WITH new studies and rapid advances in technology, medical breakthroughs have come at an unprecedented pace, especially in the field of aesthetics, where the fountain of youth is no longer a myth, but a reality that can be achieved—one procedure at a time.
That said, even the best doctors, who offer the most cutting-edge procedures in the market, will tell you these are not the be all and end all in wellness. They help certainly, but such aesthetic procedures are just part in the whole of looking good and feeling good.
Dr. Alfredo “Alfred” Callanta and Dr. Jeimylo “Jim” de Castro of Empire Center for Regenerative Medicine (located in the Il Terrazzo on Tomas Morato in Quezon City) not only specialize in regenerative medicine—an emerging interdisciplinary field of research and clinical applications centered on the regeneration of cells, tissues and organs to restore normal function—but also undergo my functional training program. Regardless of the innovative and scientifically proven procedures they offer, which include Adifill Fat Grafting Technique for non-surgical facial rejuvenation, Empire pain-management program, and Empire anti-aging treatment, they still underscore the importance of adopting an active and healthy lifestyle to arrive at holistic wellness that goes deeper and beyond great-looking skin.
In an interview at the recent Platelet-Rich-Plasma (PRP) seminar and workshop in Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila, Callanta, Empire medical director, said, “We treat the patient from the outside, making her look beautiful, young, etc., but we treat her like a physician and not simply like a so-called aesthetic specialist. We treat the patient as a whole, not as a part, which is why I incorporate regenerative medicine with anti-aging medicine. I advise the patient to get enough sleep, rest, observe proper diet, exercise, proper supplementation and adopt a healthy lifestyle.” The PRP seminar was led by the renowned American orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Joseph Purita, with doctors flocking in from all over the Philippines and neighboring countries, like Malaysia and Indonesia.
Callanta elaborated: “If one is stressed-out and has bad habits, all these exterior enhancements will be for naught.” This is why the doctor himself stays clear bad habits and sticks with the good ones. He understands wellness is more than looking good on the outside, but also being healthy and feeling peaceful on the inside. “I see to it that I walk the talk, that I’m a living testament to not only what I do but also what I advocate.” Callanta and I have been biking enthusiasts for three years now.
Aside from setting themselves as examples to patients, de Castro said his clinic’s specializations have helped patients turn their lives toward healthy living. Most of it happens during the patient’s recovery period when they are advised to leave their vices and bad habits behind—and, more often than not, they do so for good. “We remind them to observe the following things: live a healthy lifestyle, eat the right food, ideally plant-based diet, avoid alcohol and cigarettes, and, most important, exercise.”
He said the ones most satisfied with the healthful turnaround are not the patients themselves, but their wives. “For example, ’yung asawa nila pala-inom or has been wanting to quit pero ’di naman makapag-quit. We tell them to quit because they will undergo a procedure. They listen and that makes the wife very happy.”
Whether it’s active-aging in fitness or anti-aging in medicine, there’s no real shortcut toward wellness—the holistic kind, that is.
Looking good certainly provides a boost of self-esteem, but one’s confidence should not be based solely on what can be readily seen, because there’s so much more to living than that.
With JT Nisay