Stay Healthy….. Travel!
By Bob & Sandy Nesoff
In an increasingly sedentary society people have become insular and along with that a wide variety of ills have befallen society. Obesity, diabetes, memory loss and a host of other maladies are the gift to those who simply don’t get out and do things.
There are some who are in the periphery of the medical profession who claim that by waving their hands over your body they can cure most anything, even some forms of cancer. Snake oil salesmen used the same tactic years ago.
Television today has such a variety of interesting programs that too many people use it as an alternative to getting up off the couch, going some where and doing something…anything.
It’s been a proven fact that people who are active are, as a rule, healthier, happier and even live longer. Their minds aren’t molding and their interest level for life pushes them to move forward.
Surveys have been taken by a variety of organizations that back up this theory. Most of them are funded by interested travel organizations and, as a result, have a degree of skepticism about the results.
Here’s a new take on that. Road Scholar, a non-profit organization that aims at people in their mid-50s and up has conducted an on-line national survey of more than 1,000 men and women 55 and older.
The finding was an overwhelming 85% felt that travel actually helped extend life. Of that number 74% said that travel was very important in maintaining mental acuity
When this age group was active in their school years physical education was an important part of the curriculum. As education became more and more complicated some subjects were cut to make room for more “modern” educational activities. PT went. So did geography. Writing in script was no longer necessary.
Why do all that when a computer was always at hand. If not a computer, watch the younger generation with thumbs whisking across the keyboard of a smart phone. In all probability in the not to distant future thumbs will have evolved to two or three times the size they are today. Things like that happen. The body has an appendix but it serves no useful purpose except to help a surgeon pay for his travel expenses.
Roads Scholar says that: “The concept of learning as an age-based activity for children and young adults is being replaced by a philosophy of the benefits of lifelong learning-an approach to education that is not just school-based, but experiential, social and intellectual and continuing throughout the course of a person’s life. For many, travel is an ideal way to continue learning new things no matter the age.”
The non-profit noted: “Perhaps the best reason to see the world came from a 90-year-old traveler, Irma Cohen. She said that by her own calculations she’ll have to live six more years to amortize the cost of her driver’s license, passport and Global Entry card. She’s now planning her next trip.”
Many cruise lines today cater to the 50+ crowd. They’ve found this age group to be active, interested in seeing new things and traveling to new places. Get on board the ship at its home port and spend days visiting new societies, meeting new people and exciting cultures.
The river cruise lines such as the number one ranked Uniworld and following not far behind, Viking River Cruises generally have an older clientele. Not only because there in more discretionary income, but because they are healthier and far more active than their parents were. One cruiser commented: “For my parents heavy activity was a rousing game of canasta.” That person has traveled throughout Europe, Africa, cruised in China and Europe, places his parent never thought of going to.
In the words of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain): “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindedness,” That quote is used at the end of every TV show featuring Joseph Rosendo who is a prime example of travel shaping the mind and by extension, health.
So get off your duff and get out there.