WELLNESS MATTERS

Edited by Mark Smith

Breathe in: hyperbaric oxygen therapy

We explore the growing market for hyperbaric oxygen therapy and how these devices can improve guest wellbeing while boosting spa revenue

According to Transparency Market Research, the market for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) devices is set to grow at almost 9% per year until 2028. Spa and wellness resorts are leading some of this growth with locations across Asia, Europe and the UK embracing this breath-based therapy.

HBOT is a method of delivering extra oxygen into the body through increasing atmospheric pressure. The typical pressure on earth is 1 ATA. In a hyperbaric oxygen chamber this is increased to 2 or 3 ATA while approximately 95% oxygen is administered. Sessions can last from 45-90 minutes and be taken two to three times per week for up to 20 sessions, depending on requirement.

KĒPOS by Goco offers guests hyperbaric oxygen therapy

“HBOT’s popularity is on the rise due to the positive impact it can have on those with chronic illness, auto-immune diseases and long Covid,” says René van Eyssen, wellness director at the Coach House Spa at Beaverbrook, UK. “We’ve had guests book into the hotel specifically because we have an HBOT chamber.”

Preventative healthcare

In the US, HBOT has been sanctioned for the treatment of conditions as varied as sports injuries, burns, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, pre and post-surgery recovery, migraines, immune support, stroke rehabilitation, post-Covid illness and depression.

A HBOT consultation at The Vital Practice Previous

“The long-overdue shift from curative to preventative health is driving pioneering therapies such as HBOT,” says Amberin Fur, founder of The Vital Practice in London. “It assists our body in healing, acting as a catalyst for cellular repair. It is a safe, wonderfully natural treatment to optimise wellbeing and immunity.”

New business opportunities

European Spa first reported on HBOT in its autumn edition when KĒPOS by Goco introduced a chamber at the luxury family resort Daios Cove in Greece. Kamalaya Koh Samui in Thailand is introducing this therapy in early 2023, and many wellbeing clinics in London are also embracing HBOT.

Henshaw Hyperbarics offer a range of different chambers to suit any wellness space

Aside from the numerous health benefits for clients, there is a solid business case for introducing oxygen therapy to a spa and wellness operation. “HBOT offers spas new revenue streams, an edge over their competitors and the opportunity to attract a new clientele,” says Susie Marshall, marketing manager at Henshaw Hyperbarics.

“Sessions range from £60-£150 for a one-hour session so there is a really good return of investment for a spa as it is a hands-off treatment.”

www.transparencymarketresearch.com | www.beaverbrook.co.uk | www.thevitalpractice.co.uk | www.daioscovecrete.com | www.kamalaya.com | www.henshawhyperbarics.co.uk

B.fresh launches new wellness shots to its cold-pressed drinks range

British cold-pressed drinks brand B.fresh has collaborated with nutritionist Matt Jones to create a new collection of targeted wellness shots.

Produced at a family-run farm in Shropshire, UK, the products combine fruits and vegetables with natural vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to help people address three easily achievable goals: ‘Focus’, for concentration; ‘Relax’, to counteract stress, tension and anxiety; and ‘Sleep’, to promote rest and slumber.

‘Focus’ is a blend of beetroot, blueberries, lime, strawberry and flaxseed oil with guarana seed and L-theanine. it is said to optimise concentration levels and attention span without the side-effects of traditional energy drinks.

‘Relax’ harnesses the power of various fruits, natural botanical herbs and amino acids known to reduce stress and anxiety. The blend contains kiwi, avocado, ashwagandha, lemon balm and L-theanine.

‘Sleep’ combines cherry, kiwi, chamomile and natural honey in a functional shot that delivers a daily dose of nutrients known to accelerate sleepiness. L-tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin enhances the benefits of the juice shot.

www.b-fresh.co.uk

Resilience workshops take place at Scarlet and Bedruthan spa hotels

Breathwork coach Anthony Mullally, a recently retired professional rugby player, has partnered with Cornish hotel group Red Hotels to launch Resilience workshops. The first mixed-gender sessions took place in November at the Scarlet and Bedruthan hotels, and more will be held in 2023, including a series of exclusive men’s mental health retreats.

During the workshops, participants are guided on how to build resilience, adapt to adversity and better manage everyday stress in a practical and effective way. Using Bedruthan’s sensory spa garden, Mullally employs cold and heat exposure, putting the body into a stressful state to encourage adaptability and calm as a response to anxiety. The breathwork element, conducted at Bedruthan’s clifftop yoga studio enables people to ‘down regulate’ and activate the body’s relaxation response, bringing the nervous system back to a state of balance. A period of reflection at the hotel’s beach front fire pit concludes the programme.

Mullally began training in breathwork to improve performance, eventually training to become an advanced breathwork coach with Oxygen Advantage, in Newquay.

www.scarlethotel.co.uk | bedruthan.com

The Organic Pharmacy enters retreat space with Six Senses in Israel

The Organic Pharmacy has held its first Reset Detox Retreat at Six Senses Shaharut in Israel. Guests at the wellness resort in the Negev Desert were taken on a journey of mental, physical and spiritual cleansing by three experts.

Shamanic healer and author Itzhak Beery led a series of fire ceremonies; Margo Marrone Roxy Marrone, manifesting expert and co-founder of House of Roxy, led rituals to promote spiritual practice; detox, skin and homeopathy specialist – and founder of The Organic Pharmacy – Margo Marrone presented a facial yoga and sculpting masterclass.

“The retreat is the marriage of mind, body and spirit,” said Margo. “This was done through yoga, hiking, The Organic Pharmacy and of course healthy food, along with a powerful shamanic fire ceremony with Itzhak and a manifestation ceremony with House of Roxy.”

The two-night retreat also included yoga, sunset meditation, morning hikes, desert meditations and a 60-minute signature rose crystal facial. Guests stayed in suites facing the Arava Valley and Edom Mountains.

www.sixsenses.com | www.theorganicpharmacy.com

SHA Wellness Clinic offers 30-minute Health Screening Lab concept

SHA Wellness Clinic has introduced the Health Screening Lab, a preventative health concept that comprises a 30-minute diagnostic circuit of non-invasive tests to determine guests’ current state of health.

“The tour consists of different stations where we carry out non-invasive medical tests to obtain as much information as possible about the current state of health of each person in approximately 30 minutes,” says Juan Pablo Barassi, chief operating officer at SHA Wellness Clinic. “With the data collected, our multidisciplinary team of experts can adapt and orient their recommendations”.

Digital photoplethysmography can detect heart-rate variability and a range of other sytem-related issues. The ‘vital signs’ unit measures blood pressure, respiratory rate, body temperature and blood oxygen saturation.

Complete body composition analysis scans the body to accurately measure the bioimpedance of the torso, arms and legs separately, as well as other parameters, such as intra and extracellular water or visceral fat.

Finally, a neurocognitive test evaluates higher mental functions, including training in key aspects such as relaxation, concentration and overcoming phobias.

www.shawellnessclinic.com

Hydragun goes Atomic with a mini massage gun for on-the-go use

Developed as a mini massage gun for wellness on-the-go, Hydragun’s Atom is engineered with a sleek and durable anodised aluminium body.

Expanding the Hydragun range in the UK, the massage gun is super compact (14.5cm tall, 12cm wide). It weighs just over 550g and can deliver up to 8kg of force and 3,200 percussions per minute. Designed for ergonomic use, it is heat conductive to protect internal components and is also scratch and sweat-proof.

Smooth and quiet operation mean it can be used almost anywhere. With a five-hour battery life, said to be double that of other mini guns on the market, it enables massage at home, the gym or while travelling. It is also the perfect size to incorporate into a spa team’s wellbeing kit for use between massage treatments.

The triple-action Atom is said to provide relief from chronic pain and tension, reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and help gym-goers warm up before workouts.

Hydragun is a performance technology start-up whose flagship product, the Hydragun, is said to be used by world-class athletes and Olympians as well as recovery professionals worldwide.

www.hydragun.co.uk

Vitamin Injections London creates vitamin D transdermal patches

Vitamin Injections London has added a vitamin D set to its collection of transdermal vitamin patches. Said to be more effective than oral supplementation, the patches offer unique formulations in a discreet format, delivering vitamins to the body to support a healthy lifestyle.

“Even the best quality oral supplements can only provide 8-15% of vitamins or active ingredients into the bloodstream,” claims Bianca-Estelle Simpson, founder of Vitamin Injections London. “Unlike our patches that provide 90% of vitamins directly into the bloodstream, via 24 hours of continuous transcutaneous nutrient delivery.”

The D3 transdermal patches join the current B12 and B Complex patches to deliver vitamin D3, which can be difficult to obtain naturally from the sun, especially in winter. Vitamin D3 promotes a healthy immune system and aids the absorption of calcium, which is essential for bone health. The formula is boosted with magnesium.

Vitamin Injections London’s UK clinics specialise in vitamin nutrient therapy including IV intravenous and intramuscular injections. The products were created by Simpson, an experienced medical aesthetician and skin specialist who is also the founder of bea Skin Care and bea Skin Clinic.

www.vitamininjections.co.uk