Summer often brings changes to our daily schedules: later nights, delayed mealtimes and different waking hours. At ZEM, we understand how these shifts in routine during the summer can influence our biological rhythms and contribute to what is known as social jet lag, a mismatch between the body’s internal clock and the schedule we follow in everyday life.
Unlike the jet lag associated with travelling, there is no need to cross time zones to experience it. Repeated changes to our usual sleeping, eating or activity patterns can be enough to disrupt the body’s natural rhythm.
The body follows its own rhythm
Our bodies operate according to circadian rhythms, approximately 24-hour cycles that help regulate processes including sleep, body temperature, hormone release and metabolism.
Natural light is one of their most important regulators, but it is not the only one. The times at which we sleep, eat, exercise and begin our daily activities also provide the body with important signals.
When holidays disrupt our sleep routine
Longer days, later dinners and greater flexibility are all part of summer. However, when our schedules shift considerably from one day to the next, the body can begin to lose its usual points of reference.
The effects of this circadian disruption are not always experienced as obvious tiredness. They may appear as:
- Difficulty waking up or a sense of unrestorative sleep.
- Reduced mental clarity and cognitive fatigue.
- Changes in appetite and heavier digestion.
- Difficulty re-establishing a regular sleep routine at the end of the holidays.
Even sleeping for longer does not necessarily mean feeling better. The quality and regularity of sleep, together with allowing the body to move naturally through its different restorative phases, are key to overall wellbeing.
"Having dinner late on a regular basis can disrupt the circadian rhythm, particularly if bedtime is also pushed back. In addition, a heavy meal eaten too close to bedtime can make digestion more difficult, increase the likelihood of reflux and affect sleep quality. For this reason, it is important to consider not only what we eat, but also when we eat, and, whenever possible, to allow around two to three hours between dinner and going to bed"
Towards a more stable rhythm
Returning to routine after the summer does not need to involve an abrupt change.
Gradually bringing bedtime and waking times forward, reintroducing greater consistency into mealtimes, spending time in natural light during the morning and maintaining regular physical activity can all help the body establish a more stable rhythm.
It can also be beneficial to reduce stimulation during the final hours of the day. Meditation, conscious breathing and moments of calm can help create a gradual transition between activity and rest.
ZEM Neuro Balance programm to restore your inner rythm
ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea has been nominated as a finalist in two prestigious categories at the Destination Deluxe Awards 2026, the acclaimed global accolades powered by Destination Deluxe—the premier editorial platform for high-end travel and holistic health. This international recognition firmly establishes ZEM amongst the global elite, reinforcing its standing for discerning guests seeking the best wellness clinic in the world: a sanctuary where integrative health, longevity science, and preventive medicine converge within an unparalleled luxury spa experience.
Two nominations recognising one shared vision
ZEM has been shortlisted in the Wellness Retreat of the Year category, recognising destinations that bring together clinical expertise, precision nutrition, functional fitness, holistic therapies and 5 Stars Grand Luxury hospitality within one integrated approach to wellbeing.
Alongside this nomination, ZEM Prime Longevity has been nominated for Wellness Program of the Year. Widely regarded as one of the best longevity programmes available today, it represents our most advanced medical approach to healthy ageing and healthspan extension.
Together, these nominations place ZEM amongst the best wellness programmes in Spain and position the clinic at the forefront of an international movement dedicated not merely to adding years to life, but to adding life and vitality to every year.
Destination Deluxe: The Global Benchmark for Luxury Wellness
Destination Deluxe stands at the pinnacle of luxury travel and wellness journalism, evaluating world-class retreats, longevity clinics, medical spas, and health resorts. Their annual awards honor innovation, clinical excellence, and exceptional service across 25 distinct categories.
The Destination Deluxe Awards 2026 ceremony will take place on 23 September at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, during the prestigious Destination Deluxe Awards & Wellness Summit, gathering thought leaders, innovators, and key figures from the global luxury wellness industry.
Prime Longevity: Decoding the Science of Ageing for Peak Vitality
The nomination of ZEM Prime Longevity as Wellness Program of the Year reinforces our reputation for curating transformative journeys—whether designed as an intensive individual retreat or tailored as a luxury wellness programme for couples seeking a shared journey toward health optimization.
Developed under rigorous medical supervision and guided by a preventive, personalised approach, Prime Longevity combines:
Advanced diagnostics and bio-integrative medicine.
Regenerative therapies and neurocognitive stimulation.
Structured nutrition and guided physical performance.
The programme looks beyond simply adding years to life. Its purpose is to help preserve vitality, metabolic function, cognitive clarity and physical capacity over time.
This approach is complemented by advanced facilities, state-of-the-art technology and a spa extending over more than 2,000 m², creating an environment designed to support recovery, deep relaxation and overall wellbeing.
People’s Choice Awards 2026: Your Vote Matters
There is a third recognition in which the public has its say: the People’s Choice Award. In this category, travellers, guests and wellness enthusiasts can vote for their preferred destination from among the international finalists.
If ZEM reflects your vision of transformative wellbeing and you wish to support our journey to be recognized as the best wellness clinic in the world, we invite you to cast your vote before 31 August 2026.
Vote for ZEM Wellness Clinic in the Destination Deluxe Awards 2026 here
Redefining Prevention: ZEM Signature Health Check-Up
A longer, healthier life begins with a clearer understanding of your health. Guided by this principle, we introduce the ZEM Signature Health Check-Up: an advanced preventive evaluation combining ZEM’s integrative medical approach with the diagnostic capabilities of our external hospital , IMED.
This comprehensive assessment turns clinical insights into a clear, personalized action plan—providing the ultimate gateway to proactive health optimization and enduring vitality.
Recovery is part of performance
For years, performance has been associated with the ability to do more: to train at greater intensity, sustain effort for longer and push beyond new limits.
However, the body does not improve solely whilst under strain. It also needs time, rest and the right conditions to respond to that strain.
Recovery is not a pause in progress. It is the biological period during which the body repairs tissues, reorganises resources and adapts to the stimulus it has received. It is precisely what enables movement to continue.
Performance is also built up after effort
Following strenuous physical activity, the body initiates a complex sequence of responses. Temporary inflammation, neuromuscular fatigue, reduced strength or muscle soreness may occur.
Many of these symptoms become particularly noticeable over the following 24 to 72 hours. This is not an exact timeframe for everyone, but rather a window during which the body continues to process the exertion it has undergone. The intensity of the exercise, fitness level, age, rest and general state of health can significantly alter this process.
Therefore, recovery does not simply mean waiting for fatigue to disappear. It means creating an environment that promotes repair, adaptation and a gradual return to a state of greater balance.
The science of recovery is moving precisely in this direction: understanding which interventions can support the body and when it is appropriate to apply them.
Smart Recovery
Recovery does not have to be entirely passive. It can be supported by specific stimuli, carefully selected and tailored to each person’s needs.
The ZEM Recovery Unit features a circuit incorporating various technologies that work through different mechanisms but share the same aim: to help the body regain its optimal functioning.
Cryotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, pressotherapy and metabolic activation. In other words: cold, oxygen, pressure and thermal stimulation applied in a controlled manner.
Cryotherapy in e°CABIN™: cold as a specific stimulus
Following intense exercise, muscle soreness may reach its peak in the days that follow. Cryotherapy uses brief, controlled exposure to cold to modulate some of the responses associated with this process.
A temporary reduction in tissue temperature can decrease the sensitivity of pain receptors and alter the circulatory and metabolic response. For this reason, cryotherapy is studied in particular for its ability to alleviate the sensation of muscle pain and promote the perception of recovery.
Cold does not replace rest nor does it eliminate the biological work the body must carry out. Its value is particularly evident when there is a high physical workload or when seeking to regain a greater sense of lightness and physical readiness.
Pressotherapy: pressure, release and blood circulation
Pressotherapy uses intermittent pneumatic compression. The air chambers are inflated and deflated in sequence, generating a rhythmic pressure that travels through the limbs.
This movement promotes the flow of fluids and supports venous return. After exercise, it can help reduce the feeling of heaviness and improve the subjective perception of recovery.
Pressotherapy should not be presented as an automatic guarantee of improved performance, but rather as a tool capable of promoting comfort, circulation and a sense of physical readiness as part of a comprehensive strategy.
Its principles are simple: pressure, release and circulation. An external rhythm that supports the body as it regains its own.
OxyPro™ Hyperbaric Chamber: oxygen therapy
Oxygen is essential for energy production and for numerous processes involved in tissue maintenance and repair.
During a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session, the patient breathes oxygen in an environment where the pressure is higher than normal atmospheric pressure. The combination of oxygen, pressure and time creates controlled physiological conditions which are being investigated for their potential role in various recovery processes.
The aim is not to subject the body to greater stress, but to provide it with a different environment – a space in which oxygen becomes an active part of a carefully guided recovery process.
MLX iDome Triple Detox Metawell: metabolic activation
The MLX iDome Triple Detox Metawell treatment is an advanced, non-invasive, contact-free body technology that combines infrared, plasma and light to generate a gradual and controlled increase in body temperature. This thermal stimulus promotes metabolic activation, sweating and the body’s natural elimination processes.
The experience takes place in an immersive and serene environment, designed to support recovery, relieve feelings of heaviness and promote greater bodily balance. A treatment in which innovation and wellbeing come together to support the body from within.
A recognition of a more personal, complete and meaningful way of experiencing wellbeing.
ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea has been nominated in the Unique Experience Provider category at the DUCO Spain & Portugal 2026 Awards.
The nomination recognises an experience that extends beyond a traditional wellness stay. One in which medical expertise, personalised guidance, Mediterranean living and genuine human care come together around each individual.
For ZEM, it represents an important acknowledgement of the vision that has shaped the clinic from the beginning: wellbeing becomes truly meaningful when every part of the experience works together.
A meeting point for exceptional travel
DUCO is an international, invitation-only travel platform that brings together a carefully selected community of high-end hospitality providers and some of the world’s most qualified luxury travel advisors.
Its summits are designed to create meaningful connections between those shaping exceptional travel experiences and the professionals who introduce them to discerning travellers around the world.
Following established editions in Italy and France, DUCO expanded its international presence with a dedicated annual summit for Spain and Portugal, placing the very best of both destinations within a highly specialised global travel network.
The DUCO Spain & Portugal Awards celebrate the people, properties and experience providers contributing to this evolving vision of luxury travel.
What does it mean to be a Unique Experience Provider?
The Unique Experience Provider category looks beyond accommodation alone.
It recognises organisations capable of transforming a destination into something personal, distinctive and memorable. Experiences shaped not only by where someone stays, but by how they feel, what they discover and what they are able to take home with them.
This distinction is particularly meaningful for ZEM.
Every journey begins with a deeper understanding of the individual. Their health, daily demands, personal goals and the way they want to feel, both during their time at ZEM and after returning home.
From advanced diagnostics and medical guidance to nutrition, movement, recovery and emotional balance, each element is considered as part of a complete perspective.
The result is not a collection of isolated treatments. It is a personalised journey designed to create clarity, restore balance and support meaningful, lasting change.
Where science meets the Mediterranean way of life
Clinical expertise forms an essential part of the ZEM experience, but it is only one part of the whole.
The Mediterranean environment shapes each day through natural light, movement, nourishing seasonal cuisine, time outdoors and a calmer rhythm. Medical knowledge provides direction, while the surroundings create the space to experience that guidance differently.
These two dimensions are not separate.
Together, they allow health to be understood with greater precision and wellbeing to be integrated into real life with greater ease.
For guests, this means feeling seen and guided as an individual.
For travel advisors and partners, it offers the confidence of recommending an experience in which every detail, from the clinical strategy to the quality of the stay, has been thoughtfully connected.
A recognition shared with our community
This nomination belongs to every person who contributes to the ZEM experience.
It reflects the expertise of our medical and wellness professionals, the care shown across every interaction and the trust of the guests and travel partners who choose ZEM as part of their journey.
Above all, it recognises a shared belief that the future of wellbeing should be more personal, more integrated and more human.
Voting for the DUCO Spain & Portugal 2026 Awards is open until 7 August 2026.
Your vote helps recognise a distinctive vision of wellbeing, created around the person and designed to continue far beyond the stay.
Today, it is possible to access more medical information than ever before: comprehensive blood tests, imaging studies, specialist reviews, devices that track sleep, performance metrics, hormonal studies, inflammatory markers, nutritional assessments and almost endless health recommendations. Yet for many people, this abundance of information does not always translate into clarity.
You may have reports, results and apparently normal values, but still lack a complete understanding of what they mean as a whole. You may visit different specialists and receive useful observations, yet never find a view that brings all the pieces together. You may even have results that are “within range” and still feel that something is not working as it used to: less energy, poorer sleep, higher stress, reduced recovery capacity or a general sense of not being at your best.
When health becomes fragmented information, an uncomfortable question appears: what should I actually do with all this?
That is one of the main limitations of many traditional medical check-ups. They can provide important data, but they do not always offer connected interpretation, clear prioritisation or a personalised action plan. For someone with a demanding life, limited time and high levels of responsibility, that lack of direction is not a minor detail. It is noise. And in health, noise creates uncertainty.
The real need: knowing what deserves attention
Many people are not looking for more tests simply for the sake of testing. They are looking for peace of mind, expert judgement and an organised answer. They want to know whether their health is truly in good condition, which indicators should be monitored, which risks can be anticipated and which habits are supporting or compromising their long-term wellbeing.
The problem is that health is not always explained in a simple way. It often appears divided into separate areas: the heart on one side, metabolism on another, nutrition elsewhere, then stress, sleep and physical performance. But the body does not function in isolated departments.
That is why a truly useful preventive assessment should not be limited to reviewing results separately. It should help answer three essential questions:
What is working well.
What deserves attention.
What can be optimised from now on.
That is where prevention becomes actionable. Not when more data is collected, but when that data is organised and transformed into decisions.
An advanced preventive assessment to organise information and turn it into action
Signature Health Check-Up was created to answer this need: to offer a clear, structured and actionable vision of health. It is a 4-night advanced preventive assessment that combines hospital-level diagnostics, integrative health expertise and human guidance within one coordinated journey.
Developed in collaboration with IMED, the programme brings together hospital diagnostic capability with ZEM’s integrative approach, so that clinical information does not remain isolated, but is connected with the factors that influence quality of life: stress, sleep, inflammation, metabolism, nutrition, movement, recovery and habits.
It is not a collection of tests, nor a conventional wellness stay. Nor is it a medical report without context. It is a way to understand your health better and know what to do next.
What ZEM Signature Health Check-Up resolves
This programme resolves a very specific need: moving from scattered information to an organised vision. For many people, the challenge is not gaining access to a medical check-up. The challenge is ensuring that the check-up is sufficiently comprehensive, properly interpreted and leads to useful decisions.
Signature Health Check-Up helps identify relevant risks and important medical markers, understand which clinical information deserves attention and connect results with functional and lifestyle factors. It also helps detect areas for improvement in energy, recovery, metabolism, sleep or wellbeing, and clarify which steps make the most sense from now on.
The guest does not simply leave with results. They leave with a more useful reading: what is working well, what should be monitored, what can be improved, and which actions may best support their health in the future.
Who it is designed for: prevention with judgement for demanding lives
Signature Health Check-Up is designed for people who value their time and make decisions with precision. It may be especially relevant for executives, entrepreneurs, professionals with high levels of responsibility, frequent travellers or people exposed to sustained stress who wish to understand their health better within a focused period and with a high level of coordination.
It may also be suitable for those who feel well but want to anticipate. Prevention does not necessarily begin when a symptom appears. It begins when a person decides to look more deeply before uncertainty becomes urgent.
This programme may respond to those who have already had medical check-ups but feel they lack a global vision; those who have reports or test results but not a connected interpretation; those who want to prevent with judgement rather than react too late; or those who notice fatigue, stress, poorer sleep or reduced recovery and want to understand what may be influencing it.
The key is not being unwell. The key is wanting to understand better.
The four dimensions of the programme
The main difference of Signature Health Check-Up lies in its integration. Many places can offer part of the journey: diagnostic tests, medical consultations, wellness experiences, nutritional guidance or rest. The value of this programme lies in how those dimensions are connected within a single journey.
In collaboration with IMED, the programme combines hospital-level diagnostics with an integrative perspective and a carefully guided ZEM experience. This makes it possible to address both what is essential from a clinical point of view and what influences daily life: how you sleep, how you recover, how you eat, how you manage stress, how your metabolism responds and how you can improve your long-term wellbeing.
The journey is structured around four dimensions. Because understanding health requires precision, but also calm.
The Baseline
This is the essential medical foundation: it builds a rigorous clinical picture through diagnostic tests, laboratory analysis, imaging studies and specialist consultations. Its purpose is to identify relevant risks, key markers and medical information that may be decisive for prevention.
The Optimisation
This focuses on what influences how a person lives, rests and recovers. Sleep, stress, inflammation, metabolism, cognitive function, mobility and physical recovery can determine how a person functions each day. This dimension observes those factors from a broader perspective, to understand what can be optimised and how to support more sustained wellbeing.
The Guidance
This turns findings into priorities. Information is only useful when it is understood, which is why interpretation is an essential part of the programme. The medical and wellness team helps organise results, contextualise findings and turn them into a clear direction: what deserves attention, what should be monitored and which steps may best support health.
The Experience
This allows prevention to be lived with care. At ZEM, the process unfolds in an environment designed so that prevention does not feel like a cold or fragmented clinical circuit. Human guidance, comfort, privacy, healthy nutrition, access to the spa, movement and the Mediterranean rhythm are all part of the way the guest experiences the programme.
What you receive: clarity, priorities and a personal action plan
The programme brings together a selection of tests, consultations and experiences designed to offer a complete vision of health. It may include advanced diagnostics, laboratory panels, cardiovascular assessment, imaging studies, specialist medical consultations, functional assessment, nutritional assessment, neurocognition, physiotherapy and other relevant areas according to the design of the programme and medical criteria.
In addition, the stay incorporates elements of the ZEM experience, such as healthy nutrition, access to the spa, movement areas, wellness activities and guidance throughout the process. The breadth of the assessment is important, but the true value lies in how everything is interpreted and transformed into a personal plan.
The 4-night format allows for an in-depth assessment within an efficient timeframe, without turning the experience into a rushed sequence of appointments. For people with demanding schedules, this offers clear value: advanced diagnostics, consultations, interpretation, rest and guidance brought together in one journey.
The guest does not leave only with reports. They leave with a structured vision of their health: what is working well, what deserves attention, what should be monitored and what can be optimised to support long-term wellbeing. They also receive a personal action plan, designed to transform information into concrete decisions.
That is the central benefit of the programme: clarity to understand, clarity to prioritise and clarity to act.
Preventive health should not be experienced as an accumulation of tests or as a journey divided between specialists, reports and disconnected recommendations. It should offer clarity. ZEM Signature Health Check-Up proposes a more complete and human way to understand prevention: a 4-night advanced assessment designed to transform clinical information into personalised action.
Because when you understand your health better, you can make better decisions about it.
We live surrounded by wellness recommendations: the perfect diet, the ideal routine, the supplement everyone seems to be taking, the training method promising results for all. Yet the body does not work in universal patterns. What restores energy in one person may create imbalance in another. Two individuals with the same goals may require entirely different paths to achieve them.
This is why true personalisation cannot begin with assumptions. It must begin with understanding.
Measuring to Understand
At ZEM, every programme of 7 nights or more begins with the Diagnostic Lab: an advanced assessment journey designed to interpret how the body functions before shaping any health strategy.
Through 8 integrated evaluations and advanced diagnostic technology, we analyse key aspects such as metabolism, cardiovascular health, recovery capacity, mobility, body composition, cognitive performance and functional ageing.
But the value lies beyond measurement alone. Technology can generate data. Understanding it requires expertise, observation and a human perspective on health. That is the role of the Diagnostic Lab: transforming clinical and functional information into a clear and deeply personalised understanding of each guest.
Turning Insight Into Direction
The body often sends signals long before symptoms appear: persistent fatigue, prolonged stress, slower recovery, metabolic changes or a gradual loss of vitality. Subtle signs that can easily be overlooked when health is approached through generic recommendations rather than individual understanding.
Listening to those signals allows for a more precise and informed approach. At ZEM, personalisation is not a superficial concept. It is built on objective data, medical interpretation and a genuine understanding of the person behind the results.
Each evaluation contributes to creating a precise health blueprint, guiding decisions around nutrition, movement, recovery, therapies and long-term wellbeing. Because no two bodies are the same. And no journey towards longevity should be either.
The future of health will not be generic. It will be preventive, precise and profoundly personal. And it all begins by listening first.
Spring is more than a season. It is a moment when the body begins to shift. Energy reorganises, rhythms adjust and, almost without noticing, certain processes respond with greater ease. Rather than willpower, it is a natural expression of physiology.
At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, we work in alignment with that moment, supporting the process so change can unfold under the right conditions.
When the body is ready, everything changes
There is a subtle but decisive difference between trying to change and doing so at the right time. For much of the year, change requires effort: adjusting habits, maintaining discipline and pushing against the body’s resistance.
There are, however, moments when that resistance softens. Spring supports this transition. The body becomes more receptive, energy is regulated differently and internal processes gain fluidity. At that point, change no longer depends solely on effort, but on the right conditions.
Weight is not the problem
Weight is often treated as the problem, when in reality it is the result of a deeper process. Inflammation, hormonal imbalance, sustained stress or metabolic inefficiency form part of a system that, when disrupted, no longer regulates effectively.
Within this context, focusing only on weight limits the depth of change. The result is visible, yet the origin remains unaddressed. True transformation begins when we act on the mechanisms that regulate metabolism and internal balance.
A programme designed for that moment
At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, our programmes are designed to work with this state of increased receptivity. Among them, ZEM Weight Management represents the most comprehensive starting point for restoring balance and improving how the body responds.
Through clinical evaluation and personalised intervention, we act on the systems that regulate metabolism, hormonal function and inflammation. The objective is not only to reduce weight, but to allow the body to function with precision.
When balance is restored
When these systems function as they should, weight is no longer a struggle and begins to adjust naturally. Change becomes more stable and can be sustained over time.
From that point, the impact extends beyond body composition: greater energy, improved sleep and a clearer sense of balance. These are signs that the body has regained its capacity to regulate.
Spring, by its very nature, supports this process and makes it more accessible. It may therefore be the right moment to consider a different question: not how much weight should be lost, but what the body needs to restore its balance.
This season, you may approach this process with a considered advantage, with a 7-night Weight Management programme reserved as 6 nights, or 14 nights as 12, when using the code XTENDSPRING.
You may contact our Reservations team at reservations@zemaltea.com for further details.
Luxury travel is changing.
And with it, so are the expectations of those who travel.
Increasingly, travellers are no longer looking simply to disconnect, but for experiences that enhance their health, energy and longevity. In this evolving landscape, ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea becomes part of Virtuoso, the leading global network in luxury travel.
This step places ZEM within an international community of destinations that share a common vision: to deliver highly personalised experiences with a meaningful and lasting impact on those who experience them.
Virtuoso brings together more than 1,200 agencies, 20,000 travel advisors and 2,500 partners across 100 countries, connecting discerning travellers with properties that go beyond traditional hospitality.
Where travel is no longer a pause
ZEM’s presence within this network reflects a deeper shift in how wellbeing is understood.
Today, travel is no longer simply a way to pause life.
It is an opportunity to recalibrate it.
Within this context, a new category is emerging — medical wellness travel — where science, recovery and lifestyle converge into a single experience.
A model that redefines wellbeing
ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea embodies this evolution through a model that combines preventive medicine, advanced diagnostics and high-end hospitality.
Each stay becomes a personalised journey, where different disciplines are seamlessly integrated. At the heart of the experience lies a Health Blueprint, which unfolds progressively throughout the stay, adapting to each guest and guiding the process towards a deeper and more sustainable sense of balance.
The Mediterranean setting is not simply a backdrop, but an active part of the approach, bringing rhythm, light and a way of living that supports recovery and wellbeing.
A shared vision on a global scale
Becoming part of Virtuoso means joining a global network that connects destinations with travellers seeking more than a stay: they seek transformation, personalisation and results.
With this step, ZEM strengthens its presence within the international wellness and longevity landscape, establishing itself as a destination for those who understand time not as a pause, but as an investment in health and quality of life.
We speak with Salvador Talón, nutritionist, biochemical pharmacist and clinical mycologist at ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, to uncover the true essence of the Mediterranean diet through a functional, mindful and personalised approach to nutrition. An approach designed to preserve good health, prevent disease (“All pathologies begin in the offices of the stomach,” Talón says) and to build, through food, a full and enduring Mediterranean Longevity.
Is the Mediterranean diet really as beneficial as it is believed to be?
“What remains of the Mediterranean diet today is little more than its name. Over the past 10 to 15 years, the concept has become seriously distorted. In Spain, Greece and Italy, throughout what we call Mare Nostrum, the traditional way of eating was genuinely beneficial. That is why, at ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, we focus on recovering that ancestral diet, for which there is extensive scientific evidence supporting its benefits.”
What do you mean by ‘ancestral eating’?
“It is the way our grandparents ate, always taking into account where they lived. A diet with fewer foods, all of them local and seasonal. It did not include the excess meat or high protein intake we see today. Legumes and olive oil formed the foundation, alongside seasonal vegetables and fruits such as pomegranates, blackberries or cruciferous vegetables, which are among the most powerful plant-based foods. Small oily fish like sardines, mackerel or anchovies, never farmed, and meat only occasionally.”
Which foods should we consume on a daily basis?
“We should significantly increase our intake of vegetables, because one of the nutrients most people lack is fibre. We are overly concerned with protein, to the point that unbalanced high-protein diets have become fashionable, which is worrying. Due to a diet based on processed foods, we also lack fibre from cereals, legumes, nuts, mushrooms or algae, which provide minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, strontium and germanium.
When these foods are removed, the body develops deficiencies that lead to microbiota imbalances. We need more fibre, especially from vegetables, and less from tubers, prioritising stems, leaves, fruits and flowers. Algae and mushrooms should also be included, as they are true super-nutrients.
As for animal protein, fish should be prioritised, although meat can also be included. Legumes should be avoided if they cause discomfort, which is why personalisation is essential. At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, our nutritional plans are adapted to each individual.”
How do ultra-processed foods affect us?
“They literally malnourish us. Ultra-processed foods contain high levels of salt, colourings, preservatives and additives that can cause cellular imbalances. The hydrogenated oils commonly used also generate inflammation in the body. They are certainly not healthy.”
At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, we believe longevity begins with balance: a calm body, a conscious mind, and a life lived with presence and serenity.
What is your view on red meat?
“I do not believe in demonising any food. If meat is consumed, it should be occasionally, and preferably organic and high quality. It is best avoided in the evening, as it alters liver enzymes and can encourage the growth of unfavourable bacteria. Lunchtime consumption, in moderation, is preferable. Eating red meat daily is not advisable. Processed meats should also be treated with caution, as they can trigger chronic inflammation.”
And farmed fish?
“If someone eats farmed salmon expecting the same omega-3 content, they may be disappointed. Fish need to move in cold waters; otherwise, their muscle mass is reduced and fat tissue increases. In addition, farmed fish are often treated with medication, which unfortunately we then consume.”
Why is gluten so controversial now?
“Modern flours are not what they used to be. The quality of flour and the way cereals are processed today affect how bread is tolerated. It is better to prioritise breads made from ancestral flours and sourdough. At ZEM Wellness Clinic, depending on the programme, we do serve bread, but always sourdough and well fermented, so the gluten is partially broken down and more easily absorbed.”
Which dairy products should we consume?
“Goat’s or sheep’s dairy is preferable to cow’s dairy, as it contains less growth hormone. Dairy is a mammalian secretion and carries hormonal factors. In fertility treatments, for example, one of the first steps we take is to eliminate dairy, as it is a source of oestrogens.”
What is your opinion on white sugar?
“I would remove it entirely from the World Health Organization’s recommendations. White sugar offers no nutritional value and actually depletes B-group vitamins during its metabolism.”
And sweeteners?
“I do not recommend them. It is better to train the palate to appreciate the natural sweetness of ingredients, or to use cinnamon, spices or a small amount of honey, which is an ancestral food. The chemical processes used to produce sweeteners are far from natural.”
How do pesticides affect our health through the food we eat?
“It is well established that pesticides are not healthy. Even in small, regulated quantities, they bioaccumulate at a cellular level and, over time, impair bodily function. Anyone who can access pesticide-free food will benefit greatly.
At ZEM Wellness Clinic, we work exclusively with organic agriculture. We have a nearby zero-kilometre farm where most produce is grown without pesticides. These foods are actually richer in nutrients, as plants that must defend themselves against climate and insects produce protective phytonutrients. Moreover, avoiding substances like glyphosate helps prevent hormonal, fertility, immune and even oncological imbalances.”
And what about plastic exposure and endocrine disruptors?
“We are far too exposed today. We should buy less food packaged in plastic and more from markets or in bulk. Plastics and canned foods release derivatives that interfere with hormonal metabolism.
In fertility consultations, we work to reduce exposure to certain cosmetics and plastics as much as possible. While we cannot live in a bubble, installing a home water filter or choosing glass-bottled water is a good first step. Plastics and pesticides disrupt gut health and intestinal permeability, contributing to issues such as SIBO or dysbiosis. At ZEM Wellness Clinic, we address this integratively, as stress also plays a major role.”
How does stress affect us nutritionally?
“Stress causes profound physiological changes. Cortisol increases intestinal permeability, while interferon gamma alters gut cells and microbiota balance. In consultation, we use foods that calm the nervous system. Consuming natural glucose sources is not the same as consuming sugar.
At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, we exclude refined sugar to reduce B-vitamin depletion. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish and algae are also essential in protecting the body from stress. In acute situations, magnesium supplementation may be recommended.”
This explains your integrative medical approach…
“Exactly. At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, nutrition and psychology work side by side. The gut-brain axis is deeply interconnected, especially under stress or anxiety. Our specialists collaborate to create personalised plans, whether for detoxification, weight management, nervous system regulation or inflammation reduction, based on clinical assessments and diagnostic results.”
Inflammation is widely discussed today. How does it affect us?
“It is a scientifically well-supported concept. Any aggressive stimulus triggers inflammation and activates the immune system. That is why we conduct detailed clinical assessments, including food sensitivity tests and bioimpedance analysis, to evaluate intracellular and extracellular water and overall energy balance. This information allows us to design fully personalised plans.”
Which habits improve nutritional health?
“It depends on age, but generally eating slightly less, choosing seasonal, local and organic foods whenever possible. Leaving the table slightly hungry is healthy, a concept known in Japan as Hara Hachi Bu, eating until 80% full.
In Spain, social culture revolves around food, making this difficult. At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, we explain this mindset shift as essential for activating physiological processes. Intermittent fasting is also highly beneficial. In our Detox Plan, we encourage early dinners and a minimum 12-hour fasting window.”
How many fasting hours do you recommend?
“It depends on the goal. For weight loss, 16 to 18 hours. For general health and rest, 12 hours is sufficient. A stricter 16-hour fast once a month can activate autophagy. Women of fertile age should be cautious, as excessive fasting may disrupt hormonal balance. Listening to the body is key. Late dinners are never advisable.”
What are the health benefits of mushrooms and fungi?
“Mushrooms are the fruiting body; fungi are the underlying mycelium. All fungi are medicinal, even the common mushroom. They support immunity, regulate oestrogen metabolism and are low in calories. They are not vegetables, but their fibre and amino acid profiles are excellent.
Fungi contain beta-glucans and lectins that help activate immune defences. At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, we have integrated them into our guests’ diets. They are the future.”
Wild or cultivated mushrooms?
“Cultivated. Wild mushrooms can absorb heavy metals, which is beneficial for soil but potentially harmful for us. As a mycologist, I prefer controlled cultivation.”
How do heavy metals affect us?
“They can cause multiple pathologies, including neurological ones. We measure them through blood and hair analysis. Fibre from vegetables, algae, seeds, mushrooms and herbs like coriander help chelate heavy metals. A biannual detoxification is advisable, which is why we recommend coming to ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea.”
Which foods promote Mediterranean Longevity?
“Real food: more fibre, more greens, less animal protein, more small oily fish, red meat only occasionally, sheep’s or goat’s dairy, and smaller portions. This reduces chronic inflammation and supports longevity.”
About the Expert
Salvador Talón is a nutritionist, biochemical pharmacist and clinical mycologist, recognised as a pioneer in Spain in the clinical use of medicinal fungi. With over 20 years of private practice, he is an international reference in cellular nutrition, chronic inflammation, longevity and psycho-neuro-immuno-endocrinology.
A university lecturer and full member of SEFIT (Spanish Society of Phytotherapy), he is currently completing a PhD in Health, Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Almería, researching Cognitive Neuroscience. As an international speaker, he is known for his innovative approach and commitment to integrative health.
Marina Vega
Contributor at ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea
Graduated in Journalism from the University of Valladolid and based in Altea (Alicante), Marina is a freelance journalist specialising in travel and gastronomy. Since 2018, she has been writing for Condé Nast Traveler and, since 2020, for Guía Repsol, Guía Hedonista, and GastroActitud.
She also collaborates with the Sustainable Guide (Comunidad Valenciana), participates in local projects, writes scripts and voiceovers for videos, acts as a presenter for conferences, and moderates round tables at gastronomic congresses. Her goal is to promote the region through a more conscious and sustainable perspective.
Marina Vega
Contributor at ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea
Graduated in Journalism from the University of Valladolid and based in Altea (Alicante), Marina is a freelance journalist specialising in travel and gastronomy. Since 2018, she has been writing for Condé Nast Traveler and, since 2020, for Guía Repsol, Guía Hedonista, and GastroActitud.
She also collaborates with the Sustainable Guide (Comunidad Valenciana), participates in local projects, writes scripts and voiceovers for videos, acts as a presenter for conferences, and moderates round tables at gastronomic congresses. Her goal is to promote the region through a more conscious and sustainable perspective.
Over time, the body changes, the mind adapts, and daily demands accumulate. In this process, energy and vitality can begin to fade. One of the most frequent — yet often overlooked — causes is an excess of cortisol, the so-called stress hormone.
At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, we see how an accelerated pace of life, lack of rest, and constant tension can alter hormonal balance and reduce overall vitality. Understanding how cortisol works is the first step towards restoring calm and reconnecting with one’s natural rhythm.
The link between stress and balance
Stress activates defence mechanisms that, when sustained, disrupt essential functions of the body. The nervous system remains alert, the metabolism accelerates, and the body stops prioritising recovery and emotional connection.
This imbalance can manifest in different ways:
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Hormonal alteration: excessive cortisol reduces testosterone and oestrogen levels, impacting sexual health and energy.
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Vascular tension: blood flow becomes less efficient, affecting tissue oxygenation and physical response.
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Mental fatigue: a busy mind struggles to relax and to enjoy presence.
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Reduced dopamine and oxytocin: neurotransmitters that sustain emotional connection and wellbeing.
Together, these effects can drain both physical and emotional energy, distancing us from our innate state of balance.
How cortisol alters vitality
Although essential for regulating metabolism and inflammation, prolonged excess of cortisol can have widespread effects. After the age of 40, its impact becomes more visible, often leading to:
At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, we help our guests become more aware of what they feel, so that external circumstances affect them less. The goal is to change the mental patterns that drain us. In everyday life, we rarely allow ourselves to rest or disconnect; we convince ourselves that there is never enough time, sacrificing sleep, calm, or meaningful connection. That external focus feeds anxiety and prevents us from experiencing genuine happiness.”
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Reduced physical and mental energy.
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Decreased responsiveness or performance.
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Persistent fatigue.
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Altered sleep and mood regulation.
These signs are the body’s way of signalling that a new rhythm is needed — one that allows recovery, calm, and renewal.
Five ways to regulate cortisol and restore inner balance
At ZEM, stress and vitality are addressed through an integrative lens — combining clinical science, nutrition, and sensory therapies to restore equilibrium and renew energy.
These five simple practices can help initiate that process:
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Breathe with awareness
Mindful breathing and meditation calm the nervous system and enhance body connection. -
Move with purpose
Regular physical activity balances stress hormones and improves circulation. Gentle disciplines such as yoga or pelvic exercises strengthen body confidence and responsiveness. -
Prioritise restorative sleep
Deep, uninterrupted rest supports hormonal regeneration and mental clarity. Establishing evening rituals away from screens fosters both rest and emotional reconnection. -
Nourish with balance
A diet rich in antioxidants, omega-3 and high-quality proteins — such as salmon, nuts or green tea — helps regulate cortisol and reduce inflammation. -
Cultivate emotional connection
Sharing unhurried moments, communicating with empathy and maintaining closeness are key to reducing stress and restoring harmony.
Returning to balance
Cortisol is not an adversary — it is a messenger, reminding us to pause and care for ourselves. Learning to manage it not only supports physical health, but also restores clarity, vitality and a deep sense of inner harmony.
At ZEM Wellness Clinic Altea, we believe longevity begins with balance: a calm body, a conscious mind, and a life lived with presence and serenity.
