In today’s time, what does a typical wellness resort signify? The common ones would be yoga, spa rituals, exercise and a range of activities designed to promote overall well-being. However, there is a notable absence of resorts tailored to address the unique challenges and experiences associated with women’s ovarian disorders and menopause. This oversight represents a missed opportunity.
Why Do We Lack Such Wellness Resorts For Women?
While wellness resorts provide a plethora of services and activities, they often lack a dedicated focus on women’s gynaecological problems. “There are definitely social, cultural as well as spiritual halos around women’s health and vitality. The discussion is still considered a taboo in several places. Women going for reproductive health programs or menopausal therapies is not something sought-after,” agrees Lavanya Tagra, Founder and CEO, of Wellnessly, a wellness travel company.
Despite the fact that almost every woman on the planet goes through these transitions, the specifics of gynaecological well-being are rarely mentioned in Western society. Wellness resorts have become synonymous with yoga retreats in the popular imagination. While yoga is indeed a crucial component of many wellness programs, these resorts need to offer so much more. “Some key reasons for this can be stigma around. A significant barrier to addressing women’s health issues globally and income dependencies as these wellness travel programmes can come out to be expensive and not be accessible to everyone,” she says.
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However, the establishment of menopause resorts within the broader wellness industry is coming up. The menopause market will be worth $600 billion by 2025, according to the Global Wellness Summit, with more than one billion women approaching perimenopause between now and then.
“The wellness industry has predominantly focused on getaway retreats that offer a menu with a wide variety of wellness experiences that one can buy. These programmes are also necessary for the overall health of a person. A new segment is emerging where people are ready to invest time and money to travel out to specialised clinics,” says Mridula Jose, Vice President of marketing of CGH Earth Experience Hotels about the growing interest in such niche programmes.
The Big Wellness Resort Vacations For Women
Wellness programs in resorts offer guests an escape from their daily routines, allowing them to focus on themselves, their well-being, and their overall health. In today’s fast-paced world, people are often plagued by stress. “With nearly 50% of India’s working women feeling an increase in stress levels post-pandemic, as compared to men who stood at 38%, as per a survey by LinkedIn, one can see there needs to be a growing demand for women-centric programs and resources,” notes Ms Tagra.
Embracing ageing can be tough in a culture that does not encourage the journey, which is why spending a trip with other women going through similar life transitions can be a wonderful way to establish support systems and celebrate your accomplishments.
Wellness holidays vary per resort, but they are often soothing and peaceful escapes meant to help women cope with the symptoms. Most of these health retreats include a panel of specialists on hand to educate menopausal women on how to deal with the issues that may arise during this transition.
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“Evidence shows that the changing physical environments have improved life conditions over centuries. Introducing opportunities for a break from monotony and taking the time to rejuvenate is definitely beneficial – especially for women in India. Despite the growing multi-billion dollar wellness tourism industry, there is very limited research on women’s health. Wellness is not a one-size-fits-all approach,” Ms Tagra rightfully says.
It’s rare to find one resort or two in India that offers ovarian-related programs for women. Most offer programs related to general yoga and spas. Well, doesn’t that fall under wellness?
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Where Can You Find A Wellness Resort For Women’s Ovarian Health In India?
Women’s health encompasses various aspects, including reproductive health, hormonal balance, mental well-being, and nutrition. How do such programmes help?
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“High-end retreats are able to provide access to the best natural surroundings, nutrition, dietary guidance and expertise of certified practitioners. They offer unending support to women around that time. Several well-known, recognised brands are pioneers in healing methodology. Typically, workshops are designed for 6-10 day residential programs. These include bio-feedback by a certified vaid or a doctor, restorative yoga-based pre-post-menopausal diagnosis, and balanced nutritional intake during health phases. In treatments, they also usually schedule dedicated time for medium-intensity nature walks with earthing, massages for focussed areas, herbal baths and soaks to remove inflammations, and suggested exercises to keep the body flow in check during the wellness journey,” shares Ms Tagra.
Might be a handful, but there are a few wellness resorts in India that offer programmes regarding women’s ovarian health. Here are the places where you can find them:
1. Prakriti Shakti – CGH Earth Nature Cure Centre, Kerala
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They have a specific Gynaecological disorder program. The methods involve looking after physical, mental and physiological aspects. Healthy lifestyle choices and dietary habits are recommended to alleviate gynaecological disorders and strengthen the reproductive organs.
“CGH Earth wellness addresses gynaecological conditions like menopause, PCOD & PCOS, infertility etc at its Ayurveda and Naturopathy clinics. Ayurveda uses the Panchakarma method to correct the imbalance in the body’s constitution. Similarly,
Naturopathy harnesses the power of nature to correct the imbalances in one’s body. In doing so, it addresses the conditions. Every medical programme at CGH Earth Wellness starts with a preliminary assessment. The doctors understand the current and past history of the patient. With this information, the doctors would advise the patients on the duration of the programme for 14, 21 or more days,” says Ms Jose.
Where: Murinjapuzha – Panchalimedu Rd, Panchalimedu, Kerala
2. Ananda In The Himalayas, Uttarakhand
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They have an exclusive PCOS management program. They employ a traditional Ayurvedic approach to balance the body from the inside and cure the imbalances that cause the symptoms listed above. This is supplemented with tailored yoga postures and meditative practices that target the reproductive system. Emotional concerns such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem must be addressed as part of the therapy approach.
Where: The Palace Estate, Narendra Nagar, Uttarakhand
3. Amal Tamara, Kerala
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The Eve Care Programme aims to restore hormonal imbalances caused by stress, an unhealthy lifestyle, the use of contraception or drugs, and inadequate diet. Ayurveda places a high value on the numerous physiological ailments that women face throughout their lives. This ranges from the care given to a woman from the time she reaches menarche to various pathological conditions that women frequently face throughout their lives, such as menstrual disorders, infertility, polycystic ovarian disease, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and health conditions related to pre, peri, and postmenopausal syndrome. The programme lasts from 7-21 days.
Where: Ponnad, P.O, Ward 4, Mannanchery, Kerala
4. Shreyas Retreat
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Aiming at women suffering from Dysmenorrhoea, Amenorrhoea, PCOS, and other menopausal syndrome, Shreyas Retreat has exclusive programmes that use the age-old concepts of ayurveda-naturopathy and yoga processes to tackle gynaecological diseases in an integrative manner.
Where: Santoshima Farm, Gollahalli Gate Nelamangala, Bengaluru
More wellness programs in resorts should be poised to become even more significant in promoting the overall well-being of women worldwide. It’s time for the wellness industry to recognize and seize this opportunity to provide a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to women’s health and well-being.
What do you think?
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