La Réserve Magazine Rethinking Luxury

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How does the Reset Treatment Program at Clinique Nescens work?
We take the time to conduct a comprehensive check-up designed to provide a detailed overview of each patient’s biological parameters, lifestyle and specific risk factors, in order to set up the strategy that will guide the body in the right direction. The program involves the decisive levers of tailored nutrition, high-quality sleep, targeted sports activities, good stress management, increased oxygenation and greater exposure to natural energy. It also draws on the latest generation of treatments and technologies. Depending on the identified needs of each participant in a program like this, we can go further in the analysis, notably by proposing an epigenetic investigation to observe the way in which the genes are expressed and to influence them in the right direction. Kicking off the health optimization program with a treatment program creates a powerful booster effect and serves to embed good lifestyle habits right from the start. Above and beyond this moment of holistic care, I monitor my patients on a regular basis in order to observe their evolution and, if necessary, to adjust the protocols.

What advanced treatments and technologies are available to your patients?
The many items of equipment selected by the Clinique Nescens include red-light photobiomodulation panels. They stimulate the function of the mitochondria, which are the real power stations producing energy at the heart of the cells and ensuring vital functions. They also activate the production of collagen in the skin in order to make it more supple, “textured” and less wrinkled. The hyperbaric chamber is another state-of-the-art piece of equipment that releases powerful charges of pure oxygen that penetrate the tissues, boosting cell metabolism and improving organ function, antioxidant production as well as blood and lymph flow. In the fitness studio, innovative equipment also helps achieve goals and results based on short sessions that are as effective as long stints. And of course, the restaurant plays a key role in the treatment by creating tasty meals for each patient, tailored to their needs in terms of health, detox, re-energization, immunity...

You mentioned epigenetics and the possibility of intervening in genes. Does this call into question the idea of hereditary fatality?
Absolutely. I like to use the image of the piano in order to understand epigenetics. If this instrument represents the DNA we all possess, epigenetics is the way each pianist plays his or her own score. It has been proven that lifestyle has a positive or negative impact on health and therefore conditions the appearance of pathologies such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cholesterol and even Alzheimer’s, for which heredity is representative only in 20% of cases. So not only is there no genetic fatality, but better still, by acting in advance, we can influence our DNA in the right direction, prevent the onset of adverse symptoms, reverse the development of chronic diseases, and in short, become the architects of our health.

You often talk about inflammation as a major health problem. What are the causes?
Inflammation is indeed a scourge of our times, of which the three main sources are stress, alteration of the microbiota and a diet too rich in hydrogenated oils and refined sugars. Inflammation progressively leads to a slowing down of energy production in the cells and a premature acceleration of their aging, all of which are involved in the development of autoimmune diseases such as allergies, arthritis, and skin problems, as well as certain forms of memory loss and chronic diseases.

What are your main recommendations when it comes to nutrition?
In general, we need to eat naturally and avoid prefabricated meals saturated with hidden carbohydrates that prevent the body from burning fat properly and lead to metabolic problems that can even lead to liver dysfunction. I’m a fan of the low-carb diet, which recommends eating unsweetened food during the day to avoid the energy-draining, mind-numbing blood sugar spikes that lead to the famous “crash”. I recommend intermittent fasting, which consists of going without food daily for a minimum of 12 hours, perhaps between dinner and breakfast. This highly effective practice activates detoxification and recovery of the body, as well as cellular regeneration and rejuvenation. It also allows the liver to convert fat into ketone bodies, which are extremely beneficial to the brain’s clear-sightedness and concentration.

What foods do you recommend placing front and center in a diet?
When it comes to proteins, nothing is more nutritious than high-quality meat. Certain offal such as liver and marrow bones are mines of goodness for our bodies, as are small oily fish rich in omega 3, organic eggs and oysters. I also recommend choosing cold-pressed virgin oils and avoid any “trans” and hydrogenated fats, while of course eating liberal quantities of vegetables, especially raw. Finally, I insist on the importance of including fermented products in one’s diet: sauerkraut cabbage, kimchi, kefir and various yoghurts are treasures that are infinitely rich in probiotics, which protect the microbiota and boost our defense system.

As regards sleep, which is one of our best health allies, how many hours should we sleep, and in what conditions?
Ideally one should enjoy seven to nine hours of deep, recuperative sleep each night, in a dark room free of screens emitting waves and blue light, where the temperature is between 16 and 18 degrees. If you go to bed at the right time, at a regular rhythm, the strident morning alarm becomes useless because awakening occurs naturally. In fact, the best idea would be to turn on your alarm to tell you when to go to bed!

Our lifestyles tend to keep us away from natural light. What are the deleterious effects of this bad habit?
We should not underestimate the impact of the energy transmitted by Nature on our vitality, and more specifically, the waves contained in outdoor light. Not only do they help our cells to function at full capacity, but they also help us to produce vitamins, improve our mood and boost our immunity. When the photoreceptors in our retinas are exposed exclusively to artificial light, melatonin secretion is interrupted and sleep becomes problematic. We should spend at least one hour a day outdoors, filling ourselves with energizing blue light in the morning and relaxing red light at the end of the day.

It is commonly accepted that exercise is good for your health, but why exactly is that?
It allows us to produce the endorphins that affect mood and reduce anxiety problems. It activates brain growth factor (BDNF) which helps the brain to develop its connections, repair failing cells and protect healthy ones. As a result, our learning and memory skills improve, and we feel happier. Exercise also strengthens muscles and vascularity, promotes the production of antioxidants, protects gut microbiota and addresses weight issues, reversing body fat and muscle mass. In short, it is the best fountain of youth. There is no need to make a big deal of it, simply adding up small, regular, targeted spurts of effort is already extremely positive for health.

Is there a particular age at which to start maximizing your health potential?
Starting young is the best way to embed good habits in your life. However, the very good news – confirmed by recent studies – is that adopting a healthy lifestyle at any point in our existence has an impact on healthy cell function, improved quality of life, cognitive efficiency and longevity.

Eating well, sleeping better, moving, breathing, enjoying Nature... is lifestyle medicine about pleasure?
Absolutely! Optimizing our health capital, preserving our quality of life and developing our performance involve us in a virtuous circle that makes us less stressed, more toned, in a better mood and younger looking. In terms of well-being and performance, the results are concrete as well as swift, and therefore extremely motivating. And all this is made possible by a pleasant, even playful lifestyle, punctuated by moments of unplugging, breathing and indeed pleasure!

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Based on an interview by Michèle Wouters
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Discover the Reset Treatment Program
www.cliniquenescens.com