Health Benefits of Timeshare

November 2005

A Healthy Resolution
By Geri Bain (Endless Vacation Extra)

Family physician and avid traveler Dr. Mel Borins often jokes that he should open a travel service as part of his medical practice. The author of Go Away Just for the Health of It and An Apple a Day, Borins says that he's seen tremendous improvement in the physical and emotional health of his patients after vacations.

"Preventative breaks are vitally important to health," says Borins - a conclusion drawn from a number of studies.

This doctor practices what he preaches, taking about six weeks of vacation a year. Two of those weeks are usually spent in Hawaii, where Borins recently bought a week at an RCI-affiliated timeshare resort.

"I knew that if I made an investment in it, I'd be committed," says Borins, citing recent research showing that timeshare owners take longer and more frequent vacations than the general population.

Rx: Travel

Make time for vacations.
Disconnect from work while you're away.
Use your vacations to reconnect with yourself, family, or friends.
Bring back souveniers and photos to relive the good vacation feelings.
Start thinking about your next vacation now.

Research also shows an association between frequent vacations and a reduced risk of developing heart disease.

Another benefit of vacationing for Borins has been forging a better understanding of his three children. "Spending 24 hours a day together without the obligations of everyday life, you get to know your kids a bit better, although getting away together is harder now that they're grown," he notes.

More important than where is that you leave the everyday world behind. He asserts, "Vacations should be a time to recharge your batteries, reevaluate your goals, and reconnect with your loved ones. I don't carry a cell phone when I travel, and while I have a contact person at my office, my policy with work and family is that no news is good news."
To ease the transition back home, Borins always plans a special treat - a massage or a sporting event - when he returns. He also keeps a diary and takes lots of pictures while on vacation. "Souvenirs, my diary, and photos help keep the good feelings alive when I return. And I begin planning my next vacation right away," he says.

"Taking a vacation is one of the best ways I know to break the pattern of daily stress. I always come back from my vacations feeling refreshed, recharged, more creative, more balanced, and enthusiastic about my life."

His advice: "Plan your vacation now. Don't wait until you face a serious illness to make you slow down - go away, just for the health of it!"

Geri Bain has heeded the doctor's advice; she's just booked her next vacation, a family reunion in Florida.
For more information on Dr. Mel Borins and to order his books, visit www.melborins.com.

About RCI
RCI is a global provider of leisure travel services to businesses and consumers, and the worldwide leader in vacation exchange. As a growth partner to its business clients, RCI leverages core competencies in exchange/barter networks, business partnering and travel currency to build membership in travel and unlock the value of leisure assets in vacation ownership, real estate, hospitality, travel and tourism, and with affinity groups. RCI is a subsidiary of Cendant Corp.