You joined Chenot Group 10 years ago, bringing over 35 years’ experience to your role as Chief Operating and Scientific Officer. What was your path into science and wellness and then to Chenot?
I began my career as a specialist in energy metabolism after obtaining a PhD at Loughborough University in England, and completing my post-doctoral research at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Since then, I have dedicated over 35 years of work and study in this field, as well as obtaining a degree in physiotherapy and acupuncture. This specialisation in sports medicine and performance led me to working with elite athletes and Olympic teams. Having understood the role of metabolism at a cellular level, I became invested in how lifestyle factors, including exercise, can optimize our functionality (both physical and mental) and essentially slow down the rate of ageing. Chenot, was the obvious choice for pursuing this interest further, with their holistic approach to preventive medicine.
The Chenot Method is world-renowned, but what specifically interested you in working with Chenot Group?
During my career, I gained a great interest in the work behind The Chenot Method® which now has over 50 years of experience. Our founder, Henri Chenot, defined a well framed methodology focusing on ageing in the sense of prevention rather than cure. Based on scientific evidence and the combination of Western and Traditional Chinese medicine, both of which I have extensively studied, I wanted to apply my knowledge outside the world of elite sports and evolve the Chenot concept based on the latest scientific research into ageing.
What is your exact role and remit as Chief Operating and Scientific Officer and what is your future vision for Chenot Group?
My role as Chief Operating and Scientific Officer of Chenot Group is to continually innovate and advance the Chenot Method®, based on the latest evidence-based research. In recent years, people of all ages have become aware of the undeniable importance of their health and are seeking preventative and health promoting approaches. My goal is to expand the reach of Chenot worldwide so that we can provide more people with the self-awareness and understanding required to lead a fully active and enjoyable life at any age.
How have you seen the wellness industry evolve in your 10 years at Chenot and what do you predict for its future?
The wellness industry has grown significantly in the last 10 years, particularly following the pandemic of 2020. As we observed, the devastating effects of Covid and forced isolation during this period motivated individuals to take responsibility for their wellbeing. This created an opportunity for companies focused on preventive medicine to grow, and also required the hospitality sector to enhance its wellness offerings. There’s more focus now on the role lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, and stress management techniques play in overall health.
Recently, we have seen a shift in focus from the quantity to the quality of life. What use is a longer life if the later years are spent with a loss of function and the onset of chronic disease? The ethos of the Chenot Method®, since the company was founded, has always been to promote health, slow the rate of functional ageing and enhance health span.
The future of Chenot will focus on enhancing our approach to precision medicine, ensuring that every programme meets the needs of the individual guest, right down to the molecular level. With the Chenot Molecular Lab for Optimal Living we are able to help guests understand how lifestyle impacts their epigenetic profile. Our medical team can use this information to provide accurate and personalised treatment plans, all designed to downregulate undesirable gene activity to optimise their health.
With this huge boom in wellness tourism, and a rise in new hi-tech clinics, programmes and retreats all over the world, what would you say are Chenot’s USPs and differentiators?
At Chenot, we believe ageing is a natural part of life that should not be feared. In fact, ageing can be regarded as a disease which can be managed and slowed down. With the correct treatment and lifestyle inputs, commonly associated symptoms of ageing such as chronic illness, mobility issues, fatigue etc, do not have to negatively impact our lifestyle. You have the potential to reach old age and still be independent, fully active, non-reliant on prescribed medication and ultimately healthy. With the rise of trends such as biohacking, there are many clinics, brands and products which claim to turn back the clock and prevent disease. At Chenot, rather than recommending individual treatments and technologies, we deliver a protocol designed to enhance overall wellbeing. Our approach is always focused on treating the body as an intricate system and respecting its natural biological functions to repair and rejuvenate from within.
The basis of The Chenot Method is to enable people to unlock their health potential – both physically and mentally. Obviously that looks different from one individual to the next, but are you able to break this down a little in layman’s terms?
Although our environment is constantly modernising and changing, our evolutionary purpose has not. Nature designed all living organisms to produce successful healthy offspring for best chance of survival. As people reach menopause and andropause, nature doesn’t need you anymore – you are in freefall, so you need to work harder to ensure your body functions as it did in youth. Imagine each of your cells as a battery. With time, naturally, these cells develop rust, they no longer perform as they once used to. They accumulate damage, from what we eat, if we smoke, if we heavily drink, if we don’t exercise and experience stress. As a result, energy levels are depleted, resilience to illness is reduced, the skin loses flexibility, you feel less vital, mobile and ready to perform, and your sleep is negatively affected. This is ageing.
The goal of Chenot is to slow this process down and help you unlock and optimise your health, by resetting, recharging and replenishing these batteries, through a series of detoxifying treatments and a nutritional approach which encourages old malfunctioning cells to recycle or be removed. As a result, your batteries are cleaned and reenergised, and the potential for optimal health is restored. This Method of detoxification has been at the core of our approach for 50 years, and while we add science and new technologies as they emerge, the founding principles remain unchanged.
A huge part of one’s wellbeing journey is to gift ourselves not just a longer life but healthier years with it, and Chenot offers a holistic, 360-degree roadmap with that in mind… So, what are the key things everyone should be aware of on their own journeys to a longer, healthier life?
Based on current research we now know that 80 per cent of our health is influenced by our lifestyle choices, and only 20 per cent is predetermined by our genetics. Our genes like habits and consistent behaviour. Our aim at Chenot is to encourage you to build these healthy habits, whether through dietary interventions, exercise, improved sleep and guidance in stress management practices to ensure you have the resilience to remain fully functional throughout your life. The key here is to implement, integrate and prioritise these lifestyle changes consistently in your daily life.
What does ‘ageing’ mean to you?
There are four types of ageing. Chronological age is the number you can’t change, increasing with each birthday, but it is the number often associated with determining, justifying or even excusing an individual’s current state of health. The concept of biological age – or the age you are inside at a molecular level – is becoming more widely understood, and it can be influenced by your lifestyle to some degree. The third, phenotypic age, is the physical evidence of how well you are ageing – your blood markers, the appearance of your skin and hair. The most important one to me, is your functional age. What do you really want when you are 80, 100, 120? You want to be fully active, to feel alive, to be able to enjoy life. Functionality is therefore our primary focus at Chenot.
Lastly, as we look ahead to 2024, what does the rest of the year look like for Chenot Group and what should guests can expect?
The year 2024 marks the official 50th anniversary of the Chenot Method® being practiced in properties around the world. The next few years are a very exciting time for the Group, as we continue to strengthen existing partnerships and expand our evidence-based approach with the addition of new research and new locations. I’m not able to announce anything more right now, but Destinations of the World News will be the first to know…watch this space!
