InFocus Magazine

Sometimes life pushes us in unexpected directions.  That is certainly the case for Ania and Vasili Kastashchuk.  In July of last year, medicine the couple moved to the Comox Valley to open Fresh Start, discount RX
a health retreat centre at Ocean Resort in Oyster Bay. The move was the latest in a series of events that have turned the couple into educators and advocates for wellness and natural healing.

It all started when Ania was pregnant with their oldest child in Lacombe, more info
Alberta.

“A week before our son was born my husband got whooping cough for the second time in his life,” says Ania.

The couple was immediately prescribed antibiotics and told Vasili would need to stay away from the baby for a while.  The antibiotics would make Vasili safe to the general public, but would not kill off all of the bacteria that causes whooping cough.  His body would eventually do that itself.  Until then, their baby could catch the bacterial infection from him.

“We did our research and learned that in nine out of 10 cases if a newborn baby gets whooping cough they’ll die because they don’t have well enough developed lungs to cough up the phlegm,” says Ania.

Without any other family nearby—both Ania and Vasili came to Canada from Belarus as students—the new family was faced with a dilemma: leave Ania on her own to care for the new baby and delay bonding as a family, or put their newborn baby at risk of catching a potentially fatal illness.

It wasn’t a choice either Ania or Vasili were happy with.  “It was a wake-up call for us,” says Ania. “We wanted to do something about our health.”

They also needed a place for Vasili to recover away from the baby.  Together, they decided Vasili would participate in a 10-day total body cleansing retreat at the Abundant Life Wellness Centre in Lavoy, Alberta.  The couple hoped the program’s emphasis on finding the cause of illness rather than treating the symptoms would not only heal Vasili, but help them understand how he caught whooping cough twice.

“That was supposed to be impossible,” says Ania.  “He was supposed to have immunity.”

The retreat was a turning point for Vasili, who changed his whole perspective on health and lifestyle.

“He came home a changed man,” says Ania.  “We changed our eating habits and became much healthier.”  The family began to live a simple natural health philosophy of healing from the inside out, by paying attention to what they put in and on their bodies. The effect was dramatic.  Their energy levels increased, they experienced fewer common illnesses like colds, and Ania’s acne cleared.

The experience was enough to convince, Vasili, who had come to Canada for religious studies and a career in ministry, that this was what he wanted to do in life.

“I would like to help people get well,” he says.  Ania agreed.  “It changed our lives, and now we want to change the lives of others.”

Within a year, Ania and Vasili had purchased the Abundant Life Wellness Centre from the original owners, who were moving to the east coast to be closer to family.  For the next five years, they operated and grew the business out of the same 100-year-old hotel in Lavoy where Vasili had his first retreat.

“We had good programs, and good results,” says Ania.  But the facility wasn’t as conducive to healing as they would have liked—the rooms lacked many modern amenities, the grounds were small, and the winters harsh.

Ania and Vasili started to look for a new location.  Then, the family took a trip to Hollyhock on Cortes Island in 2010 and, on their way back, spent the night at Ocean Resort.  The resort’s location, and its focus on spirituality and conscious health, proved to be an inspiration.

“I said, ‘I don’t know how, but we’re going to be here’,” recalls Ania.  “This is the perfect place for our retreat.  Tremendous facilities, brightly lit rooms, large meeting rooms, the ocean…  It’s just perfect for Fresh Start.”

Vasili and Ania approached Ocean Resort owner Lucas Stiefvater with their idea, and over a period of two months, rewrote their business plan, rebranded the business as Fresh Start, packed up home and business, moved from Alberta to BC, hired staff and re-launched their programs. The result is an eco-friendly, natural health, healing place for individuals wanting to increase their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being, all in a spectacular west coast setting.

Fresh Start specializes in five, 10 and 14-day health restoration programs using whole body detoxification (intestinal, liver, gall bladder and blood cleanse) and a focus on digestive health.  The programs integrate detoxification and cellular nourishment with organic raw vegan cuisine and fresh juices, lifestyle education, emotional health workshops, infrared sauna treatments, exercise, steam bath, colon hydrotherapy, massage and other health spa services.

On staff are a naturopathic doctor, registered acupuncturist, registered massage therapist, reiki master, massage and reflexology practitioner, colon hydrotherapist, acupressurist and yoga instructor, in addition to a chef and other support staff.

“Our main focus here is to help people with mild to moderate health conditions get well,” says Ania.  “These are serious programs.  They are well structured and well organized.  It’s not a boot camp, it’s not a spa, it’s not a medical facility.  It’s a place where people come to get well with natural means.”

Participants go through a rigorous pre-screening process, and typically complete a 30-day protocol before arriving to help them prepare for detoxification.  All participants receive personalized treatment.

“I’m often concerned people perceive us as a spa,” says Vasili.  “We’re not a spa.  People come here to be naturally, gradually improving their health.  They aren’t coming here for the pampering.

“It is intense,” he adds.  “People who need a hospital aren’t right for this program.”

Of the people who do come, it’s “because they want a fresh start,” says Ania, hinting at where they got the new name for their program.  “They are sick and tired of being sick and tired, and they want to jump start a healthy lifestyle.”

And it’s that commitment to improving health that gets participants their results.

“People often ask me, ‘Why does it work?’” says Vasili.  “The secret to the program is quite simple.  We follow common sense health rules.  When you put the body in an environment where it can heal itself and get rid of the substances that prevent healing and you empower the body with substances that actually empower healing, the body does the rest.  It’s a self-healing mechanism”

Adds Ania:  “We have a saying here—‘in finding the cause, you find the cure.’”

With that in mind, education makes up a large part of the program.  “Education is a huge part of the program,” says Vasili.  “Yes the cleanse does what it’s supposed to, but without education there is no understanding or follow through.”

That education helps Fresh Start participants connect some important dots.  “You don’t learn anything new here,” says Vasili.

Ania agrees.  “Everyone knows fruits and vegetables are good for you,” she says.  “Nobody is going to argue with that.  The question is why don’t we eat them?”

“So when the participants taste our food and say, ‘Boy, it can be that good?  And it’s that simple to prepare?’  Dots connected,” says Vasili.

Ultimately, Fresh Start strives to give its clients the knowledge and experience necessary to improve their own health through high-quality natural health service.  The program is a living example of what a conscious choice to pursue health can do for anyone.

“It’s motivation and inspiration,” says Ania.  “Many of the people who come here have been searching for so long for an answer to their health conditions.  Why do I have this? What can I do to heal this?  Here are some answers.”

Looking back, Ania says of their journey: “I would say somehow we were drawn into it.  I don’t even think we chose that.  It just happened.  It wasn’t something we were dreaming about or we were planning for years.  But if I look back, I don’t regret anything that happened.  Because right now we both know what we want in life, and we make a difference in lives and we’re very focused.”

For more information about Fresh Start visit: www.healthretreat.ca.

ometimes life pushes us in unexpected directions.  That is certainly the case for Ania and Vasili Kastashchuk.  In July of last year, health
the couple moved to the Comox Valley to open Fresh Start, thumb a health retreat centre at Ocean Resort in Oyster Bay. The move was the latest in a series of events that have turned the couple into educators and advocates for wellness and natural healing.

It all started when Ania was pregnant with their oldest child in Lacombe, website like this
Alberta.

“A week before our son was born my husband got whooping cough for the second time in his life,” says Ania.

The couple was immediately prescribed antibiotics and told Vasili would need to stay away from the baby for a while.  The antibiotics would make Vasili safe to the general public, but would not kill off all of the bacteria that causes whooping cough.  His body would eventually do that itself.  Until then, their baby could catch the bacterial infection from him.

“We did our research and learned that in nine out of 10 cases if a newborn baby gets whooping cough they’ll die because they don’t have well enough developed lungs to cough up the phlegm,” says Ania.

Without any other family nearby—both Ania and Vasili came to Canada from Belarus as students—the new family was faced with a dilemma: leave Ania on her own to care for the new baby and delay bonding as a family, or put their newborn baby at risk of catching a potentially fatal illness.

It wasn’t a choice either Ania or Vasili were happy with.  “It was a wake-up call for us,” says Ania. “We wanted to do something about our health.”

They also needed a place for Vasili to recover away from the baby.  Together, they decided Vasili would participate in a 10-day total body cleansing retreat at the Abundant Life Wellness Centre in Lavoy, Alberta.  The couple hoped the program’s emphasis on finding the cause of illness rather than treating the symptoms would not only heal Vasili, but help them understand how he caught whooping cough twice.

“That was supposed to be impossible,” says Ania.  “He was supposed to have immunity.”

The retreat was a turning point for Vasili, who changed his whole perspective on health and lifestyle.

“He came home a changed man,” says Ania.  “We changed our eating habits and became much healthier.”  The family began to live a simple natural health philosophy of healing from the inside out, by paying attention to what they put in and on their bodies. The effect was dramatic.  Their energy levels increased, they experienced fewer common illnesses like colds, and Ania’s acne cleared.

The experience was enough to convince, Vasili, who had come to Canada for religious studies and a career in ministry, that this was what he wanted to do in life.

“I would like to help people get well,” he says.  Ania agreed.  “It changed our lives, and now we want to change the lives of others.”

Within a year, Ania and Vasili had purchased the Abundant Life Wellness Centre from the original owners, who were moving to the east coast to be closer to family.  For the next five years, they operated and grew the business out of the same 100-year-old hotel in Lavoy where Vasili had his first retreat.

“We had good programs, and good results,” says Ania.  But the facility wasn’t as conducive to healing as they would have liked—the rooms lacked many modern amenities, the grounds were small, and the winters harsh.

Ania and Vasili started to look for a new location.  Then, the family took a trip to Hollyhock on Cortes Island in 2010 and, on their way back, spent the night at Ocean Resort.  The resort’s location, and its focus on spirituality and conscious health, proved to be an inspiration.

“I said, ‘I don’t know how, but we’re going to be here’,” recalls Ania.  “This is the perfect place for our retreat.  Tremendous facilities, brightly lit rooms, large meeting rooms, the ocean…  It’s just perfect for Fresh Start.”

Vasili and Ania approached Ocean Resort owner Lucas Stiefvater with their idea, and over a period of two months, rewrote their business plan, rebranded the business as Fresh Start, packed up home and business, moved from Alberta to BC, hired staff and re-launched their programs. The result is an eco-friendly, natural health, healing place for individuals wanting to increase their physical, emotional and spiritual well-being, all in a spectacular west coast setting.

Fresh Start specializes in five, 10 and 14-day health restoration programs using whole body detoxification (intestinal, liver, gall bladder and blood cleanse) and a focus on digestive health.  The programs integrate detoxification and cellular nourishment with organic raw vegan cuisine and fresh juices, lifestyle education, emotional health workshops, infrared sauna treatments, exercise, steam bath, colon hydrotherapy, massage and other health spa services.

On staff are a naturopathic doctor, registered acupuncturist, registered massage therapist, reiki master, massage and reflexology practitioner, colon hydrotherapist, acupressurist and yoga instructor, in addition to a chef and other support staff.

“Our main focus here is to help people with mild to moderate health conditions get well,” says Ania.  “These are serious programs.  They are well structured and well organized.  It’s not a boot camp, it’s not a spa, it’s not a medical facility.  It’s a place where people come to get well with natural means.”

Participants go through a rigorous pre-screening process, and typically complete a 30-day protocol before arriving to help them prepare for detoxification.  All participants receive personalized treatment.

“I’m often concerned people perceive us as a spa,” says Vasili.  “We’re not a spa.  People come here to be naturally, gradually improving their health.  They aren’t coming here for the pampering.

“It is intense,” he adds.  “People who need a hospital aren’t right for this program.”

Of the people who do come, it’s “because they want a fresh start,” says Ania, hinting at where they got the new name for their program.  “They are sick and tired of being sick and tired, and they want to jump start a healthy lifestyle.”

And it’s that commitment to improving health that gets participants their results.

“People often ask me, ‘Why does it work?’” says Vasili.  “The secret to the program is quite simple.  We follow common sense health rules.  When you put the body in an environment where it can heal itself and get rid of the substances that prevent healing and you empower the body with substances that actually empower healing, the body does the rest.  It’s a self-healing mechanism”

Adds Ania:  “We have a saying here—‘in finding the cause, you find the cure.’”

With that in mind, education makes up a large part of the program.  “Education is a huge part of the program,” says Vasili.  “Yes the cleanse does what it’s supposed to, but without education there is no understanding or follow through.”

That education helps Fresh Start participants connect some important dots.  “You don’t learn anything new here,” says Vasili.

Ania agrees.  “Everyone knows fruits and vegetables are good for you,” she says.  “Nobody is going to argue with that.  The question is why don’t we eat them?”

“So when the participants taste our food and say, ‘Boy, it can be that good?  And it’s that simple to prepare?’  Dots connected,” says Vasili.

Ultimately, Fresh Start strives to give its clients the knowledge and experience necessary to improve their own health through high-quality natural health service.  The program is a living example of what a conscious choice to pursue health can do for anyone.

“It’s motivation and inspiration,” says Ania.  “Many of the people who come here have been searching for so long for an answer to their health conditions.  Why do I have this? What can I do to heal this?  Here are some answers.”

Looking back, Ania says of their journey: “I would say somehow we were drawn into it.  I don’t even think we chose that.  It just happened.  It wasn’t something we were dreaming about or we were planning for years.  But if I look back, I don’t regret anything that happened.  Because right now we both know what we want in life, and we make a difference in lives and we’re very focused.”

For more information about Fresh Start visit: www.healthretreat.ca.

It’s popular these days to use the word “terroir” to denote the influence of place on the character of wine, no rx
coffee or food (the word originally meant ‘soil’ in French). But after spending some time with up-and-coming Comox Valley musician Luke Blu Guthrie, purchase I’m starting to think that “terroir” can apply to culture as well.

I met with Guthrie, a songwriter, singer and guitar-player, in the cozily hip Cumberland hangout Tarbells. We were joined by his band members Jenn Forsland (back-up vocals and auxiliary percussion) and Jack Roland (fiddle) for an unhurried conversation about their new CD, their musical influences and ambitions, and why they think the Comox Valley is a great place to be a musician.

In person, Guthrie has an unassuming charm and a friendly, laid back manner. He leans back comfortably in his chair, pauses before speaking, and answers questions simply, with occasional flashes of a mischievous humour. Forsland, on the other hand, speaks quickly and with impressive eloquence. I’m not surprised to hear she is a teacher (music at Courtenay Elementary); I have no problem imagining her commanding a classroom with her articulate energy. Roland seems to be the quiet one, which may be because he has a heaping plate of delicious Tarbell’s food in front of him. He speaks up when there’s a good story to tell or a funny line to add.

Guthrie says much of what he does is influenced by his home. He grew up at The Hermitage, a unique collaborative back-to-the-land project in Merville, which provided him with what he calls “a simple, rural lifestyle surrounded by a cast of eccentric and colorful characters.” This upbringing has influenced both his music and his personal journey in multiple ways.

“I feel very connected to a simple rural existence. I like to keep things pretty simple and honest. This kind of naturally feeds into my interest in roots music,” he says.

That doesn’t mean that his musical horizons are narrow, however. On the contrary, his influences range widely through place and time. He describes his style as a “fusion of folk, funk, dark country, rock ‘n’ roll, soul, blues and swing.” His interest in many of these genres dates back to his childhood.

“Lucky for me, I was exposed to lots of eclectic and old music when I was a kid, like folk and jazz tunes, a lot of old spirituals, prison songs, things like that going right back to the 20s and 30s. And I remember discovering Bob Marley when I was about seven. I wore that old tape to the bone.” And then there was the other Bob—Dylan—who has been a life-long influence.

“Also, my name comes from a family of slaves in Ohio and looking into my own roots led me to get really interested in the music and of the Southern States. And since then I’ve been introduced to many other styles that I love but still, what moves me most is the raw emotions of those early songs,” he says.

When I ask Guthrie about his training, his answer is all about place—literally, the streets of his hometown: “I learned a lot of what I know from busking. I’ve spent quite a bit of time out on 5th Street. There’s really no substitute for busking. When you’re out there, it’s a great opportunity to develop the skill to draw someone in,” he says, and adds with a laugh, “… and convince them to fork over their cash.”

Apparently the “school of street’ has worked well. Guthrie, now 26, has been performing solo and with other musicians for about 10 years, and since forming his band about seven months ago, his star has been steadily rising, as evidenced by their busy schedule.

“We just got back from Victoria, we’re on the Sunshine Coast next week, Gabriola soon, Nanaimo, and locally we’ve got a gig coming up at Joe’s Garage. We’re playing at the opening Farmers’ Market and then there’s going to be a CD launch in May at the Waverly,” he says. “As well, we do pretty regular bar gigs at places like the Griffin and the Mex.”

Part of what’s energizing Guthrie these days is his band. Although he is the songwriter and front-man, Guthrie says the group works in a truly collaborative way, bringing together diverse backgrounds into a creative partnership that is personally fun and creatively fertile for all three.
Forsland agrees: “In a relatively short period these lovely people have endeared themselves to me,” she says. “We have developed a really deep and genuine respect and trust. The vibe we feel together is just great. And this really comes across on stage.

“One of the most gratifying things when we play on stage is the audience’s response,” Forsland adds. People come up to us afterwards and say, ‘The energy you share is very unique and very special; it’s almost tangible.’ “

Roland succinctly adds his take on this: “They can feel that we’re having lots of fun; they can feel the love between us.”

Forsland is a seasoned musician, but playing with Guthrie is a marked departure from anything she’s done before. Her training was very classical in focus, very much about music theory and reading notes, she says. She has a degree in music and education from the University of Victoria.
“I was introduced to jazz in high school and it blew my mind totally, taking me 180 degrees from where I’d been,” says Forsland.

For the past 15 years, Forsland has been performing in classical and jazz genres, and currently fronts the Jenn Forsland Group, a six-member band that performs jazz and light pop.

“I love working with Luke because this is totally new for me. I’d hardly ever listened to roots, blues, old country or bluegrass, so this is really stretching me as a vocalist. I love learning how to morph my voice to match what Luke envisions. And it’s also a whole new situation to not be the leader. I’m used to standing in front of choirs and being the one with the artistic vision. Now I’m surrendering to Luke and Jack. I love it!”
Roland’s background is equally steeped in music, but in a completely different way. He grew up moving back and forth between Salt Spring Island and the Comox Valley. “These are two pretty amazing places. I’ve been pretty lucky,” he says.

Roland comes from a musical family. He can’t even remember when he first started playing an instrument, but he does remember joining his first band.

“My dad played in a bluegrass band and a kind of R&B band. One day my dad said his band needed a fiddle player. I said I’d play,” he explains. He was eight years old.

Roland has spent his life immersed in music. This included classical training for six years and a summer with CYMC, which he loved. He’s also done a lot traveling—in Europe, North Africa, and the United Kingdom—which opened up some really fun musical doors for him.

“I hooked up with musicians everywhere I went. I jammed, I toured and I played with a lot of strange ensembles,” he says with a big grin. And like Guthrie, he did a lot of busking, not just for fun but as a means of survival.

“I’d wake up on the street, early in the morning,” he recounts with a happy grin. “It would be early morning; there was no one out there, but I’d start playing anyway because I was hungry. A shopkeeper might come out and throw me a piece of bread.

“Busking is one of the best ways to meet people,” he says. “One of my favorite experiences was one day I was busking in Spain and I met this guy who didn’t speak any English. But he taught me a song. Somehow we worked it out with nods and grunts and eyebrow flicks.”

Forsland nods enthusiastically. “Yes! Because music is a universal language. It can connect all of us.”

The connection between these three musicians has given birth to their CD, simply entitled Luke Blu Guthrie (available at Bop City in Courtenay and Seeds Market in Cumberland). The 10 tunes here showcase the trio’s wide range, with a rootsy vibe, funky beats and soulful melodies wrapped around Guthrie’s thoughtful, sometimes humorous lyrics.

“I like to think the CD shows how a real variety of influences and sounds can amalgamate into something really interesting,” says Guthrie.
The CD was made in 30 hours, which gives it the sound of a live session. It includes contributions from Jim Guthrie (no relation to Luke) on stand-up bass and Anela Kahiamoe on electric bass.

“We’re after a certain feel with the CD,” says Guthrie. “It’s cut live so there’s a certain vibe, a certain roughness, an in-the-moment feeling to it. We wanted to deliver something that is indicative of what we offer in a live show.”

Guthrie hopes that the CD will help his band connect with more listeners and get more exposure. Like most musicians, he would like to get bigger gigs and develop a larger following. But at the same time, he is content with where he is now.

“In some ways, my dreams have come true already,” he says. “I’m playing music with some great people and making some money at it. We’re writing some new tunes, and I know we’ll just keep growing. And we got a great camaraderie. That’s super important. Fun is number one ’cause if it ain’t fun, I don’t want to do it.”

Much of Guthrie’s contentment comes from his appreciation of the Comox Valley. He spent some time in Vancouver, lured by the elusive promises of the big city, but he fairly soon realized that the Valley was where he really wanted to be.

“I like the rural life,” he says. “People here seem to recognize that quality of life comes first. And growing up as I did at the Hermitage, I really became aware of the value of community. After living in Vancouver, that’s what brought me back. This is a place where you can know your neighbors, you know where your meat comes from, you stay connected to nature. That’s better than feeling cool ‘cause you live in the big city,” he says with a laugh.

“Plus there’s a vibrant music scene—so many great people to play with, and so many great people that just enjoy getting out to see live music. Every gig we’ve played, people have come out to see us.”

Forsland agrees: “The Valley is so rich in talent, and the community really supports live music and all the arts. Anyway, these days you don’t have to migrate to an urban centre to follow a music career. Everything can be done from here via computer.”

Clearly, Guthrie thrives by staying close to his roots. With a childhood spent tramping the forests and fields of Merville, school years spent at Courtenay Elementary and Vanier, and a craft honed on the not-so-mean streets of Downtown Courtenay, he’s very much a product of the Valley. I’d employ the word “terroir” to describe his musical flavor if only I knew how to use it in a sentence. Instead, I’ll suggest you get out to a local venue to see some truly local music.

For more information on Luke Blu Guthrie, including a list of upcoming gigs, go to: www.lukebluguthrie.com.