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The unofficial start of the summer is here!!! Now is the perfect time to get in the summer mood and follow some safe tips to get you through the summer in a healthy way.
Protect. Hydrate. Snack. Repeat.
listdose.comProtect. The summer is the time of the year when most people spend their time outside enjoying the warm, sunny weather. With that being said, protecting the most prominent organ of the body, your skin, should be a priority. From infants to elderly and from fair skinned to darker toned, everyone should protect their skin. Ultraviolet (UV) exposure is real and dangerous all year round especially during the summer months causing wrinkles, age spots, cataracts, and skin cancer. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), one in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime. The deadliest form of skin cancer is melanoma, which there is evidence proving that long exposure to sun is the culprit of this form of cancer.
Sunscreens are highly recommended to prevent sunburn and skin cancers. There are many varieties out there but as long as the sunscreen provides a SPF 15 or higher, is water resistance, and has a broad spectrum protection, your good to go. It should be applied 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure and should take a full minute to rub the right amount of sunscreen in. Infants under the age of 6 months should be kept out of the sun and a pediatrician clearance for sunscreen should be made.
Clothing is another skin protector starting with a broad brimmed hat to cover the ears and darker, tighter knitted clothes to absorb or reflect UV rays. Lip balm shields lips from over exposure to sun when it contains at least SPF 15 and is not glossy or too oily like Vaseline and baby oil. Oversized sunglasses provide great protection from the sun covering most of the eye area not allowing too much sun to reach the back of the eye. Sunglasses should have UV400 protection, impact resistance, and a gray or brown shade in order to prevent eye damage.
No matter the tone of our skin, we have to protect it for whatever the drive is either cosmetic or health. Keeping sunscreen, lip protection, clothing and sunglasses along side of limited sun exposure between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. should keep us protected and prevent the sun overexposure conditions mentioned above. For a more detailed coverage of summer skin protection, please visit webmd or see your dermatologist.
sureloadonline.comHydrate. Water is the most important nutrient with most of our lean body mass containing it. Water carries heat away from our organs through our blood, then out of our skin causing us to sweat which evaporates allowing us to cool off and maintain a balanced body temperature. If this does not occur, heat can cause organ damage or even death. It is very important to keep yourself hydrated all the time but in the summer the number of dehydration victims rise due to the increase temperature and outdoor activity. So here are some important tips to stay hydrated and safe from dehydration and heat strokes this summer.
One great indication of hydration is the color of your urine. Your urine should be a clear, light yellow without an odor and not cloudy. Your kidneys filter your body so if your body is lacking water your urine will be more concentrated, cloudy, and darker. The more water intake the less concentrated your urine. Also if you experience thirst, most likely you already lost 1% of your body water mass, if there is more loss of water it can cause heart problems and fatigue.
Replenish your body by drinking water throughout the day, and before, during, and after exercise. During more strenuous activities substitute water with sports drinks which has salt and carbohydrate contents which are lost during high intensity activities and will prevent hyponatremia (lack of sodium(salt) in the body). It is also important to build muscle after strenuous activity with protein such as nuts, lean meat, peanut butter, etc. Here’s a link to a water intake calculator to determine your personalized water intake need to keep you optimally hydrated. Watermelon, cucumber, cantaloupe, peaches, strawberries, apples, and oatmeal are all good foods that have a great water content to help keep us hydrated. I thought oatmeal was very clever of Livestrong to include in the list of hydrating foods because oatmeal absorbs the fluid that it’s cooked in (food for thought, literally!).
I know some people do not like water or don’t see themselves drinking a lot water but there are ways to get in your recommended amount of water. One way is to add crystal light or other similar additions to water and gradually decrease the use of the additions as you become a water fanatic. Instead of carrying smaller water bottles, carry bigger bottles remembering the amount of water you are drinking by counting the amount of refills by the fluid oz., such as one 24 oz (3 cups) bottle refilled 3 times equals 72 fluid oz. (9 cups) of water. Juice, water, tea, and coffee in moderation also counts as hydration. You can personalize your own hydration schedule to your unique taste, activity, and weight (Huffington Post).
*Check on our elderly in the summer. They sometimes don’t realize how hot it is and run the risk of heat stroke or death.*
skinnytaste.comSnack. The summer is filled with carnivals, cookouts, and cool treats. These outdoor festivities can sometimes cause us to backslide from our healthier side. We can eat these treats in moderation but there are always tasty substitutes.
Cooking on the grill is a healthier form of cooking with its added charred taste that I personally look forward to having more during the summer because my family cooks out year round (lol)! You can grill veggies, fruit, fish, meat, and potatoes for a couple of days at a time. So, if you can cook more outdoors it is better health wise and will save you money on your gas bill.
This summer substitute the traditional summer foods with healthier options without substituting the taste too much. Try substituting the pasta in your pasta salad with wheat pasta or quinoa. Substitute mayo with hummus, avocado, vinaigrette, or olive oil. Instead of eating cooked veggies, eat a nice green salad or fruit salad.
For a frozen treat, cut up your favorite fruit and place them in an ice tray with coconut water, orange juice, or almond milk and freeze, delicious! With the same ingredients above add ice cubes, place in blender for a smoothie or frozen drink. Throughout the summer, I will post different recipes that are deliciously summer friendly.
*For alcoholic beverages, Vodka has lower sugar content*
nikkikubanminton.comRepeat. Get into a routine that works for you. I personally need to drink more water. So I’m going to set an alarm every 3 hours to make sure I finish my bottle and to refill. I know it sounds crazy but I really forget to drink if I’m not thirsty. Also, a solid exercise, food shopping, and cooking routine will make it difficult for you to brake when those traditional summer cravings come your way. Know yourself and your schedule, find a routine, and repeat.
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