Nirvana. In the traditional sense, the word describes a condition of liberation and healing. At the Nirvana Hyperbaric Institute in Solvang, holistic health practitioners and therapists seek to replicate that blissful state through a mixture of Eastern medicine, Western technology, and fitness.
The day spa-like institute opened in 2010, and is celebrating its two-year anniversary this month. Co-founder Roger Hunter started his professional life as a horse veterinarian, but pursued hyperbaric oxygen therapy after seeing the difference it made for his cousin’s Lyme Disease. Hunter and wife Kelly Schreiner left the Bay Area for the Santa Ynez Valley, seeing a need for their unique services. So far, they’re pleased with the reception.
“It’s very satisfying for me as a health person to see people come here and get relief—some without hope—and have them be pleased with the results they get,” Hunter said. “It’s not about the money; it’s about helping people.”
The institute’s cornerstones are its two hospital-grade hyperbaric chambers, where clients are immersed in pure oxygen for 90 minutes at a time. Though the staff members can’t make claims of curing, they say repeated sessions can help reverse the aging process, quicken healing, and improve a host of ailments from brain injuries to chronic fatigue by increasing blood flow and stimulating stem-cell production.
The oxygen therapy goes beyond the chambers. In an adjacent room, clients work out on fitness machines while breathing a combination of pure oxygen and ambient air at 120 liters per minute—called Exercise With Oxygen Therapy. The technique, Schreiner said, allows clients to burn 30 percent more calories than regular exercise.
Undergoing a name change to Nirvana Health Institute to reflect its expanding range of treatments, the facility also incorporates Eastern medicine and spirituality. Treatments include traditional acupuncture and Chi Nei Tsang abdomen massages, as well as lymph drainage and heart-centered therapies. High-tech has a place here too, as infrared saunas heat the body from the inside out for detoxification.
The institute is moving into other cutting-edge realms of treatment. New is the NES Health bio-energetic system, patterned after traditional Chinese medicine. Patients are scanned to assess the body’s energy field for any disturbances, and “infoceuticals” are administered to correct any imbalances. In another treatment, staff member Gabriella Valsecchi practices Bio-Energetic Synchronization Technique (BEST), a massage intended to ease trauma and pain in the nervous system.
“Essentially, what our mission is here at Nirvana is to help people find a root for where their problems are coming from,” Schreiner said. “In Western medicine they treat the symptoms … with our unique therapies, we have the ability to really make a difference for people if we know the right place to start.”
Celebrities swear by the practices (though we won’t name names, Kelly LeBrock appears in the company’s commercials), and to those dubious of the techniques, Hunter said the proof is in the pudding.
“You have to have an open mind to allow that information to come in and evaluate it and accept it as real or not real,” Hunter said. “Too many people have a preconceived notion, and they’re missing out on something that’s very powerful.”
To raise awareness of their services, Nirvana gives away two free sessions of EWOT, combined with sauna time, to all interested clients. Regular hyperbaric chamber packages start at $289, with a variety of other options available, including getaways at the Santa Ynez Inn.
The Nirvana Hyperbaric Institute is located at 2028 Village Lane, suite 104, in Solvang. It’s open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To set up an appointment or find out more, call 693-8100 or e-mail info@nirvanahbo.com.
Highlights
• International winemakers and growers alike will gather to discuss and celebrate Chardonnay at the Chardonnay Symposium, held June 29 to July 1 in Santa Maria.
This year’s event will mark the 100th birthday of Chardonnay’s growth in the United States with panel sessions, a gourmet food pavilion, wine and food pairings, winemaker dinners, and a grand tasting with more than 50 producers.
Related events will run through the weekend at Byron Vineyard and Winery, Sierra Madre Vineyard, and Tres Hermanas Vineyard & Winery.
To buy tickets or find out more, visit thechardonnaysymposium.com.
Biz Spotlight/Highlights are written and compiled by Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Apr 12-19, 2012.