TRAVELING TO FRANCE COULD MAKE YOU HEALTHIER
I would venture to say that most people are drawn to things that are beautiful and overall aesthetically pleasing. I mean, I myself am a glutton for great design, architecture and beautiful mixes of shapes, patterns and colors in everything from homewares, to clothing and landscapes alike! But, let me say, I never knew the extent of true and natural beauty until I started traveling and came upon the beauty that is France! That’s right, you read correctly, I said France!
Now, if you are like most people, your mind most likely went immediately to images of the Eiffel Tower and the famous City of Light, Paris. And while Paris is beautiful and entrancing in its own right, that is not what I was referring to. My mind was conjuring up the sites, sounds and smells of the South of France! The gorgeously delicious landscapes of the famous French Riviera and the true hidden gem of the country, Provence!
A finding in a study conducted on nature therapy found that “individuals who interacted with green spaces reported to be more energetic, in good overall health, and have more of a sense of meaningful purpose in life.”
When I first visited this area of France, I could not have ever known the impact that it would play in my life in so many ways, but particularly my health and well being, of all things! Sounds a bit “crunchy” or hipsterish, right? And I get it, but that couldn’t be further from the case!
PHOTO: CLAIRE EYOS
PHOTO: CLAIRE EYOS
PHOTO: CLAIRE EYOS
PHOTO: CLAIRE EYOS
There is definitely more to your health than the number on the scale. As society begins to shift focus from weight loss to overall health there has been more emphasis placed on holistic health and wellness. Which is right up our alley here at Curated Health! One aspect of the foundational teachings of Curated Health is our connection with our environment. Every environment that we dwell, both our immediate personal space and outside environments that we experience (work places, landscapes, dining experiences, etc.) factor into our overall health. And indeed, traveling to a beautiful and natural location like the South of France and Provence, France, can go a long way to boosting your health.
STRESS RELIEF
Stress is not something that we attempt to tackle when we think of bettering our health, but it does have a major impact on our overall health and well being. Stress can impact our overall mental state and lead to unnecessary weight gain or reduced weight loss.
When we travel we are able to disconnect and most importantly reset. When you finally make it to your destination its as if you can breath once again!
A 2018 study, shared that a four-day holiday had several positive impacts on the travelers’ well-being and perceived stress. The best part is that they found it did not just last for the time spent on the trip but these benefits lasted for as long as 45 days there after.
It has been my experience that after returning from a holiday vacation I am more relaxed and don’t internalize issue as I did prior to leaving, thereby not bring undue stress on my system.
INCREASED CREATIVITY
Our brains are literally wired to be sensitive to change. Creativity, as it relates and is recognized in our brains is directly associated with our abilities to form new connections and when we change our environment we actually formulate new neural pathways, which thereby enhance our creativity!
A professor at Columbia Business School has investigated the link between creativity and international travel. He has found that, “foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and intergrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections…”
The professor goes on to say it is not just enough to travel internationally however, once you are abroad you must be purposeful about engaging. Something that resonates so with me and an underlying reason I decided to create luxury wellness experiences in France, which do just that for participants.
HAPPINESS + SATISFACTION
At the end of the day when we strip it all back what we want is to be happy in this life of ours.
The interesting thing about travel is that the happiness and satisfaction bubble does not kick in when you get to the destination, but it actually begins during the anticipation of it all! Simply being in preparation of jetting off away from your normal routine can improve your mood. In fact, a study conducted at Cornell University concluded that we get more happiness from the anticipation of our travel experience compared with that of the anticipation of purchasing a new possession.
How amazing is that! So planning a trip, especially one that is overseas can really give you a bang for your buck! And think about it, what if you didn’t even have to plan, all you had to do was show up? So literally joining in on something like our luxury wellness experience in France, can do nothing but keep you on cloud 9 up until and well after take off!
HEART HEALTH
Travel has recently been linked to the decrease in the risk of heart attack! Not something that we want to think about, but the fact remains that heart disease is on the rise among women and is starting to affect women in younger age groups in a rapid pace. According to a study conducted research has shown us that women who vacation had significantly higher risks of developing heart issues compared to those who vacationed at least twice a year.
So, in an effort to protect your heart health and longevity, it seems that would be imperative to begin to look into your vacation options…like, now!
