The word detox has been a wellness buzzword for quite a few years now. It all started when juice cleanses became a fad—remember those no solid food only fresh pressed vegetable and fruit juices for a week programs? We've all been there, and frankly, we're not doing it anymore. As we've come to learn more and more about proper ways to detox, thanks to wellness experts, we now know that detoxing doesn't mean starvation, nor does it mean depriving ourselves of much-needed nutrients our body needs in order to 'cleanse our system'. Without the proper guidance of medical practitioners, detox programs could be downright dangerous.

So once we came across the new detox wellness machine/device called the detox dome, we went straight to where the doctors are—in Centro Holistico, to be able to try it for ourselves with the proper advise from medical experts.

According to Dr. Kat Miranda of Centro Holistico, toxins in our bodies need to be released. Elimination usually happens to what we eat, through pooping, perspiring, peeing, when we inhale, and exhale. 'These are aspects of releasing toxins because toxins can be in different forms. It can be metabolized into gas. It can be metabolized into other foods, so you poop or you pee it out or you sweat it out. That's why our services here enhance the detox elimination', she shares. This is where the Detox Dome comes in.

It's basically a device that helps you sweat more. 'Because some toxins like some heavy metals come out through sweat. That's why it's imperative to use it everyday. It's more relevant now, because the tendency now is to stay in air conditioned rooms. Toxins in your body accumulates—how can you get rid of it? Our goal is to open all avenues of elimination and it should be done regularly', Dr. Kat shares.

The Detox Dome at Centro Holistico

What seems to be like an oven for the body turns out to actually be somewhat of the sort—it heats up to a certain temperature that the body can handle to induce sweating. The whole treatment is supervised by your nurse, and you can stop anytime you want (they place an electric bell beside you for emergencies). For a good 30 minutes, the dome heats up and allows your body to sweat more than you normally would if you were not in it, even if you were exercising. It's like working out vigorously even if you're not. Dr. Kat also goes on to share, 'How often should one do this? There's no hard and fast rule. The goal is to eliminate it [toxins].'

My Detox Dome Experience

I visited the Commerce Center Alabang branch of Centro Holistico one quiet Saturday and was attended to immediately by the kind and warm staff. They led me to the doctor's office and that's where I found out the facts about the Detox Dome. After a quick chat, I was led to the treatment room where there were tons of towels, a thin cotton robe to change into, slippers, a sink, and a toilet. The nurse had me change into the robe and prepared for me to lie down into the dome.

We started off by having her start the heating process, which was pretty bearable in the first few minutes. By the 10 minute mark, I started feeling the heat and that's where my sweat started to flow. If you're wondering, yes, I could take my arms and hands out and reach for my phone from time to time but I suggest taking that time to zone out and just focus on the process. It's quite an experience. By the time I was finished, I was drenched in sweat, even up to my head!

After 30 minutes, the machine automatically turns off and you can expect the nurse to be back to assist. It's best to towel off all the sweat (no showering allowed!), because you don't want the just-released toxins getting absorbed by your skin just when you released it. It's best to drink a tall glass of room temperature water right after the treatment to rehydrate your body. To be safe, I was advised to not take any extremely cold/iced drinks for the next few hours to allow my body to recover from the heat.

I did feel like a huge weight was lifted off me—perhaps some unwanted water weight and the toxins that came with it. Although I would have loved to take a shower right away, I did feel refreshed and lighter.

The Detox Dome is for everyone, except for pregnant women or people with implants or pacemakers. Interested to try it? Find Centro Holistico here.

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