It’s June and that means summer is right around the corner. Typically, doctors visits decline during the summer months and spike during the fall/winter months. However, as the last few years have taught us, it is important to stay on top of your health all year long. Here are a few tips to stay happy and healthy this summer.
Stay hydrated
Drink plenty of water! It’s important to aim for about half of your body weight in ounces of water per day. That is, if you weigh 150lb, then aim for about 75 ounces of water daily. This is just an estimate. You may require more water if you are sweating more. A good way to tell if you’re hydrated is to look at your urine. Chances are if it is super dark yellow or brown, you’re pretty dehydrated. Aim for a nice pale yellow, not clear, but a lighter shade of yellow is the sweet spot.
Eat your greens
Barbeques, summer nights out, family gatherings…it’s easy to get off your typical eating patterns during the summer. The summer should be filled with plenty of fruits and vegetables to ensure you are getting nutrients and antioxidants. My favorite way to pick organic vegetables that are in season is to head to the farmers market and pick up my weekly groceries. Continue to aim for roughly 6 cups of organic vegetables a day.
Stay grounded
The winter months are a great way to hibernate and work on yourself and goals. The summers tend to be more hectic with more going on, but that does not mean you have to give up your self-care routines. Continue to manage stress with healthy habits and take care of yourself. If that means saying no to something, then that is okay. Take a moment each day to check in with yourself and see what you need. Read my last post on “6 Steps to Creating a Solid Morning Routine” if you need motivation for creating and maintaining a self-care routine.
Get plenty of sunshine
The sun is healing! It’s been shown to be antimicrobial, aid in sleep and stress management, and regulate cortisol levels. Soak up the sunshine while it is out, but do so in a healthy way. Be sure to wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Choose a broad spectrum coverage and aim for one that is zinc oxide based without added chemicals, especially benzene.
Take care of your immune system
The “winter bugs” may be gone, but we still have summer colds and flus. Continue to stay on top of your immune health by eating plenty of vegetables, eating whole foods, avoiding processed foods, limit alcohol intake, keep sugar intake to a minimum, lower stress, and take supplements like vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and other immune boosting nutrients.
Be mindful of alcohol intake
With all of the summer parties and barbeques, it is important to keep alcohol intake in check. High alcohol intake can lead to weight gain, lower immune system, insulin resistance, and much more. Be mindful of how much you are drinking and be sure to add in water in between drinks. Additionally, try to limit sugary drinks and aim for clear alcohol with sugar free bases like soda water.
Keep moving
Exercise and daily movement are critical to stress management, lowering inflammation, strengthening the immune system, weight management, and energy. Although the heat and humidity will rise, it is vital to continue to get in movement. I recommend working out in the morning before the heat rises and monitoring temperatures if working out outside. Take this time to explore other forms of exercise and water activities, such as swimming or paddleboarding. This can be a fun time to include the whole family and shake up your workout routines.
If you’d like more support on staying healthy this summer and beyond, I’d love to work with you! You can schedule a free consult with me and we can start optimizing your health right away!
