Six Senses Unveils Women's Wellness Initiative At 5 Luxury Retreats
The setting of Six Senses Douro Valley, one of the five Six Senses retreats currently offering the Female Wellness Program. www.taniasmagicaltravels.com
'As part of the Female Wellness program, fasting is an important element.'
When that was relayed to me as part of the Zoom discussion prior to arriving at Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal, I wondered whether this was a mistake: I'd been to this property before and knew the food was fantastic. Going there to not eat it didn't make sense, even though I knew that proponents of fasting broadcast its benefits to health. As it was explained, however, their program developed with holistic wellness expert Dr. Mindy Pelz, utilizes individualized fasting schedules as a healing system reset, much like a computer restart. And fortunately for me, my 13 hour fasting requirement was restricted to overnight; all I had to do was adhere to dinner and breakfast times to achieve it.
Yoga at Six Senses Crans-Montana in Switzerland. @John Athimaritis
Six Senses as a company has long been at the forefront of wellness advances in their ever-growing group of international retreats. So it's not a surprise that following a report from the World Economic Forum that there's a notable inequity in healthcare for women due to inadequate data on hormones and health, the company linked with Dr. Pelz to create this program. It was introduced in five Six Senses properties in February—Six Senses Rome, Six Senses Kanuhura in the Maldives, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay in Vietnam, and Six Senses Crans-Montana in Switzerland apart from Douro Valley with others scheduled to add the program this year.
The bedroom of the Panorama Suite in the Quinta. Six Senses
Each guest's program, which can be tailored for three, five or seven days, is structured around her hormonal stage from fertility to perimenopause, menopause and beyond and the aims of the treatment from balancing hormones to increasing vitality and improving sleep. The three-day program explores the foundations of hormonal and metabolic health. The extended five-day program allows for a deeper exploration of the key factors that influence hormonal balance, mood, cravings, sleep, weight, and mental clarity. The seven-day program aims to forge longstanding connections between fasting, food, exercise, self-care, and hormonal balance and places a greater emphasis and intention on weight release, metabolic flexibility, and detox principles that can support long-term hormonal health and overall well-being after the guest returns home.
To assess the starting point, a very thorough biomarker examination happens after check in; the results range from body mass index, strength and exercise recovery capacity to brain serotonin level, heart rate response to challenge and insulin resistance among many others. A glucose monitor is affixed to a guest's arm to monitor fluctuations and at night, guests wear a sleep ring to analyze what's going on then. It's remarkably detailed; even if you think you sleep pretty well, what you discover can be really surprising. Facets of the Three Day Program
Tibetan Singing Bowl Meditation. Six Senses
Depending upon what a guest's health assessment dictates, a three day program can contain personal training, a sleep consultation, sound meditation with Tibetan bowls, guided meditation, a biohacking session with leg compression and red light therapy and given the company's excellent traditional spa services, a de-stressing holistic massage. Personal time is also included for lazing by the indoor or outdoor swimming pools and taking part in scheduled group activities such as kayaking, local touring on E-bikes, yoga and, since this is a famous wine area, wine tasting-the property has a serious wine tasting program. The Culinary Program
The open kitchen of the restaurant Vale de Abraão surrounded by some of the organic vegetables used in dishes on the menu. John Athimaritis
The menus designed for each Female Wellness guest are crafted specifically to their needs but are in line with the company's overall sustainable, local, healthful plans. And as I remembered, the food here with many ingredients grown in their organic gardens was so vibrant that I cheated extensively and ordered off the regular menu, including grabbing a section of vegetable salads off the breakfast buffet that were so colorful and lively that even those who don't love vegetables would love these. (As one staff member said to me when I admitted my cheating, they're not wardens so they don't force guests to submit. He also admitted that he thought the Rome property might be the hardest one in which to stick to the rules and the Crans-Montana resort the easiest.)
Organic Heirloom Seasonal Tomatoes with strawberries, tomato water, aguachile and aged Bageiras red wine vinegar at the restaurant Vale de Abraão at Six Senses Douro Valley. Laurie Werner
Dishes such as Organic Heirloom Seasonal Tomatoes with strawberries, tomato water, aguachile and aged Bágeiras red wine vinegar, Atlantic Grilled Fish with Salsa Verde and because it was white asparagus season, Roasted White Asparagus with House Miso and Cured Egg Yolk were so good, I had each twice. But the menu that was designed for me was hardly one of deprivation and often, in fact, very similar with dishes such as Atlantic Whole Line Caught Fish with Smoky Bean and Hazelnut Salad; Peach and Almond Crumble and Grilled Sirloin Steak with peas, red onion, basil and walnut salad. One of the restaurants, Cozinha do Douro, spotlights local specialties but the main restaurant Vale de Abraão with its open kitchen, wood fired specialties, chef creations and balcony overlooking terraced vineyards was the one I gravitated to the most.
Apart from everything I learned about rebalancing, de-stressing and hopefully better sleeping, it was also the aspect I wanted most to repeat. I'm not sure I can replicate what the chef did but I asked for the recipes. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes Tuning Up For The New Year At Transformative SHA Wellness Mexico By Laurie Werner Forbes The British Virgin Islands Resort Oil Nut Bay Adds New Villas And Spa By Laurie Werner Forbes Kaua'i's Serene 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay Debuts A Sweeping Wellness Plan By Laurie Werner Forbes Sensei Porcupine Creek, A Unique Wellness Retreat, Opens On Larry Ellison's Estate By Laurie Werner
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