Next Health Montecito

For Zahra Salisbury, owner of Next Health Montecito, longevity isn’t about living longer, it’s about living fuller

By Maddy Sims

Photography Ryan Mayo

When was the last time you felt truly happy? In the rush of modern life, it's easy to settle into a passive existence—going through the motions, forgetting what actual joy feels like.

The first thing I notice about Zahra Salisbury, founder of Next Health Montecito, is that she radiates enthusiasm. With glowing skin, a bright smile, and an energy that you can physically feel, she embodies the very concept of vitality.

We stroll through her newly-opened clinic, a space that feels more like a luxury retreat than a medical facility. The IV stations resemble a first-class lounge, and the sleek cryotherapy and hyperbaric chambers are spacious and inviting. Though the clinic has only been open a couple of weeks, Salisbury seems completely at ease. There’s something magnetic about her presence. She’s just...happy.

Zahra Salisbury

And if you ask her, that’s the whole point. “Wellness, to me, is waking up and feeling excited about life,” she says as we settle into her office. “It’s moving through your day with ease and grace. Just feeling good.” In an industry obsessed with scientific jargon, it’s rare to hear someone speak so plainly about joy. Salisbury’s approach to longevity reframes it not as a chase for biohacked perfection, but a pursuit of well-being—equal parts physical and emotional. In a space that can lean into rigidity and all-or-nothing thinking, her outlook feels refreshingly human. “I still enjoy my glass of wine. Bettina pizza is my favorite,” she says. “I’m never going to be someone who cuts everything out of my diet.” Balance isn’t just a word Salisbury tosses around. It’s a philosophy she lives by.

Her approach to wellness is built from years of curiosity and study. She trained in nutrition, only to find much of what she’d learned (no fat, low-carb) flat-out wrong. So she kept going—diving into research, speaking with experts, and testing methods herself. The result? A daily routine that’s both evidence-based and grounded in real life.

“I try not to look at my phone first thing. That’s the best time to meditate,” she says. Salisbury starts each day with a 20-minute meditation in front of a red light panel, followed by coffee, gratitude journaling, and grounding outdoors. “Having your feet touch the earth is important. It’s simple but powerful.” Then comes movement. “Women need to build muscle especially as we get older,” she says. “All the chemicals that fight disease reside in your muscles.” She lifts weights three to four times a week and supplements with HIIT on her Peloton, citing research on VO₂ max workouts. Though the list may sound extensive, Salisbury’s full morning routine only takes about 90 minutes. Food plays a central role in this strategy, and like everything else, it’s about realism. “I’m a big believer that food is medicine,” she says. She focuses on greens and protein—salads, smoothies, real whole foods—and avoids the ultra-processed. Her midday and evening wellness practices often include tools now housed at her clinic—IV therapy, cryotherapy, contrast therapy, and even working from the hyperbaric oxygen chamber once a week.

Salisbury’s passion for longevity deepened during her own experience with perimenopause. She knew something was off internally, but her doctor dismissed her concerns. She got a DUTCH test on her own, which confirmed her suspicions. Her hormone levels were low, but when she brought that to her doctor, they said she had no symptoms and wouldn’t treat her.

Salisbury then went to a functional medicine practitioner, who agreed she needed hormone therapy. The shift in her health was immediate. “I feel so fortunate,” she says. “I never had to experience the hot flashes or mood swings so many women go through because I was ahead of it.” While Salisbury says traditional medicine is important and needed, her own experience showed her sometimes you have to dig deeper. It fueled her mission to empower others with the information they need to take care of themselves.

A Vancouver native, Salisbury first encountered Dr. Darshan Shah (founder of Next Health) when organizing an event for Young Presidents’ Organization. He spoke about baseline biomarker testing and proactive health strategies. “I remember thinking that this is what I want to do,” Salisbury says. When NextHealth launched its franchise model, she and her husband leapt at the opportunity to open one in Montecito, where they’ve been part-time residents for over a decade. “It’s the trifecta—it’s something I’m passionate about, it’s something that’s profitable, and it’s something that’s good for the world,” she says.

The soft launch of Next Health Montecito was met with enthusiasm from the community. “There are a lot of people in Montecito who are very health-conscious and understand our philosophy, which is that we take care of ourselves,” she explains. “We don’t just wait until we’re sick. We’re into proactive care.”

Salisbury lights up when talking about what’s next, not just for the clinic, but for the community it’s building. She envisions more: local partnerships, community events, perhaps even a members-only wellness club. But at the heart of it is her goal to help people feel their best. It’s about what works for each individual, because Salisbury knows health isn’t one-size-fits-all. “Everyone’s different,” she says. “That’s why biomarker testing is so important. It takes the guesswork out. You can see what your body actually needs.” Annual baseline testing is included in the clinic’s membership for that very reason.

Despite what longevity marketing might suggest, Salisbury’s not trying to live forever. “I’m not one of those people who wants to live to 140,” she says. “I just want my health span to equal my lifespan.” That means being able to hike, dance, and laugh until the end. Not years spent managing medications and missing out.

At Next Health Montecito, that path doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It’s about small, sustainable changes and the freedom to approach it at your own pace. Don’t like needles? Skip the IV and try a vitamin shot instead. Nervous about the hyperbaric chamber? A front desk member will stay on the walkie-talkie while you’re inside. “Wellness and longevity are actually very accessible,” she says. “We have great people here to explain everything.”

As I leave the clinic, I feel noticeably lighter. I realize I’m still smiling. That’s the thing about happiness—it’s contagious and cathartic. My visit with Salisbury reminds me that longevity isn’t just about how we measure a life well-lived, it’s how we feel it.