“I“If we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it in the most cutting-edge, most effective, bioavailable way,” Liz Swale told me as she gave me a tour of Alive & Well, a holistic wellness center that just opened inside Katy Trail’s bustling terminal. The 8,500-square-foot, two-floor space is a labyrinth of lavish modern aesthetics and soothing clean lines, with ultra-luxury equipment at every turn. From red-light beds to hyperbaric chambers, everything is a Ferrari of something. Billed as a “complete wellness ecosystem” and complete with an on-site pharmacy, Alive & Well may be Dallas’ most comprehensive functional medicine destination.
It’s been a long journey. Liz Swale and her husband, Michael, co-founded Alive & Well in 2019 in the Texas Hill Country. Michael’s father is the founder of People’s Rx, a pioneering independent pharmacy with storefronts around Austin. Michael first felt called to join the family business after witnessing the epidemic of poor health during his career on Wall Street. Now, Alive & Well is his own vision for the holistic health care that People’s Rx helped bring to Texas. This spring, they opened a more boutique version of the concept in Boulder, Colorado, but the Dallas Alive & Well, which has been in the works for over a year and finally opened on May 20, 2024, will be their largest yet.
Let’s take a closer look.
Frequency Dome
Alive and Well Dallas has many treatment rooms and areas, but the centerpiece is the Frequency Dome, a magnificent, rounded room where vibroacoustic therapy for arthritis, fibromyalgia, and anxiety is delivered, and the space is lavishly decorated. Walden Meditation mats for guided breathing classes and inHarmony Meditation Cushion Perfect for enjoying the solo vibe with headphones.
It’s a room for psychedelic experiences. “We’re hoping to bring in projectors and make it feel like a miniature version of the Sphere in Las Vegas,” Liz adds.
Dispensing Pharmacy/Functional Medicine Clinic
Like Peoples RX in Austin, Alive and Well compounds medications with alternative ingredients for patients with allergies or special needs and works closely with healthcare providers to ensure results are as safe and effective as possible.
The new Dallas pharmacy also specializes in hormone replacement therapy and pediatric care, and patients can learn more about these treatments by speaking at length with physicians at the Functional Medicine Clinic. Alive and Well offers testing for thyroid, food sensitivities, microbiome, mycotoxins and more to help you proactively address illnesses.
“We do every type of testing imaginable related to wellness and functional medicine,” Liz points out.
Infusion room
While the Frequency Dome may attract attention, the IV treatment room will undoubtedly be Alive & Well’s most popular spot (and one of the strongest reasons for membership). Luxurious reclining chairs are positioned against a glass wall overlooking the Katy Trail, where visitors can get a variety of IV treatments to target fatigue and inflammation, optimize gut health, and aid recovery. A menu of peptide-laden quick shots ($35 to $45) includes “Hair + Skin + Nails” and “Immunity & Mood.” IV drips start at about $200 for the “Classic” concoction and go up to $1,000 for the “Million Dollar Drip,” which features a custom mix of vitamins and minerals that Alive & Well likens to the Fountain of Youth.
Stop by during Happy Hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays (2pm-5pm) to get half-price vitamin shots and 30% off peptides, and there’s a thrill like no other as you watch passersby on the Katy Trail while relaxing and rejuvenating.
Aesthetics Room
One thing that sets the Dallas Alive & Well branch apart from the Austin flagship is the addition of cosmetic treatments such as lasers, Botox and fillers. One of the largest injectable drug markets in Japan. Other beauty treatments include Ionix medical-grade microcurrent facials, DermaShape lymphatic therapy and CryoStar face and body sculpting sessions.
Other wellness treatments from Alive and Well
Alive and Well’s halls are filled with endless specialist treatment spaces, including rooms for acupuncture, massage, a hyperbaric oxygen chamber (a whopping Sechrist 3600H), red light therapy and colonic hydrotherapy. In the lavishly appointed men’s and women’s locker rooms, you can relax in a sauna before soaking in the hot and cold tubs.
With so much available, it can be hard to know where to start. After a little research, it seems the “Dallas Day Pass” is the best way to dip your toe into Alive and Well’s wide range of healing modalities. For $59, the pass gives you access to the sauna in the locker room, the hot and cold pool, the Tranquility Lounge, and breathwork in the Frequency Dome. When you’re done, you can take a pilates or yoga class at the O2 Dallas. Afterwards, you’ll be able to grab a bite to eat at Chef Bruno Davaillon’s Le PasSage or sip a glass of wine at Rose Café.
