Traveling Is Good For You!

I'll admit that I'm not the world's most outstanding health fanatic; I love sweets far too much. However, I do try to make decisions that are good for me and, as it turns out, traveling is healthy! For now let's ignore the terrifying reports you hear about strange parasites and kidnappings. We're talking about the act of going places and the effect it has on health.

The Los Angeles Times points out some interesting statistics on the issue:

• Women who vacationed every six years or less had a significantly higher risk of developing a heart attack or coronary death compared with women who vacationed at least twice a year.
• Men who did not take an annual vacation were shown to have a 20% higher risk of death and about a 30% greater risk of death from heart disease.
• Benefits of travel are almost immediate. After only a day or two, 89% of respondents saw significant drops in stress.
• The study also noted that 59% of Americans dream of traveling during their retirement, and that the most impactful trips are those spent with family and friends.

I'm quite broke at the moment, but I definitely planning on exploring the world (and hopefully it won't wait until I retire). I have my sights set on Asia. I'm going for my health--and for other reasons, too, of course!