Dubai, United Arab Emirates – – The Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence at Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort Lake Lucerne has partnered with acclaimed fertility expert Zita West, to create one of the world’s first ‘Fit for Fertility’ retreats for guests wishing to prepare for fertility. Unique in Europe, the first five-night retreat for women will take place from Sunday 12th to Thursday 16th March 2023.
Zita West is one of the world’s leading fertility and pregnancy specialists, renowned for her ‘whole-body’ approach and her promotion of the powerful role of the mind-body connection. A midwife of 40 years, mother of two and grandmother of two, Zita’s life is surrounded by women and babies. In the past 20 years, Zita has trained as an acupuncturist, established a world-renowned fertility clinic in London, developed a range of supplements to support fertility and pregnancy, written nine books and recently launched a new range of baby and child vitamins in partnership with Leo Bamford.
Kate Winslet, who consulted with Zita during her own pregnancy, called her a fertility and pregnancy guru, saying: “Zita’s approach is calm, sensible, down-to-earth and often inspirational.”
Almost 40% of women report high stress levels, anxiety and depression when struggling with fertility and IVF issues. The planned schedule of fertility retreats with Zita West at the Waldhotel will present guests with an individual programme to prepare for fertility. In a bespoke, dynamic approach to fertility, access to medical care and advice, tests and investigations in this accredited medical hospital are combined with holistic approaches to help guests reconnect with themselves as a person.
Each guest will work with Zita and her proven four-step module to create a measured plan of action, taking charge of their fertility and conception. Guidance will be provided on health and mindset to manage the uncertainty of fertility and understand their bodies. Each person has mind and body blocks caused by past life experiences, upbringing and family history. Zita’s programme will teach the exercises to encourage calm and meditative mindsets. Following the ethos of Zita’s innovative HUG programme, women will be taught how to connect their brains, the head, heart and gut, and also what Zita calls the uterus/pelvic ‘brain’ for optimal health and fertility. In addition, guests will undergo a medical consultation with Professor Briner of the Waldhotel and testing to develop a personal health profile.
The Waldhotel is the ideal setting in which to undertake this retreat, nestled in a mountain-top setting amongst the forest. The revolutionary medical wellness centre offers physical and mental well-being through a ‘Healthy by Nature’ concept. It features an elite team of multidisciplinary physicians, ranging from cardiology, internal medicine, dermatology, orthopaedics, psychosomatics, dentists to nutrition and gastroenterology, all with a depth of knowledge and expertise to treat and prevent health concerns using treatments at the highest level.
Guests of the programme will have full access to the Waldhotel Spa for the duration of their stay. The spa’s incredible facilities include an indoor and outdoor pool, a salt grotto, Finnish sauna heated to 80°C, aroma sauna at 60°C, hammam with wellness guarantee, relaxation area indoors and outdoors, water beds for pure relaxation and secluded massage cabins. The outdoor pool water is refreshed daily with water drawn directly from Lake Lucerne.
Nutrition is also important for fertility and each guest will follow the Waldhotel’s Colour Cuisine concept for dining to support their wellbeing through tailored nutrition to fit individual needs. Grouping similar coloured foods with comparable active ingredients daily ensures that the input of positive substances can be maximised and more easily absorbed.
Zita West comments: “When I ask what a patient wants from a consultation from me, they ask for a plan of action and expert direction, as they are looking everywhere for the answers. It can be bewildering, like a maze of paths to choose to follow. The Fit for Fertility Retreats are designed to support women on these journeys.
“We are living through a time of tremendous change both socially and digitally, and as a result women have become disconnected from their bodies. They rely on apps, gadgets and gizmos to seek knowledge about fertility. This retreat will combine the medical excellence found at the Waldhotel with the holistic expertise to show women how to look inside themselves (rather than outside) and to trust in the wisdom of their own bodies in order to reduce stress and anxiety, let go of fear and help increase their fertility, IVF and their overall wellbeing. Never has our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing been so important.”
The Fit for Fertility Retreat at the Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence costs from CHF 5,690 (approximately £5,020) per person for a four-night programme. This includes: accommodation in an Alpine Deluxe Room with Balcony (solo occupancy), full-board with the Waldhotel Colour Cuisine concept, services of Zita West, one medical consultation by Professor Briner, a 20-minute abdominal massage daily, one DEXA scan, two Ice Lab sessions, access to the Waldhotel Spa for the duration of the stay and one half-day access to the Alpine Spa. The retreat hosts from six up to 12 guests, with the first dates arriving Sunday 12th March 2023.