Find me a health farm please?

May 11, 2014 7:26 PM

I need help finding a place to stay for a month while i kick alcohol, develop healthy eating habits and learn about exercise. I don't have unlimited funds, but I can pay whatever I need to. Anywhere in the world but the further from Australia, the more expensive the airfares.

In no particular order, the place should be
In a natural setting
Have single rooms
Be health focused (eg not a spa for beauty)
Not allow alcohol or tobacco
Serve all meals
Meals nutritionally sound (not pancakes and cream)

The place should not be/have
A focus on unproven health fads (drinking own urine, homeopathy)
A focus on spirituality (like AA)
A focus on status / fashion / luxury
Forced sharing (group therapy for example)
Forced violent exercise - no, I cannot run, ever, and I'm pretty sure aerobics are out too.

I would like to learn how to use a gym, and be supported gently in moving from completely sedentary lifestyle to a more active one but I respond badly to being yelled at.

I am not asking if I should do this. I want to do this, so I'm here to get help in selecting a good value place that meets my needs. Also, I'm sure someone will think of something that I haven't, and I will learn something.

posted by b33j to Travel & Transportation (6 answers total)

I always thought if I needed a place to recover it would be Eric Claptons' Crossroads in Antigua. But that is a long way from Australia and is very expensive. Closer to your home in Hobart is a drug/alcohol Rehab centre. I always thought some parts of Tasmania would be a quiet place to retreat.
posted by smudgedlens at 7:56 PM on May 11, 2014

If it helps in your search, group therapy rarely includes "forced sharing"; good group facilitators will let people share or not share without any judgment or coercion. (It will be really, really hard to find any sort of residential supportive alcohol or drug treatment program that doesn't include group therapy. If you're just looking for a place that will keep you from drinking, you may want to double-check with your doctor about whether that's medically safe.)
posted by jaguar at 8:58 PM on May 11, 2014

Response by poster: Clarification: The main reason is to lose weight. The alcohol is just part of that. I'm not looking for rehab.
posted by b33j at 9:21 PM on May 11, 2014

The Golden Door retreats in the Hunter Valley and Queensland would meet or exceed your requirements. I've been to the NSW one three times and it was great. Expensive though - but you would not have to spend much on airfares. They are very lavish rooms, but the food is spartan. And no coffee or tea, that was really difficult for me.
posted by yogalemon at 9:26 PM on May 11, 2014 [1 favorite]

The Golden Rock retreat in Amed, Bali would be perfect for this. It's a supported detox program with gentle/moderate exercise and daily meditation/yoga. Setting is beautiful and accom ticks your other boxes too. It is very reasonably priced.
theretreatbali.com/
Memail me if you want more info but I can't recommend it highly enough.
posted by sconbie at 7:07 AM on May 12, 2014

NuYu Health retreats have programs that may suit. Google NuYu for reviews.
posted by Kerasia at 6:16 PM on May 12, 2014