What is the Chenot Method®? 

The idea that exposure to mild stressors can have positive effects may sound counterintuitive. Yet, since at least 1943, the concept of hormesis has been debated and gained traction in several fields. Hormesis is one of the key components of the Chenot Method®, which delivers a series of mild stressors to elicit positive responses in cells and organisms. But how does it work exactly?

Toxicologists use the word hormesis—from the ancient Greek to excite—to define the response to chemical substances or other stressors. In this scenario, dosage is key. Low doses of stressors produce positive impacts, whereas high doses can be toxic. In biology and medicine, on the other hand, “hormesis is defined as an adaptive response of cells and organisms to a moderate (usually intermittent) stress.”


A holistic approach to hormesis and detox 

The Chenot Method® is a unique, specific set of protocols and treatments which address the human body as a holistic system. It is designed to unleash your body’s self-healing power and reduce the negative effects of biological ageing. Rather than a simple combination of disconnected treatments, our methodology is structured to be undertaken as a protocol periodically throughout the year for maximum impact. 

The programme 

To deliver its full benefits, the Chenot Method® is applied through a series of week-long programmes, and it is grounded on six pillars: 

  • Thorough consultations with medical professionals. 
  • Extensive diagnostics to assess the impact of lifestyle on overall health. 
  • The Chenot Diet®. 
  • A daily hydrotherapy routine. 
  • Daily energetic massage. 
  • Personalised bio-energetic screening and treatments. 

In addition to these programme foundations, which constitute the core elements of the Chenot Method®, our doctors can recommend specific treatments that benefit each person differently, including intravenous infusions of nutrients and vitamins, resting metabolic and cardiorespiratory fitness assessment, anti-gravity treatments, photobiomodulation, intermittent hypoxy-hyperoxy exposure, cryotherapy, and strength and balance evaluations. 

Our methodology is a customised, functional health approach tailored to the individual. It blends the latest advancements in Western medicine with traditional Chinese philosophies.   

Chenot Medical Spa

Self-healing, hormesis and autophagy 

Our bodies have, in fact, an innate capacity to heal themselves, and our programmes apply the concept of hormesis to trigger positive effects in the body and, hence, activate these healing mechanisms. 

An example of hormesis in action within the Chenot Method® is the Chenot Diet®. Instead of prescribing a restrictive multi-day fast, the Chenot Diet® delivers 850 kcal daily across three plant-based meals. By removing protein, the diet has a fast-mimicking effect and activates autophagy, which is our body’s recycling mechanism, where old cell parts are broken down and reused to promote cellular health (a crucial mechanism as we age, as autophagy decreases over time).  

The process takes time and requires a week to experience its beneficial effects. Autophagy, for example, only kicks in after 72 hours, and if you stop the programme during that timeframe, you will not feel the revitalising and re-energising effects.  

Therefore, you need to commit at least a week, ideally 10 days, to give your body a chance to reboot and boost your cellular health. When you put it into perspective, seven days (up to four times a year) is a small investment when the return is an increased health span.  

The Chenot Method® around the world 

We have been delivering the Chenot Method® for 50 years, and we believe in it because it has proven effective and is rooted in science. 

If you want to experience the value of the Chenot Method® firsthand and understand its protocol’s positive impact, sign up for one of our programmes here, or visit our properties page to select your preferred destination. 

The Chenot Method® is available in several locations around the world, including our flagship Chenot Palace Weggis on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, the Chenot Palace Gabala in Azerbaijan, the Chenot Espace at l’Albereta Relais & Chateaux in Northern Italy, the Chenot Espace at the One&Only Portonovi in Montenegro, and the Chenot Spa at the Selman Marrakech in Marocco.