Before the retreat, I had quit my job, my family business needed me to take on a leadership positing abroad, a family member fell sick, the contract fell through on a new house I was purchasing and I broke up with my boyfriend. Everything was happening at once and I was completely overwhelmed.

Instead of sitting at home, alone with my feelings, I decided to book myself on a wellness retreat. It was honestly one of the best decisions that I have ever made. 

I went to SHA Wellness Clinic in Alicante, Spain. It changed my life for the better and here are the three reasons why:

1. Changing my mindset

For context, at SHA you get your own personal team including a doctor, nutritionist, agenda planner, personal trainer, acupuncturist and guest services assistant. 

When I first met my nutritionist she held my hands, palm upwards, and read my personality through the lines on my hands. I felt like she was looking into my soul. She captured my essence in the first 15 minutes of us meeting - I felt seen.

She then proceeded to tell me that I was handling all the new life changes very well and that this experience would be overwhelming for anyone. She assured me that I am much stronger than I believed myself to be, which was something that I really needed to hear.

Every discussion I had with my team, I learned something new about myself. I started the SHA journey feeling like an emotional wreck and ended it feeling strong and capable. 

I’m no longer anxious about leaving my old life behind, but thankful for my experiences as they gave me valuable teachings to use in the next chapter of my life.

2. Finding my vibe tribe

Going to SHA was the first time that I had  ever travelled by myself.  I was worried that I would get bored or still feel alone with my feelings, except in a much nicer place with much nicer weather - Thankfully, this was not the case at all.

On my first night, I attended the General Manager’s drinks, where I made my first few friends. We went for dinner after the drinks and then for the rest of the week, I never ate dinner alone again. 

We started as a small group of 4 dining together and then as people joined and left the resort, we ended up filling the biggest table in the restaurant - which according to the GM had never been done before - We even had to add extra chairs to the table to keep up with the demand of people wanting to join us. We became a community and it was beautiful.

As the youngest member of the group, I was tasked with creating a WhatsApp group, which we now use to keep each other updated about all the healthy stuff we are doing after SHA.  

I am super grateful for meeting these ladies, they taught me that I am strong, they provided me with such positive vibes and and they are such an inspiration to me. They had all achieved so much in their lives -  through work, family, moving abroad and starting new chapters, it gave me the confidence that I was able to achieve the same. I can’t wait to meet them at our catch up dinner in London.

3. Becoming healthier

On day 2, I did a blood test and got my results that same evening - NHS take note! 

My blood results revealed that I was severely anaemic and so my doctor gave me iron intravenously as this is more effective than taking tablets for 3 months. 

The doctor also went over and beyond to do an ultrasound on my thyroid even though my TSH hormones were normal from my blood test, after I told him about my extreme weight gain and that my mum had thyroid problems. 

The ultrasound revealed a cyst in my thyroid. This explained why my metabolism was so low and why I was putting on so much weight. Prior to SHA, I was really hard on myself for putting on the weight and didn’t realise why I was gaining so much so quickly despite not changing my dietary habits or exercise regime. I am now more forgiving to myself. 

At SHA, I lost 1.5kg of fat mass through a combination of treatments, exercise and a macrobiotic diet. I learned what foods to eat, what foods I am intolerant to, how to cook healthy recipes, how to exercise to speed up my metabolism and how to work out my body properly. Since leaving SHA, I have more energy than I have had in years. I’ve also decided to make my health a priority by eating cleaner and taking the time to workout for at least an hour daily. Hopefully, I can keep it up!

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Would I recommend SHA to others?

Absolutely! All in all, my experience at SHA made me feel healthier - mind, body and soul. I would definitely recommend it to those looking for a wellness holiday in Europe with a more medical than mindfulness outlook. The service is impecable and the concept of having a personal team really tailors their programme to your individual needs. If you would like to hear more about my experience at SHA feel free to contact me using the contact page or comment below.