In the small world of holistic preventive health and medical wellness retreats, few approaches command the reverence and results of Mayr Medicine.
Of course, clinics offering Mayr Medicine are radically different from destination spa weekends or luxury hotels with juice cleanse packages.
Places like VIVAMAYR, Buff Medical Resort, Lanserhof or Mayrlife, offer a comprehensive clinical approach that promises to reset your entire metabolism from the inside out, focusing on what Austrian physician Dr. Franz Xaver Mayr identified over a century ago as the key to optimal health: your gut.
What is Mayr Medicine?
Born from the revolutionary work of Dr. F.X. Mayr (1875-1965), this medicine approach is based on a seemingly simple principle: the central role of the intestine in overall health. At its core, it is a preventive and regenerative type of medicine.
Today's Mayr medicine (called "Modern Mayr Medicine") has evolved far beyond its origins. It incorporates the latest medical science, and is heavily influenced by today's lifestyle. It usually combines Dr. Mayr's original wisdom with cutting-edge diagnostics, functional medicine and orthomolecular therapy.
Mayr Medicine is taught in various leading medical universities in Austria and Germany. And most of the Mayr medicine physicians belong to the International Society of Mayr Doctors.
The pillars of Mayr Medicine
The Mayr medicine rests on four fundamental pillars:
- Rest: giving your digestive system time to heal and regenerate
- Training: learning proper mastication and mindful eating techniques
- Cleansing: systematic detoxification of the intestines, liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin
- Substitution: replenishing essential nutrients and rebuilding healthy gut microbiome
The science behind Mayr Medicine
Unlike most biohacking trends (hello cold plunges !!), Mayr medicine is grounded in medical science. The approach recognizes that poor digestive health creates a cascade of problems throughout the body, from compromised immunity to chronic fatigue, skin issues, and metabolic dysfunction.
By addressing gut health as the foundation, guests at VIVAMAYR or Buff Medical Resort, or other outstanding Mayr Medicine clinics, report improvements in:
- Digestive disorders and irritable bowel syndrome
- Chronic fatigue and low energy levels
- Immune system dysfunction
- Skin conditions and premature aging
- Weight management and metabolic issues
- Sleep disorders and stress-related conditions
- Mental clarity and cognitive function
The best clinics for Mayr medicine
VIVAMAYR (Austria)
VIVAMAYR is essentially the birthplace of Modern Mayr Medicine. It was founded in 2004, by passionate Mayr doctors.
It is located on the shores of the beautiful Lake Wörthersee in Austria. The Mayr Medicine approach at VIVAMAYR combines the original principles with state-of-the-art medical facilities, offering what many consider the gold standard of Mayr treatment.
There are 4 medical wellness programs, and each program is completely personalised, and adjusted daily based on the insights of the daily consultation with the Mayr medicine doctor.
VIVAMAYR also runs a London day clinic in Mayfair. It brings the Mayr medicine excellence to the heart of the City.
What clients love about VIVAMAYR: the effectiveness of the method, being taken care of by the same medical team over the years, the beautiful lake, as well as the excellent value for money.
Buff Medical Resort (Germany)
Buff is one of the latest luxury Mayr Medicine clinic: it opened in 2025. It is located in Konstanz, on the shores of the lake, facing South, an extremely quiet and piece full area. It is owned and ran by the Buff family, who are passionate visionaries with a luxury hospitality background.
Everything has been designed for wellness and a regenerative experience. The building itself is a marvel of architecture (and it happens to be the largest wood construction in Europe, with high-end luxury comfort, yet simple and cozy).
In addition to outstanding Mayr Medicine, Buff Medical Resort offers a unique expertise in heart and cardiovascular health, with a heart MRI and in-house specialists.
A number of guests also come to Buff for post-cancer rehabilitation, and the medical team built impressive experience in this field, helping cancer survivors to rebuild their metabolism with the power of Mayr Medicine, as well as apheresis treatments.
Lanserhof (Austria & Germany)
Lanserhof became a go-to place for preventive health and regenerative treatments long before Mayr Medicine was “reborn” and 40 years before the hype around longevity kicked in …
Lanserhof opened its doors in 1984 in Tyrol (Lanserhof Lans). It is one of Europe's best retreats for holistic healing, and Europe certainly has an edge in medical wellness compared to the rest of the world.
With locations now spanning from the Bavarian Alps (Lanserhof Tegernsee) to the hype island of Sylt (the preferred Lanserhof clinic for international guests so far), and soon in opening in Marbella too, Lanserhof seamlessly blends medical expertise with luxury hospitality and experience.
The "Lanserhof Concept" has become synonymous with transformation, and Mayr medicine is one of its essential pillars.
What clients love about Lanserhof: efficient protocols, cutting-edge technology, beautiful retreats
MAYRLIFE (Austria)
MAYRLIFE was initially called VIVAMAYR Althaussee, until the leadership of the 2 clinics took different paths, and MAYRLIFE became independent.
MAYRLIFE is also recognized as one of the best medical spa worldwide, and it also offers highly personalized Mayr medicine programs in the stunning Austrian Alps. It’s more of an alpine / continental experience than VIVAMAYR, as VIVAMAYR is more in the south, not far from Italy, and MAYRLIFE is really more in the mountains region.
There are slightly more programs at MAYRLIFE than other Mayr Medicine clinics, and they revolve both around preventive and curative care. But like in any serious Mayr Medicine clinics, the programs are just a framework, meant to be personalized (and sometimes entirely revisited) after the medical diagnostics and the consultation with the Mayr Medicine doctor.
What clients love about Mayrlife: completely personalized medical programs, the scenic lake, the quality of the Mayr medicine and treatments
If you want a more in-depth comparison between Lanserhof, Mayrlife and VIVAMAYR, discover our detailed guide here.
What to expect from a Mayr Medicine cure
Pre-arrival preparation
As with any medical health retreat, your transformation begins weeks before arrival, when you book your program and decide it's time to invest in your health.
Each clinic typically provides comprehensive preparation guidelines, including:
- Gradual elimination of sugar, caffeine, gluten, and dairy
- Introduction of alkaline foods (but you may have to learn what these are)
- Hydration protocols (3 liters per day is a good target)
- Mental preparation (willingness to adopt a new lifestyle after the cure) for the intensive medical program ahead (a detox is a profound experience)
The daily life in a Mayr clinic
6:30-7:30 AM: morning rituals
Your day begins with herbal teas (I anm drinking mine ans I write this) and gentle movement. And often with Epsom salt (cleansing effects) and sometimes a spoon of virgin oil. You'll be surprised by the incredible benefits and compounding effects of these small details when you attend your first program based on Mayr medicine.
Many programs also invite you to start your day with breathing exercises (energizing walking by the lake at Buff Medical Resort) and light stretching to activate your digestive system naturally.
These healthy habits are obviously recommended in many other retreats outside of Mayr medicine, but Mayr medicine also integrates these powerful and simple lifestyle practices: without them, the body and mind often struggle.
8:00-9:00 AM: therapeutic breakfast
Gone are elaborate breakfast spreads. Gone too is variety.
Meals at a Mayr medicine clinic are carefully calibrated. In the top Mayr medicine clinics like VIVAMAYR and Buff Medical Resort, the food tastes really good, but food in Mayr Medicine is essentially medicine as well. We naturally understand that when we take a medication, we may need to take the same medication every day, and sometimes several times a day: the same goes with food in a Mayr medicine clinic.
You will often start with a therapeutic broth, and get specific grain preparations. In Buff Medical Resort, all the diet is gluten-free.
In some cases, you may be offered intermittent fasting, or sometimes complete fasting, depending on your objectives.
But usually breakfast is considered as the most important meal of the day in Mayr medicine, and hence is here to provide your body with essential nutrients and energy (don’t imagine this will be a lot of food - this will always be adjusted to what your body really needs, while making things as easy as possible for your gut).
9:00 AM-12:00 PM: Mayr medicine consultations and treatments
The morning hours are dedicated to the medical core of your program:
- Doctor consultations (usually daily, sometimes multiple times)
- Abdominal massage treatments: the signature therapy of Mayr medicine where trained practitioners manually stimulate intestinal function
- Diagnostic procedures: advanced testing to monitor your body's response, depending on your objectives and condition, upon consultation with your doctor
- Specialized therapies: colon hydro therapy, IV infusion therapies, apheresis, lymphatic drainage, or oxygen treatments
In some Mayr clinics, some of those consultations and treatments also happen in the afternoon.
12:00-2:00 PM: mindful lunch
Lunch is typically the second's most important meal of the day, though portions remain carefully controlled, and variety as well. Some clients don’t realise this until they are in a Mayr cure, and initially experience this as utterly boring. But this is also the most direct and efficient way to restore the gut, to most clients see it as a minor pain compared to the immense benefits it provides in the longer term.
As with any food in Mayr medicine, the focus is on mindful eating. Mayr medicine clinics teach you how to chew each bite thoroughly (sometimes 30-40 times) to aid focus on the food and prepare digestion.
Oh and one more thing: Mayr Medicine teaches guest to avoid drinking during meals. Instead, guests are invited to drink (and to drink a lot) until 30 minutes before their meals, and starting again 30-45 minutes after their meal. This also drastically helps the gut, by avoiding to dilute the chemistry of digestion.
2:00-4:00 PM: active recovery
- Nature immersion: guided walks, forest bathing, or lake-side meditation
- Fitness programs: gentle yoga, Pilates, or resistance training tailored to your energy levels. Most Mayr clinics are located in areas with preserved nature and invite guests to practice in natural environment
- Educational workshops: nutrition seminars, cooking classes, or mindfulness training
4:00-6:00 PM: therapeutic treatments
Afternoon sessions often include:
- Massage therapy: detoxifying treatments to support lymphatic drainage. Mayr medicine clinics often have remarkable osteopath practitioners. Some also employ Ayurvedic doctors, for example at Buff Medical Resort
- Hydrotherapy: healing baths, saunas, or specialized water treatments. Most Mayr clinics also include outstanding hydro and cold therapy infrastructures, a strong tradition of excellence in Austria and Germany
- Energy work: acupuncture, reflexology, or bioresonance therapy, depending on the expertise offered at the Mayr medicine retreat
6:00-8:00 PM: light dinner
Dinner is deliberately light. In some cases, it is the same menu ans lunch. In other clinics (VIVAMAYR), it may be herbal broths or specific vegetable preparations, depending on your program stage.
This lets the gut system focus its energy in the information received through the various treatments during the day, and integrate the benefits.
Most Mayr Medicine will supplement you with basal powder: it helps combat the acidification which inevitably happens in your body when you fast and detox. It’s a great way to reduce the headaches associated with detoxification and cleaning, the mood swings, and the related mild inconforts that such therapies initially create.
7:00-9:00 PM: evening time
Mayr Medicine recognizes the importance of dining early, to let the body digest thoroughly before sleep.
Some Mayr wellness clinics offer evening activities, others not. But these retreats are also a great opportunity to spend time with yourself and do some introspection. This is a necessary step before being able to truly implement lifestyle changes.
- Educational lectures: learning about nutrition, lifestyle medicine, or stress management. This is greatly appreciated at VIVAMAYR, for example
- Gentle movement, yoga or meditation sessions. Or simply enjoying the hydrotherapy facilities
- Social time: connecting with fellow guests in treatment lounges (or calling your family and feeling slightly jealous about what they got to eat during that day, while you were fasting on Mayr diet!!)
The Four Dietary Phases of Mayr Medicine
Phase 1: Therapeutic Fasting
In some Mayr medicine clinics, initial days involve complete digestive rest for a number of guests. In this case, they are served with herbal teas, alkaline broths, and specialized preparations to begin the cleansing process. This phase lasts as long as the doctors deem it necessary, often a day or two, sometimes more.
Phase 2: Training Diet
Introduction of specific foods designed to retrain your digestive system, while continuing to steer it towards alkaline. This might include particular grains, boiled potatoes, carefully prepared vegetables, and specific chewing protocols. Some Mayr medicine clinics such as MAYRLIFE are famous for their bread, baked with particular sets of grains.
Phase 3: Gentle Expansion
Gradual reintroduction of foods, always with emphasis on proper mastication and mindful consumption. Chewing is the first thing which comes to mind when guests are asked what characterises their Mayr cure experience, in addition to talking as little as possible while eating. And chewing indeed makes a big difference for gut health - and health in general when done properly.
Phase 4: Lifestyle Integration
Learning to maintain the principles in your daily life: how to give your digestive system time to regenerate, how to keep proper mastication and mindful eating techniques, how to avoid intoxicating the intestines, liver, kidneys, lungs and skin, and how to nourish a healthy gut microbiome. This is about consultations with dietitians, physicians, fitness coaching and cooking classes.
What makes Mayr Medicine unique?
Abdominal Massage: The Signature Treatment
Perhaps no treatment is more central to Mayr medicine than the daily abdominal massage. Performed by Mayr Medicine doctors, or in rare cases by specially trained and highly experienced practitioners, this manual therapy stimulates intestinal function, improves circulation, and supports the body's natural detoxification processes.
Guests often describe this as both therapeutic and deeply relaxing. For some guests, it takes a few days to get used to such treatments, because the gut area can be a little sensitive, in particular if there is a kidney or intestine inflammation, or some constipation.
Intensive Medical Monitoring
Unlike “purely wellness” retreats, Mayr programs involve intensive medical supervision. Expect frequent check-ins with your dedicated physician (sometimes daily, and you can anyway email or call your Mayr doctor anytime during your program), and regular in-depth diagnostic testing.
This is necessary for the continuous adjustment of your treatment protocol based on your body's response: an essential characteristic of Modern Mayr Medicine. It recognizes the uniqueness of each and every guest, in the way his / her metabolism works.
Mindful Mastication
Learning to chew properly becomes an art form. The emphasis on thorough mastication (sometimes 30-40 chews per bite) isn't just about slowing down. It's about optimizing the first stage of digestion and promoting satiety. It's quite common to see guests realise that they experience satiety after just a few bites really well chewed.
Drinking is not part of the meals in Mayr medicine. But it is not a problem, as there is enough time to drink plenty of water and herbal tea outside of the meals.
Comprehensive Detoxification Support
The cleansing process is supported through multiple channels: herbal preparations, specialized baths with base powder, lymphatic treatments, and carefully designed movement protocols, all working synergistically to eliminate toxins.
Who Should Consider Mayr Medicine?
This intensive approach attracts a broad range of clients:
- Guests seeking to address chronic digestive issues
- Those with autoimmune conditions looking for integrative treatment approaches (some clients get their diabetes healed or at least stabilised)
- Patients looking for efficient medical programs to restore a fully functional metabolism, and optimal energy levels, after challenging times for their health: after surgery, after cancer treatments, following long COVID or other long-term or chronic conditions
- Individuals with metabolic challenges including weight management issues
- Anyone experiencing chronic fatigue or unexplained health concerns
- Preventive health seekers wanting to optimize their wellness foundation for the long term
- Those looking for transformative lifestyle change with medical support
How much does a Mayr cure cost?
Mayr medicine programs in the best wellness clinics represent a significant budget and time investment, but also a huge return on investment when you compare what it costs to cure gut health and reset the whole metabolism with other medicines, in particular in the United States or in the Middle East.
Most Mayr medicine programs run 10-14 days, with a few programs as short as 7 days (but guests often prolong their stay to 10 days), and some programs as long as 21 days.
Costs start in the 5000-6000€ range per person for 7 nights in VIVAMAYR or Buff Medical Resort, with entry-level room categories, and everything else included: Mayr food regime, consultations, programs, activities ...
This is costly, of course, but many guests view this as an investment in their long-term health. They also often return annually to maintain their health and condition: all the best Mayr clinics have more than 50% returning guests.
Is Mayr Medicine Right for You?
Consider Mayr medicine if you're ready for an intensive, medically-supervised approach to health that goes far beyond relaxation. This isn't a vacation. It's a medical program that requires commitment, openness to change, and willingness to invest significantly in your health.
The approach is particularly valuable for those who've struggled with conventional treatments for digestive issues, chronic fatigue, or metabolic challenges, as well as those seeking a scientifically-grounded foundation for optimal health.
Looking for a Mayr medicine retreat? Contact us today to discover which clinics and program best suit your goals.