My earliest travel memories are of my mum taking me to meet my maternal grandma. It was a 4-hour bus ride then. Crowded, warm, sometimes I would get a seat of my own and sometimes it would be on her lap. The ride from the bus station to home would be a relief from the cramped bus. The food, stay and excitement of experiencing all things new would always light me up.

I have come a long way from those trips but what hasn’t changed is my fervour to experience the new. There was a period when I didn’t travel much and it dulled me and my personality. Since there were no supermarkets then, one could only eat locally grown fresh food and buy indigenous goodies that were hand crafted in the place one was visiting. Savouring each meal and experience was the only way to capture it forever in one’s memory.

The reason why I chose to write on this is courtesy my recent travel to yet another country. My recent travel brought me very close to defining what I had been feeling all those years through all my travel trips to many cities and countries and it is “healing”. Spending countless hours exploring nature, culture, architecture, bazaars, markets gave me a unique opportunity to do a digital detox along with eating fresh and local food, ample activity, absorbing the sun, sleeping well and breathing pure air. One cannot put a price to the amount of benefit that brings about in a person’s healing journey.

Your gut is balanced, the hormones start behaving themselves, the cellular functions get to do what they do best, the cortisol goes down, your skin brightens up, mood uplifts and an added bonus is that you even lose weight that the body doesn’t want to hoard anymore. The psychological impact is equally priceless. It’s like breathing life into your old jaded urban self.

I started exploring the reason to why this particular holiday felt so different than any other. The answers in a way, are obvious and simple.

As a health and wellness coach, I take care of every minute detail, the food I eat, the exercise I do, the sleep I get, the water I drink, the list is endless. But I also am at my desk for very long hours. I don’t step out in the sun as much as I should. Living in a country which doesn’t produce its own food, I depend on fruits, vegetables and meat being imported. My social life is restricted. My family is equally busy and we barely get any time with each other on most days. The holiday balanced it all. We got enough time to soak in everything that was missing. There is no pill or prescription to cure oneself of afflictions that one isn’t even aware of. But the moment the healing begins, you come to know the difference. It’s a feeling of wellness and well-being that cascades into your existence.

Are you saying that all this is good to read but one needs time and money to travel?

I would say it takes mindset to travel more than time and money. A lot of my friends have the time and money but they have no inclination, no drive, no interest or motivation to explore and experience. One can always be resourceful. Can’t take a vacation? Go for nature trails in your city. Can’t spend on a hotel? Reach out to a friend/relative who can spare a room. Can’t travel long distance? Pick a quiet, green neighbourhood and do a staycation. There is always a solution if you have the right question.

If you have a chronic illness, are frustrated, tired and bored of being sick, travel if you can. I highly recommend it. You will be amazed by the difference it can make in your healing journey. Certain issues that you have been feeling stuck with tend to open out with a new perspective and a new place.

Travel improves –

• Your immunity
• Your gut microbiome
• Your resilience
• Your depression and stress levels
• Your brain health
• Your heart health
• Your fitness
• Your life expectancy
• Your personality
• Your knowledge and respect for the planet

Still not convinced? Struggling with ideas with limited resources? Have a health issue but don’t know how to tackle it? Book a session with us today at www.ctrlaltzen.com.

You will be surprised that getting healthy can be so simple! Be better every day!