Interviews

Paul Joseph

Paul Joseph is co-founder of Health and Fitness Travel, experts in tailor-made healthy holidays worldwide. He searches for the rare and hidden gems around the world and puts together exclusive and trend-setting holidays for those who would like to improve or maintain their health and fitness whilst on holiday. As well as a love of all things travel, Paul's other love is exercise, cycling and yoga. Paul also contributes to the travel pages of various high-profile newspapers and magazines where he offers his expert advice on wellness holidays.

Dr Michael Prager

With a reputation as one of Europe's most skilled practitioners of cosmetic medicine, London-based, German-born and internationally-educated Dr Michael Prager has perfected the art of the natural-looking, non-surgical facelift using Botulinum Toxin and Hyaluronic Acid based dermal fillers. His trademark approach - along with the safety of his procedures has led to Dr Prager becoming one of the most sought-after aesthetic doctors in Europe. He is regularly featured in the media including; The Daily Mail, The Sunday Times, BBC Radio, Tatler and more recently appeared on Channel 4's 10 Years Younger.

Karsten Kroll is the resident yoga teacher at Paradis Plage, and has been practising yoga and contemporary dance for over 25 years, giving him deep of knowledge of form, technique and an appreciation for the grace, potential and limitations of the human body. The drive towards having the ability to focus on the present moment, of finding mind-body connection and to bring overall well-being, led Karsten to study with several yoga training schools in Bali and Morocco. Karsten has further developed his skills as a yoga teacher by learning Yin and Yang styles as well as Myofascial Ball Roll & Release. He invites his students to explore their potential through his classes.

Lyndall Mitchell

Lyndall Mitchell is Australia’s foremost wellness expert with more than 20 years leading the wellness sector in Australia. She is the Founder and CEO of Aurora Spa, the country’s award-winning urban spa that employs more than 100 staff. The spa is internationally renowned for treatments and products that maximize therapeutic benefits as well as delivering a sublime, restorative spa experience. Executive Wellbeing Coaching is a natural extension of her life experience in wellness. She offers her clients a deep knowledge of all aspects of wellbeing as well as insights gained from leading a fast-growth retail and wholesale business. 

I have been a trainer for over 20 years now. Have always loved helping people improve their wellness, so studied to be a trainer when I was pregnant with my second child. I just kept on wanting to help more people, started working/managing in Health Retreats working on all areas of people’s health.

Andrea Hurst

The title of ‘Guru of Reflexology’ belongs to Andrea Hurst, world renowned for her 20 years’ experience in the healing art of Reflexology. Based in London’s most prestigious neighbourhood Mayfair, she combines a deeply rejuvenating and restorative holistic experience with a thorough and insightful analysis of reflex points.  Queuing up at her door are a long list of VIP clients from A-list Hollywood stars to fashion designers seeking her pioneering treatments. With recommendations from Gwyneth Paltrow and features in Vogue and Tatler magazine, Andrea is certainly an A-Lister herself in the world of Reflexology.

Jessica Sepel

Jessica Sepel is a clinical nutritionist, author and international health and travel expert. She is also the beloved voice behind 'JSHealth', passionately advocating how to achieve a balanced lifestyle through wholefoods and a healthy relationship with food to her vibrant social media community on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. Jess is also a regular contributor to Vogue Australia's Spy Style, Well+Good NYC, PopSugar and MindBodyGreen and brand ambassador for CottonOn and Nature's Way Wholefoods and Vitamins. Jess's book The Healthy Life is based on her popular and previously self-published ebook The Clean Life.

I started in the fitness industry in the mid 1990’s working in nearly every role possible. I was initially based in Australia but then started working internationally from group exercise, to commercial equipment sales, then into education and training and development roles in private studios and fitness chains.

Timmis Kambanellis

Timmis is the fitness expert at the award-winning Aphrodite Hills in Cyprus. He studied kinesiotherapy (which is the application of scientifically based exercise principles adapted to enhance the strength, endurance, and mobility of individuals) in Thessaloniki. Discovering a passion Timmis then went on to specialize in Fitness and Personal Training at the North Academy of Fitness. Timmis has since gone on to receive accolades from Spa and Wellness specialists and has a successful morning TV slot on the Cyprus national network.

Marissa Frew

Marissa is a holistic living and wellbeing consultant with over 20 years experience in her field and a lifetime working with alternative wellbeing practitioners. She’s an inspiring presenter, guest speaker and writer as well as a personal trainer specialising in flexibility, movement and rehabilitation. Marissa is the founder of Rocket and Beets and is passionate about empowering others through teaching the elements of health. Her Happy Body Lifestyle Program brings together the key elements of how to properly lay the foundations of a vibrant lifestyle and an enlivened energetically enriched body.

Yvette Le Blowitz

Yvette Le Blowitz is the Founder of Spa it Girl, is one of the world’s top Luxury Spa Travel Reviewers, Writers, and Bloggers.She is also a judge for one of the Worlds Top Spa Industry Awards and recognised as being one of the Top Spa Influencers, Bloggers in the World. She was named and awarded also as one of Australia’s Top 50 Influencers in 2017. Her Spa it Girl Blog is read all around the world and she inspires others to feel good from within and to live their own authentic dreams.

Euphoria Retreat, that opened in July 2018 in Greece, is the vision of founder Marina Efraimoglou, who after following a personal path of inner development, sought to create a special healing retreat. 

Marina had a successful career in the financial sector, founding her business Telesis in 1993, but after a pivotal personal experience, she shifted her attention from the financial world into the worlds of holistic medicine and self-actualisation. Committed to leading a more spiritual life, she studied in-depth with very well-known pioneers in the field and travelled the world sourcing knowledge and experience. Completing her studies in Chinese Medicine, Marina has worked in transformational healing for over a decade.
Based on her varied experience, Marina successfully created her own series of workshops and retreats, recently bringing them into the corporate world, with the aim of encouraging the emergence of a new type of leadership and cooperation.

Laurie is the Founder & CEO of REVĪVŌ Wellness Resort Bali, a leading new resort that brings together the ultimate in health and wellness through mind training and self-awareness.

Paul is the co-founder and CEO of Samahita Retreat, Thailand’s very first dedicated yoga retreat, operating now for 16 years on the tropical island of Koh Samui.

In addition to running Samahita, Paul continues to teach yoga internationally while also researching its effects with an empirical scientific approach based in original textual study. He recently conducted a large clinical study as a PhD scholar at Emory University. As a scientist, educator and entrepreneur he drives the evolution of Samahita and its teachings, while still drawing from deep traditions of yoga and healthy living.

Lizzy Williamson

Lizzy Williamson is a certified Personal Trainer, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Presenter, Speaker and contributor to contributor to MindBodyGreen, BubHub, BellaMumma and more. Her workouts have been featured in Lorna Jane’s YouTube channel, news.com.au, as well as many other popular online publications, programs and blogs. Her Two Minute Workouts are shared each week for free to thousands of women who have become part of her ever-growing community. She has also appeared on stage to speak and encourage audience to get out of their chairs and start moving, at Mum Society, Golden Door, Mama Creatives and Team Women Australia.

Jo Foley

For over quarter of a century, Jo Foley has been visiting and reviewing Spas, Sanctuaries and Wellness Centres on four continents and has written about them for many publications including the Financial Times, Conde Nast Traveller, Tatler, Harper's Bazaar, Daily Mail, The Times and Sunday Telegraph. She has observed as Fat Farms have morphed into Pleasure Palaces and Health Centres into Holistic Hideaways, and has experienced rather more than her fair share of ayurvedic retreats in India, to detoxes in the Dolomites, and hammams throughout the Middle East. Hence, she can spot a charlatan at fifty paces, and is quick to differentiate between those who can truly cure and those who merely con.

We sat down with Karina Stewart, co-founder of Kamalaya in Koh Samui, Thailand to discuss the vision behind this award-winning resort and the impact of both cultural ties and Traditional Chinese Medicine on their day-to-day offering.

Keri-Anne Payne

Keri-anne Payne is a British swimmer, specialising in marathon open water swimming, and long-distance freestyle swimming in the pool. She is a two-time World 10 km Open Water champion, an Olympic Silver medalist and the founder of Triscape.

Marco Baoia

Marco Baoia is the lead organiser and trainer of the Epic Sana Sayanna Reshape in Portugal and has a wealth of knowledge in bootcamp training, having been a part of the fitness industry since 1988. During this time he has covered many different training methods and has successfully trained in England, Ireland, Germany and Portugal. Marco works with a truly holistic approach and is always results orientated; aiming to get the best out of each and every individual he works with. His overriding wish is to provide his clients with the information they need to lead a healthier lifestyle.