More than 16 hours of flight About 2,000 euros of expenses. Four days of vacation dedicated to listening to lectures on health and wellness, practicing yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises. That equation was the one chosen by 26 people who this summer followed Xevi Verdaguer to Bali.
Verdaguer, scientific disseminator specializing in integrative medicine, has the power to convene. Although his messages generate controversy among a certain medical sector, he is accompanied by reliable doctors and has a two-year waiting list. He also has the gift of speech. He explains like no one else how to regain control of your health with simple drawings, without fuss or unintelligible words. Among his patients are Silvia Abril and Andreu Buenafuente, Vanesa Lorenzo, Gemma Mengual, Luis Enrique or Mercedes Milá, who calls him “wise”. “Now I don’t take a step on health issues without consulting him”, he has written to the website of the Xevi Verdaguer Institute, founded 22 years ago.
“We all want the same thing: to feel loved, to care about someone. It is curious that we have to go to the other side of the world to reconnect with ourselves. I think it works because leaving the usual context frees you from the pressure of other people’s expectations, everything you do will make you happy”, says Verdaguer.
It all started with a direct from Instagram: “Let’s do a retreat in Bali with the first 20 to sign up.” Almost 30 enlisted. “I gave them homework: stool tests to analyze the microbiota, urine and saliva to look at the metabolism of stress, fats and carbohydrates. The idea was to personalize the experience as much as possible, which would consist of three days of workshops and a personalized consultation”, explains Verdaguer.
On that Indonesian island, nature is overwhelming, and the feeling of peace and welcome. “It is a gift from their gods that they take care of and respect,” says Verdaguer. His lectures addressed different topics, all with a central purpose: to teach how the body works so that people can improve their health autonomously. “I have not invented anything, I have studied a lot and I enjoy disseminating quality information”, says Verdaguer.
Already in Bali he noticed that the group knew each other quite well. Those who had not talked much on WhatsApp had managed to connect on the plane. In the hotel, the diet was very healthy. “She was not vegan, but almost. In addition, in Bali you don’t eat with bread but with rice, ”she specifies. In a few hours they developed a great empathy towards others. “Everyone here has come for something, I know the details of each one, but they don’t. Traveling thousands of kilometers from the usual environment favors the creation of strong bonds, and no one feels isolated. Everyone understands and supports each other.”
Tiredness and lack of energy were common problems that the expert detected in the group. “The causes can be very different: thyroid problems, being overweight, or people who snore and have nocturnal apnea and that doesn’t let them rest. Others were dehydrated without knowing it. We even discovered that two people had celiac disease, one of them found out when he was over 50 years old”, he says, surprised: “Three months without gluten and it will change their lives”.
Some of Verdaguer’s talks may surprise a neophyte audience. The one dedicated to the history of the fart is one of them. “At first people hallucinate, but they eventually understand that protein-fermenting bacteria determine the smell of their farts, and that smell is useful for figuring out what diets support metabolism in the intestines.” Attendees may not expect a lecture on the ideal poop either, but the appearance of your stool is a good measure of digestive health. “What gives meaning to my work is explaining useful things so that they are autonomous and do not have to come to see me every month for the consultation,” she says.
It also explains how to recognize dehydration. “Drinking two glasses of water at once is not the best way to hydrate, as the hypothalamus will capture that the stomach is flooded and will eliminate excess water in less than an hour through urine. You will know that you have not hydrated because the urine will be transparent. Verdaguer recommends drinking sips of water throughout the day and eating whole fruit, vegetables, and legumes. His theory is that the body sends constant signals, you just have to learn to read them.
Before arriving here the group had already become familiar with medical terminology. For example, with the name of some hormones: cortisol, which signals an increase in stress; vasopressin, which regulates water reabsorption; estrogens and progesterone, key in menopause. In addition to lectures, they practice breathing exercises. “I am rigorous and I do not extrapolate ideas that are not supported by serious studies”, says Verdaguer, who acknowledges that he was very concerned about his lectures: “I did not want to disappoint or make mistakes; now I think my talks were the least important. What is essential is the tribal effect, the bonds that have been created forever”.
Xevi Verdaguer still does not know if he will repeat the experience. The day we spoke he was tired, but satisfied. “We were very few, so I was able to give people very personalized tools to improve their lives. It is what gives meaning to my work”. Verdaguer has also learned his own from the Bali experience: “We are all vulnerable. You have to observe yourself more, learn to identify excess stress and do something to reduce it. It is not convenient to live long under extreme stress conditions. We have to be much more humble”.
Traveling thousands of kilometers can be the first step of a new beginning. The French philosopher Hippolyte Taine already said it: “We do not travel to change places but to change our minds.”
