The Leaders Performance Program focuses on the seven areas that SHA experts say have the greatest impact on our health, physical and cognitive performance: nutrition, exercise, rest, stress and emotional management, detoxification, and gut health. We are working on restoring the internal microflora and hormonal balance. While each protocol is tailored to the individual guest, the goal is to leave the clinic recovered and equipped with the tools to take control of their lives and live proactively (as opposed to reactively). It’s about being discharged from the hospital. As I walk through the glass doors of the clinic, I mentally and physically surrender myself to my team and hold an invisible sign above my head that reads:Please, please fix me”.
My first observation is how peaceful it is here. It’s busy, but it doesn’t feel like it’s overcrowded or overbooked, which I was worried about in my anxious state. The warmth of the team is palpable and I immediately feel embraced. This modern, tranquil bedroom features plush pillows and vibrant balcony views surrounding the Sierra Herrada Natural Park in southern Spain.
To be honest, I headed to the rooftop restaurant for my first meal with some trepidation. Bland, tasteless food (a common flavor signature at wellness retreats) is my nemesis. But the three-course lunch here starts with a flavorful soup, a delicious quinoa salad that will change your mind about the overestimation of certain grains, and a pudding that is frankly too good to be healthy. Thanks to this, my food panic has disappeared, and even if I start my day with miso soup, it tastes better after a day or two.
After consulting with a nutritionist (who takes into account my issues with bland food and adjusts the menu accordingly), I was assigned to the Sha Biolight menu. This is an “intermediate” dish, detoxifying but not aimed at weight loss like the strict Kushi menu or the more gourmet Sha menu at the other end of the spectrum. Mainly plant-based and macrobiotic, it also includes fish, pasta, oils, and nuts. What’s important is that it tastes great. Even after several months, I still remember the shrimp and konnyaku pasta dish.