Carol Dominguez’ Journey Towards Health and Wellness
By Shiela Manalo
In celebration of International Yoga Day last June 21, 2021, John Clements President & CEO Carol Dominguez, who also happens to be a yoga enthusiast and instructor, was invited to share her journey towards yoga on CNN Philippines’ morning program, New Day.
Unlike most yogis, Carol’s discovery of the yoga practice wasn’t a result of a search for a fitness routine; in fact, it was a result of a difficult situation she was in 25 years ago. When New Day host, Paolo Abrera, asked her to share about her yoga journey, Carol narrated that it started when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1996, while living in Milan, Italy.
She went through an arduous treatment process, which included going to the U.S. for a radical abdominal hysterectomy, six months of chemotherapy, and 30 days of external and internal radiation. Unfortunately, two months after the last chemotherapy session, the doctors found a lesion in the left lower lobe of her lungs and she, once again, had to go undergo surgery.
Being in her prime, Carol believed there was so much in store for her and that these kinds of extensive and invasive procedures were not the only means of treatment. Her next steps were inspired by her father, who told her that she was the only one who could heal herself. Having thought about this, she started searching for alternative therapies. In addition to western medicine, she experimented with various types of yoga; attended a course on the way to health, which exposed her to a macrobiotic vegetarian diet; tried homeopathy, eating right for one’s blood type, juicing, reiki, prayer, and meditation. After careful discernment, she finally zeroed in on three things — the macrobiotic vegetarian diet, prayer and meditation, and Iyengar yoga.
Iyengar yoga was started and brought to the West by world-renowned guru, B.K.S. Iyengar. According to his book, “Light on Yoga,” he believed that a balanced body led to a balanced mind, resulting in Iyengar yoga’s unique blend of meditation and movement. A stern emphasis is placed on precise technique and alignment, which consists of more than 200 specific poses (asana) and 14 different types of breath (pranayama).
Overall, fewer poses are practiced, but with great devotion and precision. Each asana is held for an extended period of time as students continuously adjust their bodies to correct alignment and deepen the pose’s effects. Through slower movements and an emphasis on quality over quantity, Iyengar yoga combines asanas and pranayama to build strength, stamina, and flexibility.
Every facet of Iyengar yoga has its own variation, making it accessible to all levels of practice. Students of Iyengar will progress gradually through the system by moving from the simpler, more beginner-focused asanas to intermediate and complex ones. During this highly disciplined process, yogis must use intense awareness to elevate to the next level of their journey.
Carol then cited various benefits of Iyengar yoga:
- Builds strength
- Increases flexibility
- Tones muscles
- Improves posture
- Relieves pain; reduces chronic pain
- Boosts energy levels
- Decreases stress and anxiety
- Lowers blood pressure
- Calms the mind
- Protects one from disease
- Improves overall functioning of the body — from circulatory and lymph systems, to the nervous system and digestion
- Improves breathing
According to Carol, her lifestyle certainly helped her stay healthy for the past 25 years. From attending the Kushi Institute’s Way to Health program, Carol learned that if the body was in good health, it should be able to efficiently digest everything you put into it. However, if your body is not efficient, it will not be able to get rid of all the toxins and, pretty soon, these turn into tumors. This was how her practice of Iyengar yoga helped her — it made her digestive system very efficient. She also never had a hard time breathing even after having a lobe off her lung taken out. Aside from this, she was able to reverse a previous diagnosis of borderline osteoporosis/osteopenia after having developed a lot of strength and having toned her leg and hip muscles.
Carol says that she intends to sustain this journey towards health and wellness amidst the pandemic. Now more than ever, she strongly believes that it is important for us to adopt healthy lifestyles to keep our bodies and minds strong and resistant to illness.
You can watch Carol’s interview here:
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About the author:
Shiela is a freelancer who specializes in writing, graphic design, and video editing. She is currently an editor and writer for John Clements Consultants, Inc. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Media Studies from San Beda College Alabang.
