Guest Spotlight: Meet three-time OHI Guest, Rhonada Marsland

Rhonada Marsland was born and raised in California. She has been an interior designer for 20 years, and currently resides in Florida. Seven years ago, she started experiencing health issues, so she invested the time and energy to track down the source. To her dismay, she found she was allergic to an avalanche of foods — shrimp, coffee, chocolate, almonds, eggs, etc. “I needed a reboot,” said Rhonada. “My inflammation was out of control. I met a great group of women, and one recommended I try a wellness retreat at OHI. She had stayed at OHI several times, and said it was life changing. I needed that.”

Rhonada’s first visit to OHI San Diego was five years ago. “I was so nervous,” said Rhonada. “The first week was brutal. I was pretty sick during the detox and had a migraine for five days. But something good happened by Friday of that first week. I suddenly felt like a new person. I realized I didn’t just want to stay for another week; I NEEDED to stay.”

So, what brings Rhonada back to OHI time and again? “I think what keeps me coming back is how good it feels to do a complete body and mind reset,” said Rhonada. “I pay attention to my body now and eat so much healthier. And mentally I am now my own friend. I go a little easier on myself. I am lighter in every sense of the word after a week at OHI.”

Rhonada goes to as many classes as she can when she stays at OHI, but she does have a few favorites. “I absolutely LOVE the vocal toning class where you clear your energy centers,” said Rhonada. “That is magical. You can feel everyone’s electricity. It is very powerful. But I think the classes that are the most impactful for me are the mental detox classes and the self-esteem classes. I learned at OHI that we have 70,000 thoughts each day, and many are negative. I knew I needed to change my thinking and focus on the good. For me, accepting past mistakes and losses and moving on has helped me lead a more fulfilling life. You can’t grow as a person or move forward if you’re always looking back. Listening to others also helps me to stop and be present. You can’t be present if you’re always talking. Everyone has a story. You just have to be willing to stop talking and just listen. I believe everyone who goes to OHI wants to improve their lives. It is very intentional. Working on yourself can be challenging. It takes a village, and the more help I can get the better. Sharing my feelings and getting someone else’s point of view helps me gain perspective.”

Rhonada doesn’t continue the raw diet at home, but just does her best to incorporate what she can. “I swear by the daily juicing,” said Rhonada. “I have done it for five years now, and the days that I skip my morning glass of celery juice I can definitely feel the difference. I limit eating meat to only once or twice a week. I also sprout now, and it is so easy!”

Rhonada’s most recent OHI stay was particularly impactful for her. “I always meet wonderful people at OHI,” said Rhonada, “but the women I met during my last stay were such a gift. We clicked. We became sisters, and I know these are friendships I will have for the rest of my life. I am certain God had planned it that way.”

Rhonada’s faith has only deepened since she started visiting OHI. “Spirit never really leaves you. You leave it,” said Rhonada. “So, I work hard on keeping it strong. Giving thanks every day for my blessings. Prayer every day before I sleep, and meditation or yoga before sleep keeps me grounded. Bible study with all my girlfriends on a weekly basis via Zoom keeps my spirit, spiritualism, and my faith strong.”

Rhonada wraps up the conversation with this heartfelt advice. “You are what you speak, so be a good communicator,” Rhonada said. “You can have all the love in the world for an individual but if you aren’t communicating clearly that relationship will be difficult or even fail. Communication is key to a successful friendship, parent/child relationship, and with your significant other. I also think you should try to express one random act of kindness per day to a stranger. People are always happy to hear a compliment, and I am most happy giving them. It feels great to be someone else’s cheerleader. And my last piece of advice is don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. I turned 55 recently and booked a trip to India. I traveled by myself for part of it. I probably wouldn’t have done that 10 years ago.”

To learn more about the OHI for Life Body-Mind-Spirit Program, call (800) 588-0809.