Guest Column by Sonu Shivdasani: A mind, body & soul approach

In 2017, I became unwell with what felt like a recurrent virus. I didn’t feel in top form so, as a firm believer in the power of natural cures, I found temporary respite by consuming copious amounts of garlic tea and ginger infusions with honey and turmeric.

Checks and bloodwork revealed no clues, even after I noticed a slight swelling on the left lymph node on my neck and lost a considerable amount of weight. In September the following year, after spending a long weekend with Eva, my partner, in Venice, and struggling to even climb stairs, she persuaded me to stop off in London for further tests. This time, they revealed a more serious condition than I had been expecting. I was diagnosed with Stage IV non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

In the weeks and months following my diagnosis, I spent much time trying to better understand the disease, speaking to experts and cancer survivors and reading articles and books on the subject, from conventional medicine to natural therapies and alternative healing.

I was fortunate to get advice from Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, one of the world’s leading centres for cancer research and treatment. In fact, it was the experts there who discovered that my initial diagnosis was incorrect, and my cancer was a primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Nurtured by nature

I underwent treatment at the ChemoThermia Oncology Center in Istanbul. This pioneering clinic takes an integrative approach, combining standard chemotherapy with supplementary protocols, such as a modified diet and complementary therapies to support the immune system, build up the body’s natural defences and make the chemotherapy more effective. I strongly believe these complementary therapies played an important role in my healing. My first PET scan in early 2019 revealed that the cancer had completely disappeared, and I am thankful that my bi-annual scans have since remained clear.

It was during my treatment in Istanbul that we developed the plans for the expansion of Soneva Jani, our resort in the Maldives, to include a ‘Chapter Two’. At the time, I was reading Dr Kelly Turner’s book, Radical Remission. The book looks at particular actions one needs to take in order to achieve radical remission, focussing on mental well-being. Eva and I have always been inspired by the power and majesty of nature, and there is a growing body of research that reveals its profound influence on one’s mental and physical well-being, from reducing blood pressure and damaging stress hormone levels, to improving your mood, immune system functions and the rate of healing.

We decided then that Soneva Jani Chapter Two’s new wellness centre (which would become our first Soneva Soul) should impart our guests with a true sense of inner calm, peace and quiet, and the feeling of being at one with nature. I chose a setting on the exceptionally beautiful, eastern side of the island, high above the mangroves. Since then, we’ve also opened our new Soneva Soul at Soneva Fushi—an island sanctuary amidst the jungle, built around a tranquil central water feature.

My own experience with illness and subsequent recovery showed me that being ‘well’ or healthy is never one-dimensional. Rather, it is finding that delicate balance between the wellbeing of one’s mind, body and soul. This has inspired the integrative, multi-disciplinary approach that we offer at Soneva Soul. Personalised to each individual guest, it supports their wellness across every part of their life.

A new approach

The spectrum of treatments marries ancient wellness practices and healing philosophies with the latest medical science and well-being innovation to offer a profound level of healing and rejuvenation. Alongside traditional therapies and rituals, including Ayurveda, traditional Chinese medicine, yoga, naturopathy and herbalism, our guests can also experience the latest integrative treatment methodologies, such as high-dose vitamin therapy, platelet-rich plasma treatments, hyperbaric oxygen, cryotherapy and hyperthermia. In addition to our team of resident experts, our global network of wellness specialists, including osteopaths, fitness gurus and yoga and meditation masters, join us throughout the year for extended residencies.

Our food is also extremely healthy: many of our ingredients, especially in salads, are grown on the island, and at least 70 per cent of the animal protein consumed is sustainably sourced from the nearby sea. Dairy, white processed flour, refined sugar and beef are on the edge of extinction across our menus. We have achieved a more than 85 per cent reduction in these ingredients, the avoidance of which were the basis of the dietary aspect of my own integrative cure.

As the impacts of the pandemic cast a shadow into a third consecutive year, it comes as no surprise that self-care is now playing an ever-more important role in people’s daily lives. In such times of lingering stress and uncertainty, reclaiming ownership of one’s physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing can feel empowering—a mindful recalibration of one’s goals and purpose, and a step towards a healthier, happier future.

Sonu Shivdasani is the CEO and co-founder of the Soneva Jani and Soneva Soul resorts in the Maldives

From HT Brunch, April 9, 2022

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