Las Catalinas in Costa Rica Introduces Two New Alternative Wellness Treatments

The popularity of wellness travel continues to gain momentum worldwide and while some still seek more traditional yoga retreats and fitness boot camps, the pandemic has forced people to reexamine what wellness and wellbeing mean to them.  With an eye towards longevity and living better and healthier, more and more people are seeking alternative treatments and high-tech preventative care.

Surrounded by 1,000 acres of a protected tropical dry forest reserve in the northwestern province of Costa Rica, the mostly car-free town of Las Catalinas is rooted in creating a better way of life connecting people to each other and to nature. Walk instead of driving. Talk instead of texting. Removing cars from the equation gets people out on foot, on bike, encouraging sociability and impromptu conversations which are beneficial for one’s wellbeing on so many levels. The design and hardscape of this pedestrian friendly town modeled on New Urbanism principles puts people at the forefront in a space that promotes staying active through engagement, involvement, and inclusivity.

Just last month, the town introduced Well-Living at Las Catalinas, a new wellness platform combining lifestyle and wellbeing. Its mission is to create a community of like-minded people whose main intention is to live a healthier life in a better environment by offering its visitors and residents experiences and services to support one’s overall wellbeing through group retreats, holistic therapies, day events and valuable content. During these experiences, people can relax, recharge, and rebalance in a community setting. The town’s wellness gathering hub, Center of Joy, offers a full range of activities including yoga, medication, breathwork, sound healing, ceremonies, workshops, cooking classes, and more. Well-Living at Las Catalinas focuses on five pillars: movement through sports and recreation, nourishment for the body, mind and spirit, meaningful connections with others, with nature, with ourselves, simplicity through rituals, habits, openness and availability to all, and beautiful surroundings encouraging sociability and awakening inspiration.

With a focus on supporting health and longevity, Las Catalinas offers visitors and residents the latest practices and services, bringing to town new and innovative technologies.  This month, the town’s wellness center, Center of Joy added two high-tech preventative care services to its treatment menu: Red Light Therapy and AMI 750 & 850 (Energy Medicine and Sound Therapy).

“Part of the magic of Las Catalinas’ healthy lifestyle is that it supports well-being in various ways, ranging from basic essentials to advanced and innovative methods,” said Gabriela Esquivel, Well-Living Developer at Las Catalinas. “Here, we witness a fascinating synergy between technology and fundamental habits and rituals and it’s gratifying to see both work in perfect harmony mutually enhancing one another.” A wellness enthusiast who understands the connection between wellbeing and nature, Esquivel has been instrumental in spearheading the town’s wellness platform. In the past year, she has seen a rise in requests from visitors and residents asking for more activities to support health and wellbeing and has been tasked with finding programs and wellness offerings and ensuring they’re available to everyone, through daily habits and rituals and openness to different scenarios, practices, and situations.

Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy (RLT) is a treatment that uses low wavelength red light. When the body’s cells absorb the light energy, it sparks a chemical reaction in the mitochondria to produce more ATP which is the body’s usable form of energy. Red light is particularly special for this because it has a large frequency range of 600 to 1100 nm, and these frequencies transmit well through the body tissues and into cells penetrating through all the layers of the skin and ultimately reaching the organs and even bones where it can activate the cells to produce more ATP. Since ATP drives every single biological process, it’s been reported it improves skin’s appearance, enhancing rejuvenation, such as reducing wrinkles, scars, redness, and acne. It’s also touted to treat other medical conditions, such as reducing cancer chemotherapy side effects, including oral mucositis, relieving pain and inflammation associated with ankle tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome and osteoarthritis of the knee. The treatment boosts new cell growth, improves circadian rhythm, resulting in better sleep, increase energy levels and blood flow. The benefits of red light increase with consistent use of the therapy.

AMI 750 & 850 (Energy Medicine & Sound Therapy)

AMI 750 & 850 (Energy Medicine & Sound Therapy) is an advanced sound healing wave therapy effective in relieving stress, pain relief and generating vitality. Bodies are dynamic energy systems that have natural resonant frequencies that can become imbalanced, generating diseases and illnesses. With this technology, precise combinations of frequencies are delivered to the bodies for the benefit of organs and tissues. When these sound waves are applied to the body, imbalances can be normalized and bring the systems back into the natural state of vibrational resonance and harmony. The therapy is experienced with the use of AMI 750 & 850 devices by using five-strand harmonics frequencies with the accompanying sub-harmonics, provided in their ten (AMI 750) to twenty (AMI 850) different channels. Every channel is filled with highly focused, specific Acoustic Meridian Intelligence Frequency Patterning, designed to bring the body back into harmony and full resonance. The AMI 750 & 850 channels were created to fortify the functions of the body through enhancing cellular communication, balancing emotions, deepening sleep, improving nutrition, increasing metabolism, boosting the immune system, stimulating bone re-growth, enhance overall vitality and energy levels.  Each of the AMI 750 & 850 channels were created with specific frequency combinations to address health challenges and achieve health goals.

These devices apply sound through the portals of the feet using the meridian pathways and employ fully researched audible frequencies for a focused approach to health. The new delivery system, which utilizes two of Mother Nature’s most precious materials—tourmaline and germanium—optimizes the health-giving benefits of all twenty channels. The device brings forth Cyma Technologies’ latest sound discoveries combining ancient principles and advanced sound technology. AMI machines are game-changing devices that can help to promote health and well-being in a unique and innovative, reliable, and effective way.

Center of Joy is a wellness retreat center in Las Catalinas with a variety of stunning spaces located in the heart of Beach Town offering regular yoga classes and sound baths, pilates, dance meditation, massages, acupuncture, sound and energy healing and more. Many individuals and organizations use this extraordinary space for larger group retreats, though residents also benefit from its ongoing programming, weekly classes, and rotating offerings. Private rooms can also be booked for special therapies and services as well.

The conscious town of Las Catalinas is Costa Rica’s newest desirable beach town inspired by New Urbanist philosophy. The car-free, highly walkable town includes several inns and intimate hotels, shops, restaurants, retail, day spas, pedestrian streets, parks, plazas, and recreational facilities, all located between two of Costa Rica’s loveliest Pacific beaches and 1,000 acres of protected tropical dry forest, which are interlaced with extensive hiking and biking trails. Within the town, the walkable public spaces are interwoven with nature, and the architecture emphasizes indoor-outdoor living and scenic views. Cars are refreshingly absent. Founder Charles Brewer’s core values and beliefs include environmental stewardship, connection to one another and to the rhythms of nature, promotion of wellness, and an emphatic preference for quality of life over quantity of material possessions, understanding that the “good life” is not about material possessions but about human connections, good health, and ecological sustainability.