Health Update: At Arc Holistic Wellness, Healing Begins From Within – What Experts Say

Here’s something you think happens when you’re in an oxygen-filled, pressurised chamber: it’s cold, and you’ll be inhaling so much of the purest oxygen that you literally feel rejuvenated by the minute. Let’s debunk this: first off, it’s not that cold—the cold you feel is just from the air conditioning, which you can tweak to your comfort. Oxygen, like most gases, is invisible and cannot be physically felt on the skin like wind—you can only hope that it’s really there, or else you’re slipping into a painless death. I also did not magically feel rejuvenated with every minute of the 60 minutes I was inside the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) room. When I was done, I actually felt sleepy, not energetic. I’m told by Arc Holistic Wellness’ founder, Justin Dee, that it’s a sign the therapy worked.

The HBOT is one of the many services that Arc Holistic Wellness offers, all in the pursuit of, well, holistic wellness. Specifically, this boutique wellness centre offers a suite of modern and traditional healing
therapies designed to support holistic wellbeing, inner balance, and long-term health. Dee is extremely passionate about what they do, insisting on the philosophy that true healing comes from within. He theorises that there’s not much point in blindly working out or taking supplements if your internal health isn’t great to begin with, as the former won’t work optimally. That is why the services they offer—from HBOT to therapeutic massage therapies, Tibetan singing bowls, halotherapy, contrast therapy, and more—are designed to begin healing you from within. Their integrated approach focuses on root causes, not just symptoms, to provide long-lasting wellness.

Dee and his partner, Arc’s other co-founder, Diana Koon, are intent on shaping the centre into a comfortable space where clients linger rather than just a touch-and-go spot when they come for services. “Some of our clients even love the coffee we serve here, so much so that they come just for a cup!” he says proudly. The fruits of his and his team’s labour are evident in the new space—it’s a cosy little enclave nestled in a quiet corner of Jaya One, perfect for customers who value their privacy. We know all too well how that post-massage look isn’t ideal for first impressions in a busy location like a shopping mall. Walking into the hush of Arc Holistic Wellness, I felt instantly relaxed, ready to walk out a new woman. Here are some of the treatments I tried while at the wellness centre.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

What is it: You’ll stay inside a small, pressurised chamber breathing concentrated oxygen to increase oxygen absorption and support faster healing. The good news is, it’s cosy in there with a lounge chair, footrest, carpeted floors, a blanket, and a drink. Bring a book or enjoy some screen-free time during your one hour in there. While Arc Holistic Wellness allows you to bring your phone and laptop inside, our research shows that some places advise against it, for fear of the device malfunctioning inside the high-pressure chamber.

I’m told that Tom Cruise sleeps in an HBOT room nightly, and that’s why he looks great for his age and is agile enough to do his own stunts. I think about that during my hour in there, while remembering to breathe deeply to maximise my oxygen absorption. Dee later tells me that my skin will also absorb oxygen, creating multiple “streams” of oxygen flowing through my body—not just from red blood cells carrying it.

How I felt after: Lethargic! According to science, it is common to feel fatigued after an HBOT session for various reasons, including:

• Your mitochondrial cells work harder because your body isn’t used to consuming so much oxygen. To compare, the air we breathe typically contains 21% oxygen. Inside a pressurised hyperbaric chamber, there is typically 95-98% oxygen.
• The physical pressure of the chamber and the changes in air pressure that occur make your lungs work harder to draw and expel air, whilst your blood vessels work harder than usual to supply enough oxygen to the body.
• Your metabolism is raised whilst undergoing HBOT, therefore, your body burns more calories. The average person burns an additional 700 calories during a one-hour HBOT session, thus using more energy and leaving you fatigued afterwards.

As I only tried one HBOT session, it isn’t enough to see long-lasting effects on my body, but I must say, it’s nice to have one hour to yourself to unwind and realign mentally, quite literally away from the outside world.

Point Massage

At times, you live your life thinking your body is fine. Nothing aches, nothing hurts. That is, until you try getting a point massage from the therapist at Arc. She will then massage you in spots you never knew were hurting until that moment—and she will tell you why they hurt. Throughout the entire session, I was hooting, hollering, laughing, and crying; in between, the therapist explained to me that the Achilles tendinitis pain I was feeling (the spot below the ankle and above the heel) was because I was overusing my calves, either from walking or standing for too long. My shoulder blades hurt because I was too tense working in front of my computer (news to me). My lower back hurt because I was sitting with my legs crossed. I was essentially living life as a human being wrong, but you know what was right? Getting a full body reset with the point massage. It’s a Sisyphean task of going through pain to heal your body, but you’ll emerge a few days later renewed, knots in muscles loosened.

Far-Infrared Sauna & Red Light Therapy

There is something satisfying about sweating out all the toxins in your body—and inside a Far Infrared Sauna booth instead of a traditional one, that benefit amplifies. Where a regular sauna uses heat to warm the air, Far Infrared Saunas use infrared waves to penetrate deep into the body (up to 1.5 inches), creating a gentle, direct heating effect rather than heating the air. Arc’s one also combines the sauna with red light therapy, and both help boost cellular health and recovery, using targeted wavelengths to energise cells, reduce inflammation, and improve overall vitality. Essentially, if you’ve just come from a rather strenuous workout, a session inside the sauna booth should set you straight. Your only challenge will be to last 45 minutes inside the booth without a phone.

In conclusion,

Think of Arc Holistic Wellness as a gym for wellness sessions—instead of spin, you book a Tibetan Singing Bowl Sound Therapy session. Instead of pilates, perhaps therapeutic massage therapy. If your sinus is making you lethargic, 45 minutes of halotherapy in a salt room should do the trick. Dee is right about overall health starting from within; after all, there’s not much point in repainting a car if its engine is malfunctioning, is there?

Address: Unit B21 – 7, Block B Jaya One, Jalan Professor Diraja Unku Aziz, Seksyen 13, 46200, Petaling Jaya, Selangor