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Finding Calm at Antalee Wellness Center & Spa

Mar 26, 2014 ● By Maddy O'connell

Aneta Arutcheva

Living holistically had always appealed to Aneta Arutcheva, even when she worked in the financial industry. Health issues about 14 years ago forced her to look at how her lifestyle was affecting her mentally and physically. A friend recommended a macrobiotic way of eating and a lifestyle that included yoga, meditation and spiritual self-improvement seminars. After noticing the positive benefits, Arutcheva was hooked and ready for a change.

“I went to macrobiotic school for a month in Massachusetts, where I learned how to cook properly,” says Arutcheva. She returned energized and ready to open up a health food restaurant, but after brainstorming with a friend that is a naturopathic doctor, she realized she could offer the community more resources than just food. Eight years ago, she opened Antalee Wellness Center & Spa, in Glenview, with her mother, Dr. Alla Arutcheva, who offers naturopathic services at the center.

Arutcheva, her mother and 10 well-trained spa practitioners welcome clients to the center and spa to receive services including massages, skin care and body treatments in seven treatment rooms.

Most of the spa practitioners use natural and organic products. Arutcheva especially loves the Zoya line of nail colors because they are not only beautiful, but they don’t contain any toxic chemicals, she says. In addition to the services, a full line of products used during the treatments can be purchased onsite or online.

Antalee Wellness Center  Spa GlenviewFood continues to play an important role for Arutcheva. Her father, Gary, does all of the cooking for the spa and prepares salads, sandwiches and cooked vegetables for their guests. “Even people who don’t like healthy food love his dishes,” she says. “It’s because of the way he cooks it. He doesn’t use a lot of spices, just healthy and fresh ingredients with a little bit of vinegar, goji berry, brown rice, buckwheat, things like that. And lots of love. They are delicious.”

Everything he prepares is from scratch, without any additives, sugar or dairy. Further, she adds, “It’s all gluten-free.” Particularly popular are the turkey patty and the turnovers, and many of the dishes can be prepared vegan or vegetarian.

There are a handful of tables in the Café, which is open from noon to 3 p.m. when the spa is open, but diners can call Gary to order food and pick it up by 6 p.m. “Clients call and pick up meals on their way home,” Arutcheva says. “Even if you’re in a hurry, you don’t have to go through a fast food drive-through. You can still eat healthy.” Her mother is just as active in the Wellness Center & Spa, concentrating mostly on naturopathic services.

Another of the Center’s biggest assets is her colleague, Seldar. According to Arutcheva, he is a naturally gifted healer who helps people translate the language of their body to the mind by explaining the cause of their bodily symptoms. “During the session, Seldar communicates on the cellular level, and through that communication brings peace between body and the mind, resulting in great improvement in one’s health and emotional balance,” she explains.

Antalee Wellness Center  Spa GlenviewIt may come as a surprise for many to hear that despite the 14 years of attending schools on natural healing and amassing enough certificates to cover an entire wall, Arutcheva doesn’t practice professionally these days. “I’m choosing to put my knowledge to use and listen to my body,” she explains. What does that mean exactly? “It’s very hard to quiet the mind,” she clarifies. “There is a lot of mind chatter. It’s about making a body and mind connection.”

That’s not to say she isn’t active at the Wellness Center & Spa. Rather than providing treatments, Arutcheva takes more of a guidance role. “I advise people along their journey toward becoming healthier,” she says. “I help them to devise a treatment plan. For example, if they are having digestive issues, I’d recommend seeing my mother, who can provide them a whole body check-up and provide recommendations.”


To learn more about Aneta Arutcheva and Antalee Wellness Center & Spa, located at 1834 Glenview Rd., in Glenview, call 847- 486-1130 or visit Antalee.com.

Megy Karydes will be speaking about Next-Level Marketing on a Budget at the annual American Society of Journalists and Authors conference in NYC later this month. Learn more at KarydesConsulting.com.