Unlike a pasta-heavy vacation in Tuscany, taking a holiday in Southeast Asia is a decision your body will actually thank you for. With all the delicious food you may be worrying about your waistline, but fear not. We’ve got five incredibly enticing and healthy reasons to spend your next holiday in the Cambodian tropics.
1. More sleep
Holidays are the perfect time to prioritize sleep. A busy life back at home for many of us means sleep takes a back seat to work and time with friends, but sleep deprivation wreaks havoc on our bodies. Not only does sleep loss cause stress hormones to spike, but it also tends to make us eat more and gain weight. Every single tissue in your body benefits from sleep. So forget the alarm clock when you’re on holiday. It is the best and easiest thing you can do to reset your mind and body.
2. It’s bathing suit weather 365 days per year
Cold weather means layers. And layers are a defense mechanism for anyone who may be body conscious. It can be easy to hide a few extra pounds under a cozy cashmere sweater, but that is a cover-up not a solution. Cambodia is no place for sweaters. All the best Siem Reap hotels have pools, and you’re going to want to dive right in. Warm weather and swim apparel are fantastic reminders to keep track of what you’re putting in your mouth.
3. Heat is a natural appetite suppressant
If you’re anything like us, all you want on a hot summer day is chilled gazpacho and an iced tea. When you’re hotter than hot, Traditional Chinese Medicine recommends eating your meals at regular intervals — but not necessarily cool foods. The difference in temperature between your environment and your gut can make your stomach and spleen work harder than they want to. Just remember to always listen to your body.
4. Drinking more water = staying full longer
Cambodia is a tropical country. By mid-morning you can assume it will be hot. You’ll have to make a conscious effort to stay hydrated and replace the water you lose in your sweat. A convenient side effect of drinking more water? You’ll trick your body into thinking you are full. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere, and drink a glass of water before each meal. You will feel full longer and the extra hydration will help your digestive system do its job more effectively.
5. No boring treadmill workouts
On holiday, we are more active than at home simply due to the fact that there is so much to do and see and so little time to squeeze it all in! Not only are we getting more exercise without noticing, but staying at a wellness retreat in Southeast Asia you have access to new and fun ways to get your heart pumping. Forget running on the treadmill until you’re so bored you want to cry. Let our wellness practitioners introduce you to the range of exercise classes and tropical wellness programs that might float your boat.
In addition to Southeast Asia having the perfect environment to promote healthy living, it also has a few things to teach us about eating well. Read here about the many ways a Cambodian diet is healthier than whatever you’ve been eating at home!
