up at the San Diego airport and transported in the Sanoviv van to the facility, which is about a 1 hour drive from the airport. Although I was nervous about all the violence that was being reported in Mexico, I found the drive quite scenic. We were on a highway the entire time and passing through customs at the America/Mexican border was no big deal.

Arriving At Sanoviv

Sanoviv is a medical hospital that is like living in a healthy bubble on the ocean. Everything is serene and beautiful. The van pulled in the gates and we were greeted with smiles at the registration desk here at the entrance. The facility is small so everyone knows your name.

Orientation with Trist in the Conference Center

After changing into our organic cottons, we went to the conference center for an orientation video. This video educated us on the grounds and the routines we would follow during our 7 night stay at Sanoviv. We also learned about the history of Sanoviv, which was founded by Dr. Wentz. This facility was founded on the basis of "true" healing and education to all guests whether they are sick or not. We also learned about some of the detox side effects (like headaches) that we might experience early in our stay. I think the lack of sugar caused my 48 hour headache.

Our Tour of Sanoviv

This is a picture of my brother, Tom and our coordinator, Isabel giving us the tour of Sanoviv. This was the library where we could check out books, magazines and movies. Most of the literature was health related but you could check out novels for relaxing reading. The desk behind Tom and Isabel is a original remake from George Washington's desk at the White House.

Quiet Room

I wanted you all to see the quiet room. This was a unique space where many procedures are done in a very peaceful and serene environment. All the lounges, which are incredibly comfortable with large pillows, face the full length windows that overlook the ocean. This is where I came to relax after my chiropractor visit. I do not have a picture of Michael, my chiropractor at Sanoviv but he was very helpful. I had a one hour visit with Michael to test my strength and find my problem areas. Michael found the strength problems in my lower legs due to nerve issues from my B12 deficiency. He was able to adjust my neck and bring a lot of strength back to my legs with that simple adjustment. I felt no aches or pains for once in my life!

Living room area of my room

This is the living room area of my suite. You can see my exercise space with bars on the wall and my "rebounder". I preferred to work out in the fitness center but many people preferred to stay in their room to exercise. I liked having all the space. As you can see, I spread out all my paperwork on the cocktail table to keep it organized. Each evening we would have a 7:00 PM lecture on different topics. These included, Optimal Wellness, Healthy Digestion, Nutrition, Healthy Gums=Healthy Body, and Spiritual Wellness and Forgiveness. There were hand outs with each session so I came home with packets of information. The information that I learned during these professional lectures was so valuable and I am applying them to my life each and every day.

Lap Pool

This is the lap pool that is used for fitness. The pool to the right of it with the waterfall into the lap pool is where we do our water fitness classes. There are 7 pools total on the grounds and each of them has a different medical purpose. All the pools are filled with salt water and they are cleaned daily to stay toxin free. As you can see, the grounds are very well kept. A medical facility like this in the U.S. would cost a fortune to visit. I felt like I was stealing with the deal I got on my package.

WatchPat Assessment

Here I am back at the nurses station to receive my WatchPat Assessment. They trained me on how to use this device so they could monitor my sleep patterns and determine how many hours a night I sleep. Their was a small computer that was velcroed to my arm and another device that attached to my finger. I think this was my worst night of sleep because every time I turned over I was afraid that I would shut the device off. I got my best advice from my spiritual advisor about how to turn the mind off at night so you can relax. My mind is always going and I believe that is why I do not sleep well. Finding ways to manage my thought process is the key for me.

Lymphatic Massages

I never really knew what the lymphatic system was until I visited Sanoviv. I had 3 lymphatic massages during my week stay. They are not nearly as relaxing as the Swedish massage but they do have an important medical purpose. Lymphatic drainage massages remove harmful substances from tissues and increase immune functions. The lymph system plays a crucial role in the bodies ability to heal. When there are problems with the lymphatic system, you may experience aches, pains, soreness and flu-like symptoms.

My wonderful massage therapist was so sweet she even gave me a quick Swedish massage at the end of my lymphatic massage because she knew that I enjoyed those more. It is also important to note that unlike most spas, there is no tipping at Sanoviv so this act of kindness was not done for compensation.

Golden Milk

This pitcher of Golden milk was part of our morning routine. Golden milk is almond milk with tumeric. It doesn't taste too bad and it gave us just enough energy to get through our morning routine prior to breakfast. It is also important to note that all the water at Sanoviv is purified 4 times over. This includes the water from the showers as well as all drinking water. Needless to say we were encouraged to drink a lot of fluids during our stay to help flush the toxins from our systems. There were water coolers in every hallway as reminders!

Walking Track

This is our paved walking track. You are not allowed to walk the beach, which is quite rocky so this paved path is used for getting some exercise and enjoying the ocean breeze. I believe it was 7 laps to make a mile. It is important to note that at Sanoviv detoxification is a major theme. Therefore, when Dr. Wentz purchased the property he had all the landscaping ripped out and replaced without any fertilizers or pesticides. Everything is all natural and that cannot be cheap to keep up but every measure is being taken to keep toxins out of our system during our visit and this is especially important for the very sick guests.

Chugging Contest

Here we are again with our wheat grass juice! The chef challenged me to a chugging contest. I am normally pretty competitive but I let him win this time.

We took a juicing class during our stay. We were told that serving juice moments after it is pressed, when the enzymes and nutrient activity is most potent means you will gain the most benefit. Benefits of juicing include: increased energy, strengthens immunity, promotes healing, decreases infections, provides enzymes, minerals, phytonutrients and amino acids, assists detoxification and provides direct nutrition to the cell. Thursday was liquid day and all that is served is fresh juices, pure water, herbal teas and a raw soup. The enzymes in fresh raw plant liquids allow for easy digestion with little strain on the digestive organs. Nutrient juices are digested in 20 minutes. Since less energy is expended in digestion, this energy can be used in the healing potential of the body including mental, emotional and spiritual capacities.

Spiritual Advisor Meeting

Here I am with my spiritual advisor. I was hooked up to a machine that measured my level of stress while sitting quietly looking at the ocean for 20 minutes. I passed so I know I am capable of relaxing when I try. At home it is little harder to relax. Stress depresses the immune system, depletes vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and hinders digestion. It also causes short term memory loss. I learned to release stress with a journal, forgiveness and compassion and sharing. By using meditation and breathing exercises and using my spirit to rejuvenate with humor, fun, purpose and prayer; I can reduce stress and feel better. My goal is to do one thing for my mind, body and spirit every day and make time for optimal wellness. This means making time for myself.

Sanoviv Store

The Sanoviv store offers many health related books, exercise equipment and healthy personal care products. I had forgotten to bring all natural body lotion so I purchased some here. The products in the store are available online at www.sanoviv.com and click on "shop".

Snack Bar and Game Room

This area of the spiritual healing building was were we went in the early morning for our lemon water before our meditation and energy medicine classes. Many guests came here in the evenings to play games. Dominoes seemed to be the game of choice. Each evening we would drink coconut water before bed. It seemed to be a social area for the guests. I met many friends at Sanoviv and enjoyed hearing about the success stories of many of the guests. I am staying in touch with some of my new friends and praying for those that were struggling with cancer or other health ailments.

Fitness Center

This is where we went for our fitness evaluations and to participate in fitness classes including, zumba, stretching, rebounding, and salsa. Water fitness was held in the large pool and yoga classes were held in the spiritual healing building. I passed my fitness evaluations with flying colors, they were impressed with my ability to do 40 push ups. My body mass index was also normal as well as my body fat. I did show signs of dehydration and was educated on the fact that I should be drinking 1/2 my body weight in ounces each day. Yikes! That's a lot of water. I also did very good in my flexibility test, it probably helped that I was a gymnast as a child. I could use improvement on my aerobic fitness routine. It showed that my bodies ability to carry oxygen to the muscles was only in the "average" range. My doctor suggested that I engage in different kinds of aerobic activities and drink an all natural sports drink called "Rev 3" by Usana to improve this. I was also advised to take Acetyl-l-Carnitine by Pure Encapsulations after my aerobic work outs to help in my recovery.

Pedicure

Here I am getting a pedicure. Sunday's at Sanoviv are a day of rest and my brother and I needed that. The spa is open all day so my brother and I both booked a few treatments. The rest of the day we sat by the pool and walked for exercise. This pedicure was very special because I hadn't had one in 15 years due to my plantar warts. My podiatrist at home told me my warts needed to be cut out during surgery because they were too deep. I kept putting it off because I was told I would be on crutches for 6 weeks. Dr. Mercado at Sanoviv gave me an ointment that I applied twice a day directly on the warts and all five of them literally fell off in my socks within 7 days. It is so nice to be rid of those painful and unsightly warts.

Dinnertime

This is my brother eating dinner in the lovely dining room overlooking the pools and garden. Food was a central theme at Sanoviv because food is medicine! Sanoviv food is caffeine free, sugar and gluten free, dairy and meat free. Obviously there was no alcohol either. There was always plenty of food as you can see from all the plates in front of us and the food was all highly nutrient rich and part of the Sanoviv cleansing process. The organic nature of the foods at Sanoviv was especially important to the cancer patients. Since cancer feeds off of gluten/sugar, it is important to avoid this at every meal. Even the dressings were all olive oil based or avocado based. I was surprised at how much fat we ate, I didn't realize the importance of healthy fats in our diet. Everyone lost weight at Sanoviv. I lost 5 pounds and my brother lost 8 pounds during our 7 night stay.

Dental Exam and Mouth Cancer Screening

I never realized how important our dental care is until I visited Sanoviv. They screened me for mouth cancer, periodontal disease and analyzed my root canals and other dental work for issues. I decided to have the 5 mercury fillings removed while at Sanoviv partly because of the careful removal procedures they use but also the fact that one of the fillings was sending off a signal, just like a battery. The mouth cancer screening was unusual. They had me rinse with some solution and then turned the lights in the room out and my mouth glowed in the dark. They thoroughly checked around for any signs of cancer. I had never heard of this procedure before. I wish there were more biological dentists locally because I also believe that my mouth is connected to my body and therefore any problems of the mouth can affect my other organs.

Entrance to the Spa

This is the hallway to our doctor examination rooms and the spa entrance. Sanoviv offered a full menu of spa services but only a few were included with my package. I bought the complete diagnostic package, which included a Swedish massage (my favorite) and a facial. I did have a few lymphatic massages that were included with my mercury filling removal. It was impressive that all the spa therapists were educated on the medical benefits of their services. For example, my therapist was timing me in the sauna and held my towel while I showered off and then headed back to the sauna for more detoxification.

My Nutritionist, Johnny

My first impression of my nutritionist, Johnny is that he must have been an actor before becoming a nutritionist. He obviously took very good care of himself and he was very knowledgeable about nutrition. I learned that I need to eat more vegetables, healthy fats, antibiotic and hormone free organic meats and fish and a little bit of fruit. Johnny told me that he doesn't like to categorize foods as good or bad but rather good or better. An apple is better than a handful of crackers but a handful of raw vegetables would be even better than the apple. I also learned that I need to add bison meat to my diet because it is high in B12, which I was found to be deficient in. In addition, 80% of our diet should be made up of foods that were available in the cavemen days like vegetables, wild game, nuts/seeds, and grains (lentils, beans). Processed foods were introduced in the last 50 years and ironically that is when degenerative diseases started to become an issue and the increase in diabetics went through the roof.

I had heard that eggs were bad for us due to all the cholesterol. Johnny told me otherwise. Many studies show that the cholesterol in eggs does not raise the cholesterol level in the body. Healthy brown eggs (organic, cage feed) contain lecithin, a valuable nutrient that helps the body to process fats and cholesterol.

Nurses Station

Here I am in the nurses station finishing up my IV after my dental work was completed. Each morning we would go to the nurses station to have our vitals taken. Toward the end of my stay I would also visit the nurses station for my B12 shots and to pick up the supplements that my doctor felt I needed to start on.

Many of the cancer patients were relaxing here while receiving their cancer treatments by IV. You cannot tell from this picture but this room is also overlooking the ocean. The chairs and pillows are very comfortable and their is lots of reading materials to help distract the patients during their treatments.

Labratory

I made numerous trips to have blood work done. Two weeks before my trip to Sanoviv, I was contacted by a lab out of FL that made arrangements for my blood to be drawn at a local hospital. They sent my blood and urine samples to this lab so Sanoviv would have the results when I arrived. The second day at Sanoviv we were instructed to provide 2 more urine samples taken 3 hours apart plus a saliva and stool sample. That was a crazy morning because we were not allowed to eat or drink anything before these tests (or even brush our teeth). I also had lab work done at the end of my stay to test my hormone levels.

Our Wonderful Chefs

These were our chefs. They did the best they could to make the meals look fancy and appealing. I am sure it is challenging to dress up seeds, sprouts and veggies each day but they were up to the challenge. Although most of us ate the same meals there were variations based on the patients treatment plan. For example, some patients on the weight loss plan or cancer treatment plan had a slightly different menu. When I went to Sanoviv, I told them I didn't like fish so my doctor told the chefs to give me lentil beans instead. After a few days of lentil beans, I chose to try the fish and found I didn't mind it.

Lobby and Puzzle

This is a picture of the lobby area. This is where we would wait for our doctor, chiropractor, dentist, nutritionist, other medical tests and spa treatments. As you can see, my new Sanoviv friend, Betty is working on a 1,000 piece puzzle. As people waited for their appointments we would socialize and put a piece or two together. Many of the cancer patients were at Sanoviv for a 4 or 5 week treatment plan so the puzzle was a nice distraction as they waited for their next medical procedure.

Movie and Computer Room

Although this room isn't too exciting, we all spent our evening after lectures here. As you can see on the far left there is a computer for guests to use. I e-mailed the family daily and they really enjoyed reading about my adventure but the kids were a little worried about how their lives would change when I got home--hello wheat grass! There are also many movies and a DVD player. This room is just off the library so some people would check out books and magazines to enjoy during their downtime.

Enema Toilet

Until the first evening I didn't know what this thing was in my bathroom. Each night they have a lecture on a health topic given by one of the doctors, dentists or nutritionists. The theme my first night was detoxification and digestion class. There was a pail, hose and brush waiting for me at the entrance to the lecture. That is when I realized that this was a toilet specially designed for enemas. These enemas are not as effective as the colonic but also a little less uncomfortable. Some people can cleanse in 3 weeks and some take 3 months but at least the tools and education is there.

Bathroom in my room

This is my bathroom. Not too exciting but I wanted to point out the fact that Sanoviv provides all your essentials, which makes for very light packing. Each room has drawers full of all cotton, and organically washed clothing including sweatpants, shorts, t-shirts, socks and sandals. We did wear our own underwear and bras. Each day we put them in the laundry basket just under the sink and the cleaning people restocked each day. You do not wear any make up or perfume and Sanoviv provides tooth brush, tongue cleaner, all natural toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner. I was told to bring my own all natural chap stick and body lotion. You could easily pack for an entire week with one carry on bag if it wasn't for all the information and supplements that you need to take home.

Cancer Patient enjoying the view

This is another picture from my room. You can see a woman in a wheel chair enjoying the view as well. There were a number of cancer patients at Sanoviv during my visit. Sanoviv has had a lot of success in helping cancer patients heal without getting terribly sick. This woman was here for breast cancer treatment and we dined each night with a number of cancer patients who also benefited from the toxin free environment and cleansing food at Sanoviv. Although each cancer treatment is different, many patients were receiving low levels of chemotherapy and many methods to improve their immunity functions so their body could fight this terrible disease. If I am ever diagnosed with cancer, I will jump on a plane within the hour to head to Sanoviv for treatment.

Mercury Fillings

Yes, that is me under the pink cloth. I am having mercury fillings removed from my mouth safely. I had 5 of them removed while at Sanoviv because after searching in my hometown for a biological dentist, I couldn't find one. Mercury (Amalgam) fillings are banned in Japan, Norway, Sweden, Austria and Germany. Connecticut banned it because it was poisoning their waterways. Mercury is proven to be bad for our health but every time we put them in, chew or remove them, mercury is being released into our body. Biological dentists believe that the mouth is connected to the body. Any disease of the mouth can affect other organs in the body so it is important that caution be used in treating the mouth. Sanoviv followed 9 protocols in removing my mercury fillings. As you can see, I have an IV to help flush out any metal. I also have a oxygen mask to breathe fresh air while I am covered with a rubber dam. They use ionizers and high vacuum suction. After my procedure, I had lymphatic massages, cleanse kits and saunas to assure that any mercury that may have gotten into my system would be eliminated from my body.

Stretching Class

Here we are at stretching class. We learned that stretching is so important because it reduces muscle tension, increases range of motion, enhances muscular coordination and circulation and increases energy. It is an good way to relax and reduce stress and also an excellent way to prevent injuries long term. This class was offered every day except Sunday.

Meditation Class

Here we are enjoying a beautiful morning outside with our meditation class. Did you know that we have 60,000-80,000 thoughts a day and 87% are negative? We have a thought every 1.2 seconds. Mediation makes you focus so we have less thoughts and they are more positive and productive thoughts. People who meditate are physiologically 12 years younger. Meditation affects our adrenals and lymphatic system.

Wheatgrass and Celery Juice

I had to take a picture of my two least favorite drinks. We drank a small glass of wheatgrass (or kind of chewed) and a large glass of celery juice. Wheat grass is condensed sunlight energy & a potent healing agent. It has so many bioavailable vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fats, and enzymes. These help mental and physical sense of well being, better energy and sleep, stronger immune and reduces inflammation and more. This is what helped me to focus on getting it down. I would take a small sip of the wheatgrass and a large one of the celery juice because otherwise it wouldn't go down.

My Colonic

This was not my favorite procedure but it was necessary given all the toxins in my body. As you can see this machine was the device used for my colonic. It takes 45-60 minutes in which as much as 20-35 gallons of water is used to gently flush the colon. Through appropriate use of massage, pressure points, reflexology, and breathing techniques, the therapist is able to eliminate far more toxic waste than an enema or laxative. Enemas are useful in emptying the rectum and lowest 8 to 12 inches of the colon. Colonics get up much further into the colon. This procedure can help all your organs perform better because it diminishes the burden on the kidney's, liver and lungs. As elimination is accomplished through its proper channels, the skin will likely clear up as well. It wasn't painful but just a little uncomfortable.

Rebound Class

This class was my favorite exercise class Sanoviv offered. It was called "rebounding" and we basically jumped on individual trampolines. It is not as hard on the joints as running and it really works your core because of the need to stabilize your body. Our instructor played really fun and upbeat music. We also spent 20 minutes with ropes doing more resistance training so it was a good overall work out. Some people go to Sanoviv for their weight management programs and this is one exercise they never missed because it really burned calories as well as toned the body.

Sound Therapy Class

Here I am attending Sound Therapy Class. This was offered every day except Sunday and when my schedule allowed, I attended. This is a holistic approach to healing physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the person. It enables them to return to a state of harmony and balance through sound frequencies. I would attend meditation, sound therapy and stretching class all before breakfast each morning (not including our golden milk, which we drank first thing each morning). It is a very relaxing class but the sound that those bowls make is really strange and hurt some people's ears.

EKG and EndoPat Testing

Here I am getting my EKG (Electrocardiogram) and my EndoPat testing. The EKG is recording the electrical heart activity and looking at rhythm, strength, timing and speed of the heart. The EndoPat is an advanced test done to identify coronary disease at its earliest stage through non invasive fingertip tests. I had a device on my left arm that tightened and restricted blood flow for 20 minutes. It kind of hurt. Despite a family history of heart issues, I passed these tests with flying colors and was told if I were to suffer a heart attack or stroke today I would most likely survive and recover well.

Dr. Fernando Mercado

This is my wonderful doctor Mercado. The best part of Sanoviv is how in depth they look into your health problems. Unlike U.S. doctors visits, my visits with Dr. Mercado were 50 minutes each. Since he already had all my test results in hand, he could perform a more in depth physical exam. Dr. Mercado found the source of my tingling feet. It turns out I had a B12 deficiency and it was causing nerve damage in my lower legs. No wonder I couldn't feel my feet! I am now getting shots in my behind till I can change my diet based on my nutritionists recommendation. Dr. Mercado practiced medicine as any traditional doctor but he was tired of memorizing what prescription drugs managed what diseases. He then spent years traveling the world trying to heal people with yoga and energy medicine. When he heard about Sanoviv and their mission to look at the root cause of disease he brushed up on his medical training and spent an additional 6 months training through the Institute of Functional Medicine (out of Washington, DC). This training was provided to all medical staff members at Sanoviv through a fellowship with the Institute. Dr. Mercado now has a purpose, which is educating people on true preventative health.

Vega Check and Iridology

Here I am in the Quiet Room having my Vega Check. This advanced procedure checks patients from head to toe and informs therapists of overall state of health. Vega check detects inflammation, masked or chronic disease and allergies and intolerance's. I did good except I had one problem in my right upper jaw area, which they believe may be a problem with my mercury fillings (which I then had removed). I also had Iridology in this room in which they use this massive camera to take pictures of my iris. The iris is composed of nerve endings and it looks at the structure, patterns, colors and degree of lightness and darkness to determine stages of inflammation in the body. It is only a screening process and cannot tell what specific disease you have but it will warn you of problems. I did very well on this test.

X-Ray and Ultrasound Room

This is a picture of the x-ray and ultrasound room. My chest x-ray showed signs of scar tissue from previous bronchitis but nothing active was going on. I also had an extensive ultrasound where the doctor looked at my kidneys, liver, pancreas, and reproductive organs. This was an uncomfortable test because your bladder had to be full so they could see some of these organs. I think I chugged 10 glasses of water an hour before the procedure so I thought I was going to burst.

Cell Analysis Procedure

The large red picture on the computer is my blood cell. During this procedure, they drew blood and analyzed it under a microscope. They were looking for the shape and movement of my cells. As soon as the technician pulled up my cell, she said "oh, I bet you take nutritional supplements". I was confident that my cells were healthy since I had the same test done locally a few years before with similar results. I did have a few white blood cells in the picture but not enough to cause any concerns at this point.

View from my room

This is a picture from the balcony of my room. As you can see I had a beautiful ocean view. You can see a few of the many pools as well. The pools at Sanoviv are all filled with salt water instead of chlorine to keep toxins out of our bodies. They had a lap pool, fitness pool and Thalasso pools. The Thalasso pools were of varying temperatures and depths and we were to spend so much time in each to stimulate our lymphatic systems. They educated us on this process the first day.

Urine, Stool and Saliva Tests

This is a copy of my stool, saliva and urine tests. These tests determine the amount of acidity and toxins in my body. As you can see, I have a few issues. I had so many toxins it was clogging my lymphatic system and stressing my adrenals. I also had a magnesium deficiency and because of that the body tries to compensate but we end up urinating magnesium. The solution is to cleanse the body with water, supplements, saunas, healthy foods and an annual 30 day detox kit. I use a large water bottle and fill with purified water and 30 drops of Lymphomyosot drops, Berveris Homaccord drops and Nux Vomica Homaccord drops and sip throughout the day for 30 days. This homeopathic remedy will stimulate the detoxification of the lymph, kidneys, liver and large intestine. I am having some stomach cramping and rashes as these toxins are releasing from my body but I am glad to clean it out.

Nutritional Home Program

This is only one page of my nutritional home program. My nutritionist, Johnny educated me on food sensitivities/intolerances and we did have our son tested. He has asthma and inhalers didn't work. Sure enough, he has a food intolerance to gluten and cow's milk. Many people develop these intolerances as they age. Many people have these sensitivities but don't realize it and it can cause major health issues down the road. I also found out thru my son's testing that he had to have gotten his intolerance from one of his parents. I haven't been tested yet but I think it is obvious that I have it as well since my tests at Sanoviv showed other signs pointing to issues.

This is only one page of the report that I received from my Sanoviv doctor instructing me as to what supplements I would need to take. If you click on this page, you will see there are a lot of natural supplements listed. Many of these products are for ongoing maintenance but I hope to reduce the amount I take once I cleanse some of the toxins from my body and improve my diet. For example, my doctor recommended that I take 2 Biomega (Usana) fish oil capsules 3 times a day for 2 months. After that I can cut back to 2 twice a day. That is a lot of fish oil considering Usana's products are pharmaceutical grade and highly potent. It helps that I am a Usana distributor so at least I can get rebates on the Usana products that were recommended.

Daily Schedule

This is a copy of my daily schedule. Each night after dinner our schedules would be waiting for us at the desk. The first two days were very full because they scheduled all of our medical testing so they could begin to understand our health situation. This schedule was from my 5th day and if you click on the schedule to make it larger you will see my swedish massage. Although Sanoviv is a medical facility, they did throw in some spa treatments into my complete diagnostic program. These were really appreciated after dealing with blood work and dental treatments and some other not so enjoyable tests and procedures.

Herbal Garden

This is a picture of the herbal garden at Sanoviv. The veggies, sprouts and seeds are all organically grown making them highly nutrient rich. Many of the sprouts and seeds were grown in the kitchen for optimal freshness. Most meals at Sanoviv involved a large assortment of vegetables. Most breakfasts were eggs and veggies; lunch was salad, fish and veggies and dinner included salad, veggies and soup or beans.

My Suite at Sanoviv

This is a picture of my room. As you can see all the suites have companion bedrooms. I could have taken a friend for only $100 a night, which includes all food and use of the facility for the entire stay. The rooms were equipped with our own "rebounder" (trampoline), bars on the wall and exercise ropes. Each room also had machines to stimulate your lymphatic system. The rooms did not have any blinds or curtains but that didn't matter because we woke up with the sun each day at 6:15 AM when our T.V. would turn on as our wake up call.

Spiritual Healing Building

This picture is taken in the hallway of the spiritual and healing center building. It is very ornate and I had to get a picture of Dr. Wentz's head sculpture. You know you are important when your head becomes a sculpture in a hospital!

Ocean View of Sanoviv

This picture was taken from the front of the building, which overlooks the ocean. The hospital portion is the tall building in the center and on the right side is the fitness center. On the left is the spiritual healing center. The second floor of the hospital is where the nurses station is located and the more critically ill patients are housed on this floor to be near the nurses station. My brother, Tom and I had rooms on the 4th floor.