Wellness

Set in a secluded bay on the southern tip of Grenada, LaLuna is the ultimate island getaway. My seven-night stay at the luxury resort was just the escape I needed. The road leading up to LaLuna is unpaved and bumpy, but don't be fooled by the drive, upon entering the resort you will realise that you've tumbled upon a hidden paradise.

With research repeating year after year that many of us fail to stick to fitness goals set in the New Year, LaSource Grenada, the Caribbean's "holistic all-inclusive" resort has unveiled a bespoke fitness programme designed to address why we fall off the fitness wagon and break the cycle. Aimed at anyone who has tried and failed to keep the promises made to their favourite pair of jeans, the MindBodyReformer programme, offers the missing elements in traditional boot camps that focus predominantly on the physical aspects of fitness and weight loss.

What makes Grayshott Health Spa special?

Grayshott Spa is a truly traditional English spa with a primary focus on well-being. Set in a rural location within 47 acres of National Trust land, its unique, peaceful, stress-free environment centred around therapeutic spa treatments, exercise and healthy cuisine is unlike any other spa in the UK. The caring, personal service and sincerity of the staff means it's a great place to unwind and recuperate.

What is Shanti Som and who’s it for?

Shanti Som is a serene health retreat in Andalucía’s breath-taking Sierra de Las Nieves valley. Tucked away in the mountains, it’s ideal for anyone looking for peace and quiet, escaping the bustle of city life and hectic schedules. This boutique wellness retreat focuses on yoga, health, detox and weight-loss, offering time for total rejuvenation. 

Not just for the classroom and certainly not just for the children, learning is a rewarding pursuit we can all benefit from throughout our lives. Our learning holidays are ideal for families looking to encourage an active lifestyle and enjoy cultural adventures together. Offering so much more than a stagnant family holiday of hours spent lying on the beach; use your valuable family holiday time to learn new skills as a family. From horse riding in coastal Croatia to yoga classes in tropical St Lucia, discover new passions or develop existing skills on our healthy family holidays.

Chronic pain can disturb your life, restrict you from daily activities, and can be difficult to manage. It can also affect your mental health, making you anxious, frustrated, and depressed. Some of the most common chronic diseases are backache, nerve damage, arthritis, and migraines. Painkillers can temporarily mask the symptoms of pain, but they do not address the underlying problems that make them persistent. Treatment like surgeries, implants, steroid injections can have long-term side effects on the body. But there are natural treatments available, going on a wellness holiday may be a solution for you. Health and Fitness Travel offers a range of retreats to combat ongoing chronic illness. Each retreat uses a holistic approach that includes physiotherapy, Ayurveda therapy, Pilates, yoga, massage, acupuncture, hydrotherapy and more to treat the underlying problem from its root. You will not only learn how to manage the chronic pain but will be able to relax on the retreat, leaving you confident in addressing and managing chronic pain. Here are just a few of our bespoke retreats:

Countries around the globe are opening to the LGBTQ community. With Australia being the latest example to legalise same-sex marriage, many other countries used the past years to work on a more open-minded environment to make LGBTQ travellers feel welcomed and secure.

Patrícia, Spa Manager of EPIC SANA Algarvesince May 2017, joined the team as Fitness Instructor in 2013 and has helped build one of the leading resort fitness programs in Portugal. The resort offers a gamut of classes and workout programs, as well as Pilates and other activities in the resort’s green areas, while emphasizing the critical importance of diet, nutrition and lifestyle to attaining peak fitness.

I started my eight week internship with Health and Fitness Travel at the beginning of July and it couldn't have been more worthwhile. This experience has been incomparable to the other internships I've done, where filing and clock-watching were main activities. Here, I've really been made to feel a part of the small and friendly team, carrying out a variety of different tasks and with some real responsibility.

Have a go at island life with these top 5 spas in the Caribbean. There is no better place to unwind than a stunning island and with these such a wide range of luxury spa treatments at your disposal, a relaxing moment of wellness is never far away. Indulge in a comprehensive selection of soothing daily spa treatments that cater to the diverse needs of all guests. Whether it be shiatsu in Turks & Caicos, a shoulder massage in Antigua or a seaweed body wrap in Jamaica, our island spa holidays have something for everyone’s wellness needs.  Be sure to have fun and improve your personal fitness with professionally led daily classes such as beach volleyball in St Lucia and nature hiking in Antigua. Island life is sure to leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed and beaming for more wellness heaven.

Long stay wellness holidays are specifically designed for clients who have health issues they want to address, be that excess weight, depression or nicotine dependency. We can tailor-make specialised wellness programmes of up to 3 months long for a variety of health goals and time spans, giving you the time you need to recover and heal. Our luxury wellness holidays offer everything from full medical check-ups and consultations, to spa therapies and diet plans, all designed to help you achieve your health objectives as easily and successfully as possible.

World Renowned Teacher in Portugal from 5 - 10 September

Health expert and Fitness TV Presenter Angie Newson, is launching an exclusive Yoga and Pilates retreat at Longevity Wellness Resort in Portugal from 5-10th September 2012. Internationally renowned yoga and Pilates expert, Angie Newson will be taking her talents to the luxurious 5 star health and wellness resort twice a year. This exclusive five night tailor-made retreat is available through Health and Fitness Travel, experts in tailor-made active and wellness holidays worldwide for a special price of just £595 per person.

As the name suggests, this new resort which opened in July 2010 offers a wellness experience for those wanting to improve their longevity. Programmes include a wellness and fitness boost week, detox, stress management and weight loss. Situated in the beautiful natural area of Monchique in the Algarve Portugal, this perfect natural and wellness getaway is surrounded by breath-taking views over coastal mountains, making it the ideal location for a health retreat. All guests have access to a weekly health and fitness schedule which include morning and afternoon hikes, classes in Pilates, dance, aqua aerobics, mind fitness, stretching and lectures in Osteopathy, stress management and nutrition.

Tell us about the resort – what makes Santani special?

Santani is a relatively new architect-designed property built on 120 acres of former tea plantation and owned and run by Sri Lankans in central Sri Lanka, about five hours by car from Colombo (you can also take a seaplane to Kandy, which would be a great way to arrive). The last part of the drive, from Kandy, is on a climbing, winding mountain road. You can’t even see the resort until you’re there, that’s how tucked away it is.

by Maureen Cromey

An Acupuncturist and Chinese Medicine Expert

"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life”.  
- Confucius

Whether we have a job that we love or work out of necessity to keep the devil from the door, work can be a challenge to our health.  But unemployment can be worse. The lack of motivation, self-esteem, social chaos and poverty related to unemployment can be far more damaging then many workplace risks.

Need something to satisfy your sweet tooth, without feeling guilty? These mango, lime and coconut tartlets from Fusion Maia make for the perfect treat that you can whip up in minutes. This raw dessert is made gluten-free by substituting flour for shredded coconut, with a succulent sweetness that is free of refined sugar thanks to dates and coconut cream. Finished with pineapple and mango chunks to give this healthy dessert a tropical fresh taste that is guaranteed to leave you wanting more.

Travel Specialist Manuel spent 48 hours at luxury wellness retreat, COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali and this is his snapshot review…

COMO Shambhala Estate is nothing short of spectacular! A world-class luxurious wellness retreat in Ubud, Bali with breath-taking views of the dense tropical jungle. The award-winning wellness retreat creates an unforgettable experience for their guests. Whether you're a wellness newbie and kick-starting your wellness journey or you wanted to achieve optimal health on a fitness holiday, your stay at COMO Shambhala Estate will help you to reach your goals and boost your overall well-being.

Mario Sella

Mario Sella, Wellness Manager at Ti Sana, Italy, grew up with a passion for science and physical activity that has led him to his role today. His childhood interest developed into an academic qualification, gaining a degree in food science and technology. A qualified personal trainer, Mario also studied and now teaches ancient oriental disciplines such as Qi Cong and Wushu-Kung Fu. Using his knowledge of nutrition and fitness, Mario oversees diagnostic tests, physical activity and, of course, nutritional plans to help guests at Ti Sana achieve their health and wellness goals.

Every year on Valentine's Day, our thoughts turn to relationships and so the longtime debate lives on—is it better to be married or single? Some say married life can be more meaningful, but others say singletons have all the fun. While the answer undoubtedly hinges on the individual, science has, time and again, weighed in through copious research to measure whether one is better than the other, at least for your health. When it comes right down to long-term well-being, which of the two paths fare better?

The mother-daughter bond can be strengthened through exercise; a bond so powerful it affects a woman’s health, self-esteem and all her other relationships. With this in mind, we shine the spotlight on our top 5 mother-daughter fitness breaks, which make for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. From high intensity training in Herefordshire to Nordic walking in Tenerife, strengthen your body and your bond on one of our female-friendly fitness breaks.