From longevity clinics and medispas to the latest innovative fitness equipment, a new high-tech era of healthcare is well and truly flourishing.
When we talk about dream machines, it’s so often the latest supercars, yachts and private jets that spring to mind. And yes, while our sights may be firmly set on the latest 838 kW Bertone, we so often take for granted the most elite machine of them all—the human body. After all, our physical and mental wellbeing is the ultimate key to success and quality of life, and without it, everything else is just white noise.
Spurred on by an ever-increasing life expectancy, which is effectively making 50 feel like the new 30, we’re now seeing a new technologically driven longevity movement coming to the fore, with the quest for immortality bringing science and money together to help fight diseases before they take hold.
People are no longer content with merely living longer; they want to flourish during their golden years, so rather than visiting the doctor when they fall ill, they are turning to Europe’s best longevity clinics like SHA Wellness and Clinique La Prairie for comprehensive diagnostic tests that go beyond simple weight and blood pressure measurements. Instead, guests get personalised nutrition plans, proven sleep solutions and red-light therapy sessions. And rather than simply pounding the treadmill, people are investing in the latest high-tech fitness equipment that is guaranteed to deliver results.
Amid the hype, an increasing number of major players are collaborating with top experts in longevity to create programs based on data, science and technology. In the following article, we will reveal exactly where you should focus your attention, with the help of three leading names in the industry.
Technogym
Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic taught us that we needn’t be beholden to the hours of a commercial gym, home gyms have been on the rise among the world’s wealthy, who not only want them to complement their carefully curated interiors, but also desire equipment that is both highly functional and convenient to use. That’s where Technogym comes in.
The brand of choice for the world’s best luxury hotels and superyachts—as well as the most prestigious fitness clubs around the globe, including Yacht Club de Monaco—not only are the Italian manufacturer’s products more ergonomic, biomechanically sound, user-friendly and performance-driven than its competitors, they also produce more accurate metrics and workout stats. After all, Technogym wasn’t chosen as the official supplier of the exercise equipment available to athletes in Paris’s Olympic Village without good reason.
Putting the “art” into state-of-the-art, its Personal Line is the collection of choice for savvy property owners which, designed in collaboration with architect Antonio Citterio to be placed “in the most beautiful spaces” of people’s homes, is most certainly worth the investment.
Think treadmills, bikes, reclines, ellipticals, kinesis machines and power stations—all crafted from premium materials. Each piece also comes enhanced with Technogym Live, a digital interface that is a personal trainer, a fitness tracker and an entertainment hub all in one. We’re particularly fond of the technologically advanced Outdoor Virtual Training, allowing fitness enthusiasts to immerse themselves in various natural landscapes or cityscapes; while you can also watch or listen to Netflix, Spotify and YouTube while working out.
Users can also train with the world’s first AI-powered fitness trainers through the Technogym platform, which delivers a personalised training experience, tailored to individual data, goals and preferences. In other words, all bases are covered.
Portrait Milano Longevity Spa
The world’s first hotel to host The Longevity Suite’s spa— Europe’s leading biohacking and anti-ageing brand—Portrait Milano is a veritable pioneer in next-generation wellness. A 700 m² hub home to treatment cabins, a pool with vaulted ceiling and jade-coloured glass mosaic flooring, a Turkish bath, sauna, relaxation area and state-of-the-art gym in partnership with Technogym, guests will find cold exposure, detoxification and aesthetic awareness at the core of the offered therapies, which utilise the latest technologies to help keep minds and bodies in the best shape possible.
Pioneering biohacking science informs everything at the B+Architects-designed former 16th century seminary, which is open to hotel guests, membership holders and the general public by appointment. Treatments can be enjoyed alone or as part of a more curated programme, and we particularly recommend booking in for the Mind & Body Biohacking option which, designed to positively “hack” the individual’s biological system, is proven to reduce inflammation and ageing through Dry Float Therapy, an innovation that offers the benefits of reduced gravity to positively impact stress, muscle and joint pain, sleep, concentration and overall psychophysical recovery.
Rituals here are inspired by “Blue Zones”, the world’s greatest longevity regions— including Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Ikaria in Greece, and Loma Linda in California—and are designed to recreate the routines of countries where people are happier and age better thanks to their lifestyle. Intended to help with rapid recovery from daily stress, offerings include the popular Jet Lag Blessing ritual, during which cold therapy, sensory deprivation, LED therapy, binaural sounds and inhalation aromatherapy combine with acupressure to stimulate melatonin production and restore circadian rhythms.
Then there’s the Pura Vida ritual for detoxifying the body; the Aion ritual for oxygenation; the Aéras ritual to release tension; and the Iki Sabi ritual for regeneration. Built around Okinawa’s longevity secret, Iki Sabi uses seaweed and a fermented rice water and silk powder blend on the face to help with luminosity and elasticity.
Adding to its roster of game-changing technologies, the spa boasts a cyrosuite which exposes the body to temperatures ranging from -85°C to -100°C for a period of three to five minutes to help increase circulatory response of blood and lymphatic flow while burning calories and reducing exercise recovery time; there’s also IV therapy and multisensory LED therapy, the latter of which, when applied to the face and neck, reduces inflammation and promotes the production of collagen
Echelon Health
A wise person once said your health is an investment, not an expense, and that’s exactly the mindset behind London’s Echelon Health, which offers perhaps the most exclusive way to embark on a health MOT. Claiming to help reduce the risk of premature death by 92 percent in men and 95 percent in women, it is the brainchild of Dr Paul Jenkins, who was inspired by his frustration in seeing relatively young patients die of diseases that could have been detected in advance.
Nestled in the heart of Harley Street, the clinic employs the most advanced imaging technology (the firm’s Aquilion ONE Prism CT scanner is the only one in the city) alongside best-in-field radiologists and practitioners, using a combination of advanced MRI, CT and ultrasound technology, as well as comprehensive blood tests for optimum accuracy. Don’t, however, expect your typical stark, white-walled clinic—the space is comfortable and welcoming with a homely feel; all clients are assigned a liaison manager to take them through what the day will hold and answer any questions.
The focus here is on checking your current health status rather than genetics testing, which helps find changes in genes that could potentially cause health problems in the future. Tests include full bloods, mole screening, CT scans of the heart, lungs, abdomen and pelvis, a CT virtual colonoscopy, an MRI of the brain, cerebral and carotid, as well as an ultrasound of the thyroid. A female assessment also includes a digital mammogram and ovary ultrasounds, while men will receive a prostate MRI.
The private client suites are slick, complete with books and refreshments, and it’s these little important details that help Echelon stand out from the crowd. Case in point? Perhaps the most intimidating test, the brain MRI, is made as comfortable as possible with headphones for music and regular contact from your doctor.
While any major health concerns are always communicated within 24 hours, the full results are normally delivered via a personal consultation by Dr Jenkins roughly a week after the assessment day and, depending on the findings, he will make recommendations on how to proceed. This may involve a nutrition plan or certain lifestyle changes; if further health investigations are needed, you may be invited back to meet with more specialists. Don’t fret, though, you’re in extremely good hands.
