What to Expect from Your Lanserhof Austria Visit

I’m flying back from the Lanserhof in Austria. The Delta team just brought the mini champagne flutes around to welcome us to the flight and I said, “Yes, please!” It was a way to put a bit of punctuation on my abstemious past month. I was almost expecting some sort of alarm bells to go off. I’d just checked out of the Lanserhof in Austria. It’s been a month of reworking habits, rewiring my brain and investing in my health.  

It was an experience unlike any other trip I’ve taken and I want to share our health journey with you to help you decide if this is the right spot for you. It’s expensive and far, but just might be what you need to invest in your health and find some new tools to work with in your quest to live better.

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Why We Picked the Lanserhof

Our family (my husband, myself and my 16-year-old daughter) planned this trip to try to get exposure to some new tools to aid our health. I don’t want to get too deep into my daughter’s health journey, as it is her story to tell, not mine, but she has had epileptic seizures since age 13.

We in no way thought we were going to get a cure on our visit, but what we do believe is that there is a lot to be found outside of the realm of pharmaceuticals when it comes to treating illnesses. Since we have always taken the approach off showing rather than telling our kids, we decided to make this health journey a family one. We wanted a place that would offer alternative treatments to balance out what we know from tradition medicine. 

There I said it, alternative. That may conjure woo-woo alarms in your head. When you see your kiddo suffering, you start digging, and that’s where we started.

Getting Ready for our Lanserhof Visit.

Prior to arrival, my husband and I had to cut out sugar, caffeine and alcohol (so an espresso martini would pretty much be the worst thing!). With this missive, we knew we were going to be in for some challenges. We set a goal to start cleaning up our diets and habits in mid-August. We thought it would be pretty rough to, as the kids say “raw dog” (not the sexual version, but the one where you do without) it and show up with all sorts of challenges in our systems. 

You can read all about the history and services of the Lanserhof.

We packed yoga gear, hiking gear and comfy clothes, and set out to get some new ideas on how to take care of our health. We read as much as we could find on the internet (not much) about the experience and set off on our adventure. In the back of our heads, we thought if it was too cult-like we had a rental car, credit cards and enough travel savvy to make an escape.

The Setting at Lanserhof

The town of Lans is home to the original Lans and the “cure” — it’s a mix of fasting, diet and treatments meant to improve “energy, vitality and mental balance.” It’s a small pastoral setting right at the base of the Alps. It’s possible to walk to the Patscherkofel ski area in about 30 minutes and the town is completely charming. Innsbruck is the nearest town and is about a 20-minute drive.

The layout is compact with a main lobby area attached to a dining room. There are two buildings with rooms, an inviting library, pool area complete with saunas and steam rooms, a spa area and a medical area. It’s easy to acquaint yourself with everything in just a few hours. The decor is clean and modern in most of the spaces, though the medical facilities kept giving us Austin Powers vibes (i.e. looked like designed by Dr. Evil).

Day 1: It’s all About the Chewing

To be honest, this day is a bit of a blur, but I checked my notes and here goes:

• Lots of rules: Since the food and treatments were the “big deal” here, that’s what I’m going to focus on. We arrived to the resort tired. We got there right around lunch time and after dropping our bags went to the dining room. We sat at a table with our name cards and were presented with some soup right away. With the soup, there was the choice of a few gluten-free breads. No water or any other beverages at the table. 
• All about chewing: We were given some brief chewing instructions: Each bite should be chewed 30+ times. The idea is to have your saliva do a lot of the work breaking down the food giving your body a better shot at absorbing the nutrients. We then were served some steamed veggies and a bit of quinoa. That was lunch and it was pretty good. I thought I was going to not mind this new program.
• Unpacking: From lunch, we made our way to the room—we booked a suite with two bedrooms each with a bathroom attached (if you have a teenage daughter, you’ll understand the need for two bathrooms). It was nice, but not luxurious. The best part was the views of the valley from our narrow deck. We were given fresh Birkenstock sandals to use at the resort (and keep) to protect the pristine floors. On property we wore Birks, outside we wore street shoes.
• Getting Moving: The resort (I balk at calling it that, but really don’t know what other noun to use. It’s not a spa and it’s not a hospital, it’s more of a spa/clinic—so I’m justing going to say resort) has a few activities each day including a morning fitness walk and an afternoon Nordic walk. Both are out in the nearby forest trails. There’s quite a trail system with old-growth evergreens right by the resort. We joined the Nordic walk and loved the pine fresh air. The group walk was enough to orient me about the trailheads so I could plan some DIY adventures. We ended up using these trails for hikes and runs almost every day. 
• Time to chill: When we got back, it was time for a trip to the sauna/steam room for a quick hit of heat and then a shower before dinner. Dinner was pretty meager. We has a small bowl of vegetable soup, a tiny hard roll and we begged for a bit of protein —the staff relented and gave us three thin slices of turkey breast. Then off to bed. We were exhausted and knew the next day would be quite busy.

Day 2: Medical Tests and Appointments

This day was busy and a little disorienting. We were pretty exhausted at the end. And I think this was the only day I really experienced any hunger.

• Caffeine-free life: We made our way down to breakfast at 7am (meals are served promptly at 7-noon-6) for a breakfast of quinoa porridge. No coffee no tea. From there, it was time to head to the medical wing of the resort. 
• Gathering Data: Downstairs at the Lanserhof is an entire little medical clinic. To begin the process. you’ll start with getting your measurements. Height, weight, muscle mass and all sorts of other health measurements taken by machine that look as if they are on loan from NASA. They will use this data to make recommendations. There is also the option to do a bunch of bloodwork (see below).
• Meeting Your Doctor: Everyone at Lans gets a doctor (yes, a real MD). He/she will look over all your tests and then work with the lengthy intake questionnaire to make recommendations. The questionnaire is best tackled at home, as are most of the tests. They can be pricey when done on site. BUT, there are a few tests that we couldn’t do back in the USA. We are VERY interested in these tests for our daughter so we paid the extra fees to get these done. A few are so detailed they won’t be in for a few weeks, but we can do a follow up video appointment to go over those.
• Setting a Plan: After your initial medical check-up you’ll formalize your schedule of medical and therapeutic treatments for your stay. For me, I was mostly working on my stress levels. I know stress can lead to a whole host of health issues so I wanted some tools to help me. The doctor said stress can cause inflammation and gave me a bunch or recommendations from things like meditation and breath work to massage, reflexology and supplements. I was cleared from the phase 1 and 2 diets and given the Level 3 active diet. This meant I’d be eating clean, but get all the calories I needed to maintain weight (I was told my weight is perfect and my muscle mass is exceptional, woohoo!). My husband’s plan was more complicated and my daughter’s was next level. Her schedule was jammed with appointments.
• Making Peace with Less: Just because I was on the Level 3 doesn’t mean the food was an all-you-can eat buffet. I had to get used to new patterns. Now, lunch was the largest meal of the day. Usually this meal starts with a small salad, then soup, then a small dollop of carbs with some protein. We were told that the best time of the day to eat raw foods (lettuces and uncooked veggies is midday). Again, no water and now I started getting the supplements and shots I needed to support my gut health. This included some VERY bitter drops and a deadly sour shot of apple vinegar (both would turn out to be daily lunchtime treats). Lunch is also the time level 3 will get a tiny very healthy dessert.
• Treatment Time: After lunch, I headed to my first treatments. In the “tradition cure” you’ll get a mix of massages, detox treatments and doctor check-ins. You might have additional protocols added to your stay (each one will cost more). The traditional cure is about $2000 for 7 days (room not included).  I started with a massage that day and then spaced my other treatments out throughout the week.
• Winding Down: Dinner was back to soup (oh so much soup in 8 days) with a Kefir shot (daily) more bitter drops (3x a day now) and then a small bit of protein (lots of salmon and one night of venison) and ancient grains. This was the first night we started taking a chalky powder substance. More on that later. it would be a 3x a day supplement taken at 10-4-9pm each day.

Day 3: Extreme Treatments Start Working

Let’s keep it real. Day three is when  $%^& happens.

• Rise and drink weird things: This is the day we started with the salt water treatment. Each morning, 30-minutes before breakfast, we were to drink a saltwater mix. It is as nasty as it sounds. As far as I can tell, the sole purpose of this is to make you poop. Reader, if your delicate ears cannot take talk of poop, I suggest you stop reading now. It doesn’t hit right away. For me, it kicked in about an hour after breakfast. From what I gather, the only way to get your microbiome whipped into shape is to get all the literal old crap out of it. Hence the clean eating before and during the treatment. I gagged down the drink and made my way to breakfast. It was to become an unpleasant morning ritual.
• More Strange Things to Drink: Sitting at the table with my bitter drops was a green shot. This tasted like pureed grass. My travel partners found this the hardest shot to consume, for me, the lunch bitter vinegar was the one that constantly triggered my gag reflex. the green shot was relatively harmless to me. The menu remained slim and I stuck to sheep yogurt and fresh berries each morning. It was a small bowl that I ate deliberately. The hard part was no tea to drink with breakfast. Water pushes the nutrients down your system too fast. Chew slow and get the most out of every bite. You’ll need to hang on to these nutrients because you will be spending a lot of time pooping!
• Hitting the Wall: This was the day our energy was the lowest and we were the grumpiest. Some of us wanted carbs (me) some caffeine (my husband) sugar (my daughter). We all had our challenges.
• Bathroom Time: Whether it was the chalky supplement or the salt water, I do not know, but the torrent of bowel movements struck me midday on day 3. All the gusts were in the same boat so there are PLENTY of bathrooms around. I think I was removing vestiges of meals I ate in the 1990’s.
• Quality Over Quantity: The meals continued at this pace throughout the trip. Shots + patterns of food to help your body make the most of each bite. I found the food quality excellent. It was beautifully presented and while often on the small side, was perfect for maintaining my weight and energy levels.
• Staying Active: I worked out every day. Some days it was a yoga session, other times I made a trip to the beautiful gym. The gym overlooked both the valley and the alps. Magnificent. Other days, we joined the group for hikes or breastwork. Day three, I had the least energy so it was yoga and a walk for me.

Day 4: Settling into the Rhythm 

Rinse, lather and repeat with the food, supplements and pooping. The tiny bathroom was starting to be a problem. Our bathroom was so tiny! And no vent. Yikes! We started showering down at the pool steam area. 

• Boost in Mood and Energy: In spite of the tiny potty situation, our moods started to turn this day. We did a long hike (6.5 miles) and didn’t loose steam along the way. The whole idea at Lans is that after detoxification, purification and “de-acidification” your body is primed to give you better health outcomes. It’s like a thorough cleaning of your home to give yourself a fresh start at productivity and happiness.
• Getting Social: We started to chat more with other guests. Each was on a unique health journey. A few were there to loose weight (level 1 for them) some had chronic illnesses (level 2 most likely). A handful were coming off some poor lifestyle decisions looking to find more balance (a few of these were fasting for days—no food just broth). Guests were very international and kind. Our daughter was definitely the only one under 25 there. At night the resort rolled out musical guests or lectures. Sometimes we went, other times we headed to the room to enjoy the fast wifi to catch up on work and homework.
• Nighttime Rituals: In addition to the supplements, each night we prepare a warm hot water bottle in our room to put on our livers. This is a really nice thing that anyone can do. The liver is just under the right side of your rib cage. The warm bottle is meant to support your liver health and it feels really nice.

Day 5: Getting a Glow On

We’re getting in a rhythm now and I will say at this point my stomach has never (maybe even before kids) been flatter. Though I haven’t lost weight, I can tell I’ve losing inflammation. Everyone’s skin is glowing now.

• Getting More Calories: My spouse and daughter have hacked the system and figured out they can order supplements of sliced turkey/beef and cheese at meals. We all start ordering a bit more food and it does wonders to continue to improve the moods.
• Always Something to Learn: We learn about Kniepp Method. A series of hot/cold foot bath and movement to increate circulation. We practice mindfulness and breathing in private sessions and in group sessions. The mind body connection is stressed each day and with every treatment.
• Time for exploring: One tip I have to to NOT jam your schedule. This area is just too beautiful to not leave the property. We had a car and were able to explore the Olympic sites (the town hosted the 1976 Olympic Games). 

Day 6: Relaxing and Reinvigorating

While exploring is great, I the property is also lovely and a wonderful place to rest. We had a few gloomy weather days and we were able to move our schedules around and pack those with doctors and treatments.

• Enjoying the Grounds: The heated pool was a real delight. Each day my husband would swim laps with The Alps as his backdrop. It’s about 20 yards long so suitable for laps. There are outdoor chairs facing the mountains and on a few mornings, we took some sun and rested outside.
• Sauna & Steam: Adjacent to the pool is the sauna and steam room. It’s all centered around a wood stove and seating area. There are two saunas one heated to something like being on the face of the sun, and the other more mild (and scented of menthol). Obviously, you could find me in the mild spot. I also adore a good steam room and this one was excellent. In between, you’re encouraged to pop into a cold shower. Known as the “Nordic Cycle,” hydrotherapy (hot and cold water therapy) is a ritual that has been around for centuries to improve circulation. They one key is to always end on the cold cycle. Most of the Germans and Austrians just had towels wrapped around thier private parts, all the non-locals wore swimwear. 
• Finding Inner Peace: I’m not going to lie, we did use our devices PLENTY. Mostly at night when we caught up on emails. But phone calls on grounds were very discreet–we were never annoyed by loud men on conference calls.  With our downtime we tended to stay quiet. We perused  books in the library, I did some watercolor painting and we generally chilled. 
• What’s Happening Inside: Poop update: it has slowed to 2x a day and a lot less “exciting.”Also, I still hate the lunchtime shot.
• Spa Treatments: This is a good time to talk about the spa on property. Separate from the medical area, the spa offers the traditional treatments with a healthy twist. I had one stellar facial treatment. You can also get micro needling and other more invasive treatments to battle the signs of aging. I had a hydrating facial that was fantastic. 

Day 7: Favorite Treatments

Each day holds some surprises for us. All the treatments are novel and we find some silly and other impactful.

• What Happens with the Cure: Let’s talk about my favorite treatment of the trip and the most meh. The detox footpath seemed to be a waste of time (a soak in warm water), but the algae bath was awesome. You strip down get slathered in algae mud and then put in a steam tunnel for 30 minutes. It was so warm and relaxing and my skin looked like it did when I was 30. I highly recommend this one.
• Checking in: I also had my check-out appointment where my doctor made recommendations of me to take home. Some are supplements, some are lifestyle choices. During your stay you’ll check in with your doctor at least 2-3 times to check on your progress. Come ready for questions and be honest! 

Day 8: Final Treatments

A few last morning treatments (there are 9 included + 3 doctor check ints so each day has a few) and we were off on our best adventure—a trip to the Swarovski museum in nearby Wattens. Poop update: starting to find a healthy rhythm and feeling good. All the work is paying off!

• Saying Goodbye to the Staff: We can’t say enough great things about the staff. The crew in the dining room are fantastic. There is a straightforwardness about everyone (it is Austria after all), but they are caring and full of helpful advice. 
• A note about punctuality: This place runs ON TIME. Some days you will have stacked appointments and it’s crucial that you carry your schedule with you and stay on time. When you are delayed it will disrupt the care you receive. Unlike traditional doctor’s offices you will be seen on time.

Day 9 

Hurrah we’re heading home. I’m not going to lie, at the Delta lounge in Munich I did get a tiny cappuccino! Heaven—I missed milk based dairy (but will drink it sparingly).

On my flight (where I’m typing this) I had a sip of welcome champagne and then passed on the wine, hot cookies, bread and other snacks. I do feel great—my skin is glowing and my energy is awesome.

If you are in a rut, or curious or have a loved one who needs support AND you can afford it, this is a terrific investment in your health. I can definitely see myself going back with my husband or a friend to get focused on making good decisions.

Final Thoughts

It was just eight days, but it was enough to make a fresh start. After the severity of our diet and lifestyle for the last eight days, it is time for reentry. I am realistic, that not everything will stick, but you have to start somewhere!

A note about rules: There are a lot of firm suggestions at the Lans. We did ask a ton of “why” questions about them and for the most part got answers we respected. If you are a person who bristles at rules and schedules you are going to HATE this place, but you my friend are probably the person who would really benefit!

Back to that Delta flight from Munich to JFK, though I did have a few sips of champagne, I turned down wine with the flight. I skipped the warm bread, warm cookies, and dessert. I ate the steamed veggies, salad and cheese plate–with a lot of chewing and no water until after my meal. Small changes in habits that might add up. We shall see!

Separately, I will be writing up simple changes YOU can make in the spirit of the Lanserhof. And if you have questions, please let me know. 

The Lanserhof is located at Kochholzweg 153, 6072 Lans, Austria. 

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