What You Should Embrace For the A Healthy Summer Ahead
After being stuck inside all winter, the temptation to throw ourselves into summer activities and begin creating beautiful memories can be all too overwhelming. As much as we’d like to revel the feeling of freedom summer bestows, turning the season into one long vacation can cause us to neglect our health and wellness.
We encourage you to rethink your summer this year and turn it into a season of improvement for your overall well-being. Before you hit the beach or indulge at a summer barbecue, write down a list of everything you want to accomplish this summer. Include new places to visit, foods to try, people to meet, and things to experience. Return to this list throughout the summer to check off everything you’ve accomplished. Your summer is full of possibilities, and having a list of personal goals will help you make the most of it!
While the list is unique to you, we have a list of our own to help you along your summer wellness journey. Here are 9 healthy tips to keep you glowing inside and out all summer long:
BEWARE OF TRENDY SUMMER DIETS
Breezy sun dresses and colorful bikinis have us all craving out sexy summer bodies, but don’t be tricked by any of those so-called “healthy” products or “quick” weight loss solutions. Weight loss is a process and a journey with no “quick fixes,” no matter how promising those advertisements seem. Sure, you may drop a few pounds of water weight during that seven-day juice cleanse, but it will leave you hungry and cranky and the weight loss won’t be maintained. If you want a summer-ready body, be mindful of the foods you nourish your body with and schedule regular exercise into your weekly routine. You’ll feel confident in your bikini body with a little patience and dedication.
Add some diced pineapple and mango to your water bottle before heading out or impress your barbecue guests with unique flavors like blackberry and sage or strawberry and basil.
ENJOY SUMMER’S HARVEST
Produce is at its peak in the summer, so take advantage of all the fresh fruits and vegetables found at your local farmer’s market. Summer vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini and green beans are incredibly versatile, making them the perfect addition to any meal. Antioxidant-rich summer fruits will help you kick your addiction to sugary sodas and energy drinks when used to flavor water. Add some diced pineapple and mango to your water bottle before heading out or impress your barbecue guests with unique flavors like blackberry and sage or strawberry and basil.
SAVOR THE SUN + EAT YOUR SUNSCREEN
Go ahead and bask in the sun, it’s a free and abundant source of Vitamin D! Just remember that too much of the sun’s UV rays can be harmful, so you’ll want to put up some defenses. Choosing an anti-inflammatory diet filled with natural ingredients high in omega-3s and health fats like avocados and flax seeds can help prevent against sunburn. Plus, there are plenty of fantastic options of organic sunscreens when you’ll be in the sun all day. (visit our page with previous articles) These formulas are free of the harmful chemicals and toxins found in conventional formulas that invade your body and counteract the sun’s health benefits.
Invest in a reusable water bottle and carry it around with you, so you have no excuse not to hydrate.
HYDRATE MORE THAN EVER
Every cell in your body needs water to function properly, and even more so during the summer when hot weather and sweat zap extra moisture from your body. Invest in a reusable water bottle and carry it around with you, so you have no excuse not to hydrate. Also, look into fun apps like Plant Nanny to track how much you drink or upgrade to Hidrate Spark, a water bottle that syncs up with your smart phone and does the counting for you.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO GET DIRTY + PREBIOTICS ARE IN
Summer afternoons spent rolling around in the grass and dirt might not be the worst thing! Studies are now showing that many of the antibacterial products we are exposed to every day are weakening our immune system. The harsh chemicals found in antibacterial soaps and cleaning products prevent our bodies from building antibodies needed to kill everyday bacteria. Balance in the most important thing for building up immunity, so put the hand sanitizer down and start digging in the dirt! Also, grab the newest supplement to be trending in supplement stores, prebiotics. It is actually the fertilizer for the good bacteria that is already there where probiotics introduce the good bacteria to your gut!
WALK THROUGH YOUR MEDITATION
Slow down your daily routine to really appreciate the beautiful summer weather and get in tune with yourself. Next time you’re out running errands, take a breath and indulge in a walking meditation. Notice how your body feels as it moves through the air and your surroundings. Turn your attention to the sounds that come and go on your walk. Notice your pace, steady your breath to it, and allow your thoughts to follow on the leisurely journey.
Just imagine stripping down and sinking into a water tank filled with 1,000 plus pounds of soothing Epsom salts. Free from sound, gravity, and light, a single hour in a sensory deprivation tank truly provides total body rehabilitation.
DETACH FROM THE HUSTLE
Even if you think you don’t have time for a week long excursion to tropical shores, there’s bound to be time in your schedule for a quick trip to a sensory deprivation tank. Just imagine stripping down and sinking into a water tank filled with 1,000 plus pounds of soothing Epsom salts. Free from sound, gravity, and light, a single hour in a sensory deprivation tank truly provides total body rehabilitation.
BATHE IN SOUND
Sounds have been scientifically proven to balance hormone levels, boost your mood, and fight against depression, so a soothing sound bath may be the perfect alternative to an all inclusive spa weekend. Surround yourself with nature and take some time to get truly lost in music. You’ll feel time be suspended as you enter a world of vibration and sensation and will be able to return to your day will a rejuvenated sense of wellbeing.
MOST IMPORTANTLY – THINK LIKE A KID
Before the “real world” of daily routines and demanding careers took over, summer used to mean a three-month vacation to do whatever you want. Get back to that mindset and express your inner child by recreating the activities that once filled your summer. Run through sprinklers, plant a garden, build a sandcastle, and let your imagination know no bounds!
Summer seems to call for a reawakening of our spirits. Along with setting and following through on personal goals, these practices will ensure that you really make the most of your season. Incorporate as many as possible into your daily and weekly routine and you’ll notice an extra skip in your step and ease of mind in no time, no plane ticket or hotel reservations required.
Sarah Anne brings her ‘wellness’ wisdom straight from the Midwest where she witnessed the power alternative of medicine firsthand during her father’s successful fight against cancer. Twelve years and thousands of hours of training since her father’s clean bill of health, Sarah is now a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (AADP) and weight-loss expert who focuses on building a unique mindset and fun and rewarding wellness lifestyle in each of her clients.
Based in NYC, Sarah is the founder of the ground-breaking Holistically Slim movement. Her contagious smile, graceful demeanor, and unparalleled zest for life are central to both Sarah’s work and play, leading her to create of one-of-a-kind events and to embark on enlightening adventures across the globe.
Your summer is full of possibilities, and having a list of personal goals will help you make the most of it!
”
