Well-being

It’s relatively easy to maintain your fitness whilst you’re in the comfort of your own surroundings, with the local gym just down the road and a schedule of weekly fitness classes. Yet, when travelling for business, the disruption of your daily routine can leave many neglecting their health and fitness whilst away. With studies revealing the benefits of exercise for increased concentration and productivity, together with reduced stress levels and insomnia, maintaining your fitness can offer great perks when on a business trip or corporate wellness retreat. Here, we share some helpful hints on how you can stay fit and healthy on a wellness holiday, so that you can perform at your peak whilst travelling for business.

If you have a particular health issue that you just can’t shift after many attempts of trying different methods, then the answer could be in the hands of a detox holiday. People often go about their everyday lives suffering from low energy, stress or digestive problems. Discover just how much a detox retreat could solve all your health problems, simply by flushing out toxins that build up through a combination of things including poor diet and lack of exercise. Remember, you are what you eat so embrace the powers of detoxing and reap the rewards of feeling much lighter and more alert, with higher energy levels, good sleep pattern and weight loss as well having learnt invaluable advice about nutrition and detoxing.

The mind and body have an intimate bond – the way you think or feel can have a profound impact on your physical health. Your body has specific ways of responding to different emotions. When upset or under stress, your body reacts, telling you that something isn’t quite right. Call it evolutionary advantage; a physical manifestation waving a red flag when something inside you goes haywire. On the downside, when left unchecked, this opens us up to a number of health risks, with some more detrimental than others.

Of course, there’s always a way to cultivate and maintain a healthy emotional balance in our lives. Negative emotions cause negative effects in our bodies and in the same vein, good feelings and positive emotions have positive and therapeutic effects, with the potential to heal us and make us healthier and happier inside out. Diving deeper into the topic, we explore the mind-body connection and its relation to our health.

The mind and body have an intimate bond – the way you think or feel can have a profound impact on your physical health. Your body has specific ways of responding to different emotions. When upset or under stress, your body reacts, telling you that something isn’t quite right. Call it evolutionary advantage; a physical manifestation waving a red flag when something inside you goes haywire. On the downside, when left unchecked, this opens us up to a number of health risks, with some more detrimental than others.

Karsten Kroll is the resident yoga teacher at Paradis Plage, and has been practising yoga and contemporary dance for over 25 years, giving him deep of knowledge of form, technique and an appreciation for the grace, potential and limitations of the human body. The drive towards having the ability to focus on the present moment, of finding mind-body connection and to bring overall well-being, led Karsten to study with several yoga training schools in Bali and Morocco. Karsten has further developed his skills as a yoga teacher by learning Yin and Yang styles as well as Myofascial Ball Roll & Release. He invites his students to explore their potential through his classes.

Lyndall Mitchell

Lyndall Mitchell is Australia’s foremost wellness expert with more than 20 years leading the wellness sector in Australia. She is the Founder and CEO of Aurora Spa, the country’s award-winning urban spa that employs more than 100 staff. The spa is internationally renowned for treatments and products that maximize therapeutic benefits as well as delivering a sublime, restorative spa experience. Executive Wellbeing Coaching is a natural extension of her life experience in wellness. She offers her clients a deep knowledge of all aspects of wellbeing as well as insights gained from leading a fast-growth retail and wholesale business. 

Absolute Sanctuary, one of Thailand’s leading health retreats, has announced a new collection of innovative wellness programs to add to its award-winning portfolio.

Looking to escape the daily grind to achieve your personal well-being goals? Absolute Sanctuary, a hidden wellness haven nestled in the exotic island of Koh Samui, has you covered!  Renowned for their holistic approach, guests are guaranteed a total ‘mind, body and soul’ transformation, instilling invaluable life skills for a healthier and balanced lifestyle.

Aircrafts above us, cars next to us and building sites surrounding us; the modern urbanized world is overflowing with noise pollution that is destructive to our health and well-being. It is therefore no surprise that people long for silence and tranquillity to bring clarity to their lives. The thought of spending time in complete silence, as you sometimes would on a meditation retreat, can seem intimidating and daunting at first; but if you familiarize yourself with the topic, you will discover how useful and important this is for modern society.

Tell us about the resort – what makes Aphrodite Hills so special?

Aphrodite Hills Golf and Spa Resort is a luxury 5-star resort nestled in the hills above Paphos and overlooking the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Aphrodite Hills also proudly boasts the best golf course in Cyprus, making it the perfect destination for a golf break.

The new Kamalaya Embracing Change programme will be Kamalaya’s 12th wellness programme (in addition to their detox, stress & burnout, healthy lifestyle and yoga options). The first of Kamalaya’s wellness programmes to focus on exploring your inner self, Kamalaya’s meditation & life enhancement mentors will tailor up to five sessions alongside carefully selected treatments to help support and ease life challenges and transitions.

Now that the holiday festivities are over, there’s never been a better time to reassess your fitness goals and go on a healthy escape. This year, reveal a brand new you as you kick-start your metabolism on these fitness retreats set in the world’s most stunning locations. From a tropical paradise in Koh Samui to the breath-taking French Alps, these destinations are jam-packed with activities all geared to get you in great shape. Fill your schedule with a slate of outdoor adventures and exciting group classes and then refuel with mouth-watering healthy cuisine to complement your fitness journey. Cap off the day with some pampering at the spa or in-room massage for the ultimate recovery before dozing off in your very own private luxury villa.

Countries around the globe are opening to the LGBTQ community. With Australia being the latest example to legalise same-sex marriage, many other countries used the past years to work on a more open-minded environment to make LGBTQ travellers feel welcomed and secure.

The key to life-long well-being is a healthy lifestyle; so adopt healthy habits and live longer.  Here are some top tips:

Tell us about the resort – what makes Santani special?

Santani is a relatively new architect-designed property built on 120 acres of former tea plantation and owned and run by Sri Lankans in central Sri Lanka, about five hours by car from Colombo (you can also take a seaplane to Kandy, which would be a great way to arrive). The last part of the drive, from Kandy, is on a climbing, winding mountain road. You can’t even see the resort until you’re there, that’s how tucked away it is.

Of the most common excuses men and women use for not exercising 'lack of time' is possibly the worst. You can try justifying your excuse with a hectic job or demanding family life, but in reality there is always time for exercise; you just have to be willing to find it.

Mario Sella

Mario Sella, Wellness Manager at Ti Sana, Italy, grew up with a passion for science and physical activity that has led him to his role today. His childhood interest developed into an academic qualification, gaining a degree in food science and technology. A qualified personal trainer, Mario also studied and now teaches ancient oriental disciplines such as Qi Cong and Wushu-Kung Fu. Using his knowledge of nutrition and fitness, Mario oversees diagnostic tests, physical activity and, of course, nutritional plans to help guests at Ti Sana achieve their health and wellness goals.

Every year on Valentine's Day, our thoughts turn to relationships and so the longtime debate lives on—is it better to be married or single? Some say married life can be more meaningful, but others say singletons have all the fun. While the answer undoubtedly hinges on the individual, science has, time and again, weighed in through copious research to measure whether one is better than the other, at least for your health. When it comes right down to long-term well-being, which of the two paths fare better?

Say thanks to Mum by giving her the gift she deserves this Mother's Day. Allow her to relax, unwind and be pampered with one of our luxurious healthy spa breaks, she can choose from a range of spa treatments with unlimited access to state of the art spa facilities and group exercise classes. Choose from various healthy holiday destinations from the UK to Spain, with tranquil rejuvenating breaks in the English countryside to a mountain active spa break in Portugal. Our Mother's Day gift ideas are the perfect way to show Mum how much you really care.

Chocolates, flowers and breakfast in bed are the standard Mother’s day presents, but why not do something different to show your appreciation and spoil Mum with one of our luxury spa breaks. We share with you our top 5 choices for a relaxing wellness break at one of our many destinations, all of which include luxurious spa treatments sure to please. From the beautiful Hunter Valley to the lush tropical climates of Thailand, our suggestions are sure to inspire you; the hardest part will be choosing which one you to take Mum on.