Where to Reset Mind and Body After Too Many Parisian Indulgences

Croissants. Foie Gras. Escargots swimming in butter and garlic. Steak Frites. Pâtisseries. Berthillon ice cream. Cheeses (more than 1800 choices). Sumptuous wine. And butter as a culinary staple.  

A baguette a day keeps the doctor away. (OK, I just made that up, but it is comforting to have a warm, crunchy baguette whenever you want.) 

We love to eat… especially in Paris. Food is one of the pleasures (and necessities) of existence. It is a feast for the senses — a visual journey of color and form, a delight in smell and taste, and often a tactile or auditory experience as well. 

Can we slip into too much indulgence? Bien sûr.

The French have many healthy eating habits (including honoring fresh locally sourced food, a cultural taboo on snacking between meals, reverence for seasonal products, and portions that don’t overwhelm a plate or stretch a stomach).

But the rich cuisine is omnipresent… and plays an important role in Paris life for residents and visitors alike. Fast food decadence and American–size portions are also creeping in. 

So, how do you give yourself a break from the culinary treasures of Paris?

A Reset of Mind and Body

A reset of mind and body is an important process for healthy living. There are many ways to rest and cleanse, but a legendary clinic in Uberlingen, Germany seems to attract a high percentage of Parisians (and residents of France), as well as guests from 60 other countries.

A documentary called The Science of Fasting aired on Arte TV years ago and included a segment on Buchinger-Wilhelmi, the world’s leading pioneer in therapeutic fasting. The clinic offers a combination of fasting, integrative medicine, a holistic approach to health (physical, psychological, and spiritual), and inspiration for a rewarding life. 

Not only did the documentary inspire an interest in the benefits of fasting, but it also ignited an ongoing pilgrimage toward this restful haven that overlooks the Swiss Alps and the magnificent Lake Constance (called Lake Bodensee in German). 

Buchinger-Wilhelmi is a curious combination of certified medical clinic, spa hotel setting, and monastery — offering something for everyone. Guests do not come just for the fasting program, with its foundation of nearly 100 years of research and success stories. They are often looking to address medical issues, de–stress, detox, find some spiritual peace, enjoy gourmet organic vegetarian cuisine, or invest in long-term health. 

The Fasting Journey

The first time I came to the clinic was at the insistence of an 89-year-old friend who had seen the fasting documentary on Arte. She wanted to try this proven program to get rid of some of the aches and pains of a life well lived. She was excited.

I was not as enthusiastic. I updated my will before I made the journey and said goodbye to friends and family as if it would be the last time I would see them. I was not convinced I would survive.

I had never fasted before, and had visions of hunger, heartburn, and hallucinations. As it turned out, I was pleasantly surprised.

Simply put, therapeutic fasting means voluntarily going without solid food for a limited time — something that our body has been designed to do since prehistoric times. (Herbal tea, juice, and vegetable broth become the mealtime focus.) We can live off our fat reserves, just as animals do. 

At the clinic, the fasting is done under medical supervision in a peaceful environment that allows you to simply be taken care of. You can choose how long you would like to fast, but the clinic requires a set number of days after the fast to reintroduce food at a careful pace, so that you treat your newly cleansed system with respect. 

During the stay, you forget the stresses of everyday life and are able to focus on other pleasures, like hiking, swimming, personal training, exercise classes, boxing training, tennis, pilates, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, leech therapy (although they have to be ordered in advance . . . or never 🙂), Qigong,  nutrition, life coaching, dance, reading, creating, listening to music, and meeting new people of like mind. 

The most interesting discovery for me was that I did not get hungry. Once your intestines are empty, they stop sending hunger signals to the brain. Yes, perhaps the daily broth is a little monotonous (but there are a lot of vegetables that make good broth, even though some guests affectionately describe the broth as “water where a vegetable has quickly hovered”). 

Around Day 5 of the fast, you begin to experience the fasting high… an incredible lightness of being. When you finally break the fast, you savor each bite as if it is the first food you have ever tasted. 

Food Is a Focus (in a different way)

The role of food in the fasting culture is, of course, different. At Buchinger-Wilhelmi, food still has its place, but in a creative way. You begin to think of the future of your body as a direct result of how you feed and care for it. 

Hubert Hohler, the longtime chef at the clinic, is an expert in plant-based cooking, using only organic materials from producers he trusts. 

The cooking demonstrations make you fall in love with the colors and smells of the vegetables and herbs, even though you’re not allowed to taste if you’re fasting. Food becomes a visual treat. 

Mealtimes are social, since you’re not focused on the food. (After all, how long does it take to scoop up a bowl of broth?) But the fasting salon has a stunning view of the lake, and the fasters from all over the world each have a story to tell. 

A Paris business professor was at the clinic for the 7th year, coming every year after a first-year miracle cure of her rheumatoid polyarthritis. She came to the clinic unable to walk without a cane. Each year gave her new strength and mobility.

A retired engineer came for the first time with the hope of relieving some of his back pain, and a Paris architect was back for the 4th time just to accomplish his yearly cleanse.

A recently retired Paris teacher was here for her 5th time, after coming the first time to prepare for an operation and marveling at the range of other benefits she felt.

A 95-year-old German man was being celebrated for his 100th time at the clinic. He comes twice a year, arriving for the first time in 1970. He is a walking advertisement for the benefits of fasting. I found myself hoping that my dedication to fasting would help me to be that spry when I’m 95.

Most everyone I met had been to the clinic before. Some had been coming for 10, 20, 30 (or 50!) years.

A Lightness of Being

So many of the people I met come once or twice a year to reset, renew, and cleanse. If you’re someone who finds benefit in the program, it’s easy to come back again and again.

In fact, I have just celebrated my 10th visit to the clinic. Because the clinic is a family-run business that also considers its guests as part of the family, I received a gift basket honoring my 10th anniversary. I look forward to my 15th and 20th visits. The anniversary gifts will be nice, but a rested digestive tract, the joy of fasting euphoria, and the promise of long-term health are really the only gifts I need.

As a United Nations leader who was a guest at the clinic once said, “Buchinger-Wilhelmi is the only place on earth where many nations come together under one roof, without anything to eat… and it’s peaceful.” 

You can find Buchinger-Wilhelmi information here. There is also a sister clinic in Marbella, Spain. If you decide to visit Buchinger-Wilhelmi in Germany, mention Bonjour Paris. They will treat you like family.