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There's no question about it: Vacations are good for your
health. Studies have shown that taking time off from work can improve
cardiovascular health, mental health, and sleep patterns. But while regular
vacations of any kind might make you live longer, not all getaways are created
equal. An all-inclusive calorie fest on the beach, for example, obviously isn't
as good for you as backpacking across Europe. (The former may involve bad
eating habits and sun exposure, while the latter will likely include more
physical activity and mental stimulation.) Below are our top healthy vacation
options so you really reap the benefits of your time away.
Yoga Retreat
Yoga can provide meaningful benefits for both body and mind,
and resorts are increasingly catering to vacationers who want to practice their
downward dog on vacation.
"In general you're going to have increased flexibility,
better strength, better stability, and better sleep (which is true for all
exercise), and meditation tends to reduce blood pressure and stress," says
Dr. Natalie Nevins, Medical Director of the Amrit Davaa Wellness Center in
Hollywood, California and a certified yoga instructor. "All of those lead
to that increased blood flow from exercise, and decreased cortisol levels that
help with weight loss. Our heart needs to be healthy and our brain needs
to be healthy, and yoga and meditation can help with both of those."
Dr. Nevins warns that those new to yoga should ease their way
into an exercise program and begin gently, as starting with a boot camp-style
retreat may cause injury. For those who do their research and pick a yoga
retreat suited to their ability level, yoga is "a great way to have a
wonderful vacation and jump start a healthy lifestyle and exercise
program."
We recommend:
- Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat in the Bahamas
- Laluna Hotel in Grenada
- The BodyHoliday, LeSport, St. Lucia
- Haramara Retreat in Sayulita, Mexico
A New Cultural Experience
All travel is good for the brain, according to Dr. Paul
Nussbaum, President of the Brain Health Center. "When your brain is
confronted or stimulated by something new or complex, the brain cells kind of
rejoice with that," he says. "When we travel, we plop our brain down
into an environment and it's a bit complicated for us, and the brain. We're
promoting increased cellular connections, and this may lead to a decrease
in dementia."
The best vacations for brain health are the ones where you're
not just relaxing, but immersing yourself in a new place and culture. "If
we're just sitting on a beach, which I love to do, and we're watching the
grandiosity of nature, and we're kind of chilling, that's really good for the
brain. But if we can add to that some of these other things such as eating new
and healthy foods, meeting new and interesting people, trying some new things
such as exploring the town, that's going to be A-plus."
So if you're deciding between sitting on the beach or exploring
a labyrinthine European city, it might be a good idea to opt for
the latter. A famous study showed that London taxi drivers have
larger than average memory centers in their brains, as a result of their
experience navigating London's maze-like streets. "It's additional
evidence that maze learning and navigating the space around us, and therefore
travel, is very good for the brain. When we go to work we tend to use the
same route. It's very low process. If you go to a different part of the
world you're going to be using a different part of your brain that's more health
promoting," Nussbaum says.
We recommend:
- Hotel Catalonia Catedral in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter
- Riad Noir d'Ivoire in Marrakech's Medina
Hot Springs Getaway
Hot springs waters have long been used for their healing
properties, and many believe they can help treat arthritis, skin conditions,
fibromyalgia, and musculoskeletal diseases, among other ailments. Though
firm conclusions can't be drawn from available scientific research, studies
have shown that hot springs may be truly helpful
with rheumatological diseases in particular. Hot springs hospitals
have even been established in Europe and Japan. "It's a medical
benefit, it's a therapeutic benefit, it's relaxing, it's soothing and you feel
so much better if you have a hot springs bath," Dr. Patricia
Erfurt-Cooper, co-author of "Health and Wellness Tourism: Spas and Hot
Springs," says. "Even if it doesn't help you, it makes you feel
better."
At the very least, hot springs can help lower stress, and Dr.
Erfurt-Cooper also notes that being in a natural environment "helps people
spiritually as well sometimes. Hot springs have been used for religious
purposes and cultural purposes, and they have a cleansing effect." It
is worth noting that pregnant women, especially those in their first trimester,
may want to limit their exposure, as some research indicates that hot springs
may cause neural-tube defects in the fetus.
We recommend:
- Tabacon Grand Spa Thermal Resort in Costa Rica
- The hot springs hotels in Saturnia, Italy
Cycling Vacation
Since cycling is a form of exercise, a cycling vacation is an
easy, fun way to stay active on vacation. "There’s nothing quite like
traveling in a new destination on a bicycle because of the way that a bike ride
can magnify the sights, sounds, and smells of your surroundings,"
says Gregg Marston, President of VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations,
which offers 50 bicycling and walking tours in 26 countries. "You’re able
to go at your own pace and stop at any point to take a photo, explore a
historical site in more detail, even look around a locally owned shop and
strike up a conversation with its proprietor."
And the health benefits are clear. "A biking or walking
vacation lowers health risks, including many types of cancers, high blood
pressure, depression levels, and diabetes," he says. "Preventive
Medicine found that people who cycled frequently benefitted from improved
mental well-being."
We recommend:
- Aparthotel Duva & Spa in Majorca
- The Velotel Brugge in Bruges
Mediterannean Escape
No one wants to diet on vacation -- but if you travel to a
destination where heart-healthy foods are an integral part of the culture, you might
end up eating healthily merely by accident. Destinations in the Mediterranean,
such as the Amalfi Coast and the Cyclades (which include Santorini and
Mykonos), are ideally suited for kickstarting a Mediterranean diet rich in
fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fish. According to the Mayo Clinic website, a
Mediterranean diet has shown to reduce the risk of death from heart disease and
cancer.
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