Even at night, SHA Mexico (from $5,770 for four nights), a new wellness clinic and resort in Costa Mujeres about 30 minutes north of Cancun, is impossible to miss. The modern white structure towers over the mangrove forest below. From the airy lobby, I can smell and hear the murmur of the sea. Views of the turquoise Caribbean Sea are a constant companion during my stay.
Not long after I turned 44, I started to feel less well. My immune system seemed vulnerable. My stomach felt off. Headaches followed by brain fog were happening too regularly. I wondered if it was perimenopause, long Covid or perhaps something worse, but my bloodwork showed nothing to be concerned about. I still wanted to improve my health, so I booked a four-night Rebalance and Energize program at the resort, which is easily accessible via a five-hour flight from SFO.
Founded by a businessman who recovered from diagnosed serious ailment after adopting an anti-inflammatory diet and therapies like Chinese medicine, SHA has been on the cutting edge of customized treatments since the first wellness resort opened in Spain’s Alicante province in 2008. We’re often told there is “no silver bullet” for fixing complicated problems, but that’s precisely what SHA treatments and methodologies claim to do. At SHA, visitors can be offered everything from biohacking to stem cell therapy, transcranial electrical stimulations to cryotherapy in the effort to stop the clock and feel better. Programs at SHA can last as long as 21 days.
I wake up groggy at 6:30 a.m. for my first appointment, an advanced preventative diagnosis where a nurse conducts a variety of tests to assess my current health state. I slip on a robe and go to the Health Screening Lab, a pristine white room with rectangular video screens that look like something from Brave New World; I go through a circuit that includes a 3D body scan, a cognitive test and an analysis of my nervous system.
My results show high physical stress, very typical after a long travel day, but my body composition is healthy. I was hydrated and have scored well cognitively. But as I feared, my antibodies are on the low side and there are some flags to watch regarding my thyroid.
The doctor, Diego Martinez Conde, a general practitioner with a focus on functional medicine, advises me to start looking into hormone replacement therapy. “It can be life-changing,” he says. I should take vitamin K, and he urges me to add more protein to my diet. I add an intravenous megadose of vitamin C to supercharge my immune system to my agenda here (intravenous therapies help combat micronutrition deficiency). I am looking forward to the array of treatments I have on my packed schedule.
The bullet train to wellness doesn’t come without some pain. During cell regeneration therapy, the tiny pinpricks I feel all over my legs and backside make my body feel incredibly restless. During cryotherapy, I start shaking uncontrollably after being exposed to extremely low temperatures for three minutes. The boost of energy I felt afterward, however, is worth the discomfort.
Many treatments are more enjoyable. I drift into a deep sleep during transcranial electrical stimulation and the Ageless Youth Facial using INDIBA technology is relaxing and effective. Using technology developed to help astronauts achieve optimum energy levels, the integrated bioenergy assessment treatment stands out for how it combines Chinese and Western medicines. My therapist combs my head with an electromagnetic device and a graph pops up on a large computer screen. I am stunned as acupuncturist Miguel, tall with broad shoulders and kind eyes, relays the results. There are blockages in my spleen, gallbladder and pericardium, he says, which can result in gut and immune system issues and too much blood going from my heart to my head.
“Stop thinking too much. When we overthink, we worry, ‘Did I do the right thing’?” In other words, it’s a vicious cycle. The following day, Miguel uses acupuncture to clear my blocked energy pathways. “Chinese medicine is 3,000 years old, and it works,” he says.
Diet is one of the most transformational parts of the SHA experience. My SHA nutritionist adds probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut to my meals. She suggests I avoid alcohol, gluten and coffee during my stay. I start the day with nourishing brown miso soup. Meals like a green plantain crepe topped with roasted squash and scallops with mango and garlic vinaigrette are delicious and easy on my stomach. I look forward to ending my night with apple kudzu tea (a relaxing remedy for insomnia made of apple juice, water and Japanese kuzu tree root) rather than a glass of red wine.
On my last morning, I walk out to the palapa at the end of the dock I can see from my ocean view room. I do several sun salutations and practice pranayama breathing. Without a thought, I jumped into the calm turquoise seas and start swimming back to shore, feeling healthier than I have in months. Whether it was the cryotherapy, the hydrotherapy circuit with mangrove views, the time to myself, or all of the above seems beside the point. I feel strong enough and better equipped to take on life’s next stage.

More Hyper-Personalized Wellness Around the World
“Monk-Level” Meditation
At Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai in Thailand, guests are immersed in the destination’s spirituality with temple visits and by participating in the Vipassana Deep Meditation wellness retreat. Vipassana meditation is a rigorous practice that trains the mind to enhance emotional well-being, awareness and concentration. Those looking for something less intensive can try the Vipassana Awaken the Mind program.
Genetic Testing
The family who owns Buchinger Wilhelmi, a medi-spa with locations in Germany and Spain, believe longevity is a matter of conscious prevention, but there’s no doubt genetics can increase our chance of developing chronic diseases. Genetic tests at the resort reveal inherited predispositions to cancer, cardiovascular disease, thrombosis and coagulation disorders, hypercholesterolemia, glaucoma and diabetes, and offer preventive measures to mitigate genetic risks.
Menopause Therapy
Amilla Maldives’ customized programs with visiting practitioners can include a five-day menopause journey helping women navigate the daunting challenge of perimenopause and menopause. With jungle and azure waters as a backdrop, women enjoy one-on-one consultations with a wellness coach, daily wellness activities, and treatments like reflexology, intuitive aroma massage and craniosacral, effective tools for adapting to biological changes in the healthiest way possible.
Ozone And Stem Cell Therapies
The wellness program at Four Seasons Resort Maui is a collaboration with the health optimization and longevity company Next|Health. Thus, treatments like ozone therapy, the separation and oxygenation of blood to encourage bio-rejuvenation, and exosome therapy, a form of stem cell therapy, are on the cutting edge of wellness therapies. The Next|Health Longevity Protocol, including ozone, stem cells, exosomes and NAD+, prepares participants for any life challenge.
