"All I'm trying to do is wipe out heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and obesity" stated Nathan Pritikin. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Pritikin Longevity Center, created in 1975.
My first glimpse of the 500 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds gives me an immediate sense of calm. I've been coming here for decades, and my reaction is always the same. There is anticipation too, of a week with friendly professionals whose purpose here is to re-inspire my emotional and physical well-being and revive my "I can take on the world" attitude. "Pritikin is the Gold Standard," proclaimed Oprah Winfrey. "I lost 70 lbs at Pritikin," enthused John Candy, in his documentary film, "I Like Me."
At the crack of dawn, Monday, I am in the process of a battery of tests (ECG, Stress Test) at the Medical Centre to verify that I am in good shape for my personal exercise and fitness program.
Whoops!
Suddenly there's some flurry in the room. "You're lucky you were here when this happened, and we can take care of you," says the cardiologist. Sensing my confusion, he gives me a comforting kiss on the cheek and says, "we're taking you to the hospital, and you're going to be okay." Before I can say, "I have no pain. I don't feel sick," and "There must be some mistake," I am on a stretcher being carried into an ambulance. A police car, siren blaring, clears the way through early morning traffic straight to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
In minutes I am getting treatment in a large immaculate hospital suite with continual checkups every two hours, day and night. The nurses smile and call me "my love". They bring me beautiful meals and snacks and make certain I am comfortable. Four days later, clutching a bottle of pills I can't pronounce, I return to the warm embrace of Pritikin.
Timing is everything in life. How many careers were made by being in the right place at the right time? How many fortunes? How many lives were impacted?
Yes. I dodged a bullet at Pritikin.
"If there is anything else you need, please let me know. We are your family while you are here in Miami" says Bill Donovan, President, Pritikin Longevity Center. And in an amazing act of generosity, he offers me a second week as a make-up for the week I lost. I had expected to be on the next flight home to Toronto. Now, back in the privacy of my hotel room, I indulge in a good cry over the unprecedented events of the week and the unexpected kindness of strangers.
Back into the routine I love, morning coffee on my terrace and an early walk on the Golf Course. I look forward to my favorite big breakfast of an egg white omelet filled with vegetables, a slice of Ezekiel raisin toast, a bowl of blueberries and blackberries, and a cup of ginger green tea.
It's a short stroll over to the lecture hall, and I am eager to hear my first lecture of the week. "Building your Fitness Foundation" is a deep dive into the core elements of fitness—cardio, strength, flexibility and mobility—and we learn how these pillars support longevity and vitality. Each day unfolds around a rhythm of lectures, we can fit in three per day, covering fitness, nutrition, emotional health and stress management. While the topics vary, the message is remarkably consistent: longevity is built through daily, practical choices. I learn how cardiovascular endurance supports not just heart health but independence as we age; how strength, flexibility and mobility protect us from injury and frailty; and how stress can be both a motivator and a silent saboteur. Each lecture flows naturally into the next, reinforcing the idea that health is not a single intervention but a system—physical, emotional, and behavioral—working in concert.
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Do I feel tired? No, I feel exhilarated and amped for the Snack Time at 10:30am. It's all so appetizing, and I’m surprised at how hungry I am. Bowls of freshly made vegetable soups are offered, and an enticing variety of raw vegetables. I should continue this routine at home, even though 10:30am is usually a "high traffic" part of my day.
Refreshed, I am back at the gym. "Cardio in Action: Find Your Zone; Fuel Your Health" is on my schedule. All the staff have received the memo. They take my blood pressure before and after each session. And here's something new. A wrist band is programmed in my name and my progress is noted on a large TV monitor. The enthusiastic leader guides us on how cardiovascular endurance supports our health span, and I learn to safely measure workout intensity, and discover my target heart rate zone. New at Pritikin is the DEXA Body Scan included for all guests. A ten-minute body scan gives detailed insights into our bone density, body fat, muscle mass and provides a clear picture of our health. Time is taken to go over all the charts of each element that makes up our body, and we’re given a copy. Fascinating.
Meals are both education and pleasure. The salad buffet is a market garden of sparkling fresh vegetables and fruits and thoughtfully prepared dressings. And there are soups, blended daily by an alchemist who makes magic with veggies, herbs and spices. One "Emotional Eating Luncheon" includes a talk to learn how to spot emotions that trigger eating. And there is a lively discussion with a panel of professionals representing the diverse departments such as nutrition, behavior, and fitness. Who knew that the order in which we eat the food on our plate makes a difference in how our body deals with these nutrients. And adding some protein to my fruit, such as a handful of nuts or a nibble of cheese will avoid a sudden spike in blood sugar. Fruit needs a friend.
The week has almost passed, and I have not ventured off the grounds. Today I forego the pleasures of the gym and spa and go to the mall with the chef. We visit a major supermarket to study the labels on the back of food packages to learn their nutritional pros and cons. This information is paramount to our food plan and shows us immediately which brands to avoid.
I return in time for the 5 o’clock Dip, our delightful pre-dinner gathering. We've all had a long and exhilarating day and look forward to mingling with follow guests, sip on mocktails and savor the chef's intensely flavored dips with an array of veggies. What will he surprise us with tonight? Creamy White Bean with pickled vegetables, or Fiery Roasted Pepper, or maybe there will be my favorite Spicy Mango Guacamole.
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"How are you doing today?" is a sincere and friendly greeting at our dinner table. Over the week, lectures on fitness, nutrition and stress begin to overlap into a single persuasive message. But the unspoken attitude is commitment. Whether from Toronto, Texas, New York or London—ahead-of-the-curve folks, stay-at-home moms, or business professionals—we have a bond, a commonality of spirit, neither age, gender nor occupation have any bearing here. We're all in this together for different reasons, but with the same goal: learning how to become our healthiest, happiest and best selves.
At dinner, white tablecloths and seasoned service frame dishes that feel indulgent while remaining firmly within Pritikin’s philosophy. Lemon Braised Salmon with curry carrot ginger sauce sings and dances on my palate. Orange Ginger Sea Scallops retain their oceanic juices with just a quick sear and enhanced by citric sauce. Grilled Bison Filet Mignon au Jus shares the plate with an artful stack of earthy steamed purple and yellow beets, a tasty vegetables sauté and a slow-roasted sweet potato. The unsurpassed purity of a whole, simple sweet potato satisfies all my tastebuds. Now I order it with every dinner. It’s a persuasive lesson, not in restriction but in how satisfying healthy food can be when prepared with skill and imagination.
So many choices—so little time. Will it be Latin Cardio Dance Class, a one-hour complimentary tennis clinic with the head tennis pro, or a dip in the pool for Aquathon? Tonight, there is an invitation to walk into the lion's den and attend the Dining Out evening at a local restaurant, predicated on first attending the lecture to help us order successfully. A hard choice, but since dining out is my job as a food and travel writer, I will stay in and enjoy tonight's dinner of Chilean Sea Bass with Mango Salsa.
When I came to Pritikin, it was for renewal and to get my routine back on track. But I got so much more: shock, relief, gratitude and perspective. Two weeks later, eight of us who had been strangers, sit together at our final dinner, lighter in body and spirit, looking great, trading confessions and plans. We came for different reasons, from different places, but we leave with a shared understanding: health is not an abstract ideal or a future promise. It is a daily practice. We say good-bye with well wishing, hugs, a renewed sense of agency, and the quiet confidence that we have learned something of great value—for ourselves.
For more information visit: Pritikin Longevity Centre