Pritikin Spa Edging to a New Generation

Pritikin Spa Edging to a New Generation
by Susie Ellis
SpaFinder Insider

Just returned from a very nice Labor Day Weekend which Peter and I spent down in Florida on a boat tied up right near Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa in Aventura. Paul Lehr, President of Pritikin and author of their new book Pritikin Edge, was kind enough to invite us to be day guests while we were down there. That made our Labor Day Weekend a healthy kick-start for the fall season. It also gave me a chance to see what was new:

1. Younger clients. I was really surprised to see so many young people there. I met a mother with her two adult daughters, one in medical school and the other an actress – none of them more than a few pounds overweight. There were also some “high powered” New York women who also looked quite healthy as well as quite a few girlfriend pairs. In general, it was a nice mix of men, women and a variety of generations. On previous visits, I remember the guests being older. This mix of ages was cool.

2. Crowded. Well…not in a bad way, however the last time I was there, I remember there were some empty tables at dinner. This week – all the tables were full. And this was August in Florida!

3. More spa services. Their spa menu has expanded. The spa is still not as much of a focus as the fitness, medical and diet aspects, but there was a greater variety of offerings and my treatments were good.

4. Botox and fillers. I had heard that Pritikin was now offering these aesthetic medical services which was a surprise as they have always been so wellness-focused. However, I think it is a good idea. Many people are going to have these services anyway…so having them during a stay at a medically supervised longevity program isn’t such a bad idea. And I do think that a little bit of “freshening up” can score some mental health points. (Guests go off the premises to see a medical specialist for these treatments.)

5. Plastic surgery recovery. I didn’t realize that some people come to Pritikin post-plastic surgery. That might also include post mastectomy or reconstruction surgery, etc. Perhaps this has always been the case, however the information was new to me. Healthy eating, exercise, and stress reduction under medical supervision would be a great pre-surgery regime also.

6. No more ice cream. Boo hoo. Years ago I remember that their dessert options at dinner always included ice cream. For me with quite a sweet tooth, it was a real highlight. I believe it was Edy’s ice cream which was on their “OK” list at the time because of the low fat and no sugar. (Edy’s uses Splenda which is supposed to be better than the other artificial sweeteners.) Well, after more analysis by the Pritikin pros, there seemed to be some no no’s, and ice cream was taken off the menu. Guess it was too good to be true.

Alas, it’s probably better for me to distance myself from that sweet tooth rather than continue to indulge it.
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