Srinagar, Aug. 7 -- For most of my adult life, I've worked as a health professional. I've seen people walk into clinics with their shoulders sagging under weight that doesn't show up on scans.

It's stress, anxiety, and addiction caused by work, family, and often by a strange emptiness that settles in people who no longer feel connected to anything outside their screens.

To break this lifestyle jinx, seven years ago, I began walking into the mountains of Kashmir. At first, it was an escape. Now, it's something closer to devotion.

I've trekked to over 50 alpine lakes since 2018. Each one sits more than 3,000 meters above sea level, deep inside the folds of the Himalayas.

Some took ten hours to reach, others required days. Along the way,...