When I was recently asked to work on a menopause yoga retreat I had absolutely no idea what to expect.

Based on personal experience I must admit I was a little apprehensive, but I figured nothing ventured, nothing gained… After a quick Google I could see this was no ordinary retreat. Based near Ortiva in the Alpujarra region of Andalucia, Kaliyoga sits in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range with views that are nothing short of breath taking. It was established by Jonathan and Rosie Miles in 2001 with an emphasis on a heavenly location, magnificent food, remarkable yoga and meditative space.

It was also voted as one of the top ten life-changing retreats by the Guardian, which is high praise indeed, but did it live up to its world-class reputation?

To avoid any unnecessary suspense, I can categorically state that Kaliyoga exceeded my expectations and is the most professional and wonderful retreat I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting.

The magical thing about Kaliyoga is the calm, gentle and nurturing environment that hits you the moment you enter the retreat.

The accommodation is beautiful with rooms in the main farmhouse, log cabins or large tee-pees. Comfortable, homely and full of personal touches yet luxurious enough to pass as a boutique hotel.

And the food, well outstanding doesn’t come close. Amanda and her team were our chefs for the week, and they prepared food that wouldn’t be out of place in a London restaurant. Everything was created to support hormone balance and detoxification, but you wouldn’t know it and to me that is the key to successful functional food. Enjoyment and taste must always come first. The meals were predominantly vegan, gluten and dairy free and although I’m not a big fan of long-term vegan diets they can be wonderfully cleansing as a short-term reset.

The guests’ week included meditation, yoga and access to a variety of treatments from exceptional local therapists. They also had their 90-minute session with me to address their nutrition and was an opportunity for me to help them design their unique menopause. I can honestly say I’ve never worked with such an engaged group and you’d be forgiven for thinking this group had been friends for years.

Kaliyoga’s Menopause Retreat really is something special and is the perfect remedy for self-care. The focus is a combination of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing which are all essential for supporting women at this unique time in their lives.

My philosophy of the menopause is very much about the bigger picture and the dismissal of ideas such as ‘menopause diets’ or ‘menopause cures.’

Women are individuals with specific needs and requirements and Kaliyoga embraces this perfectly. During the retreat you can expect to be nurtured so you can start the process of re-balancing your hormone, nervous and endocrine systems.

I really can’t wait to go back, and I hope you’ll join me!

Want to talk Menopause? Please get in touch