Summertime is here! It’s a time for trips, celebrations, and exploring the great outdoors. But as we begin to welcome everything summer has to offer, we can be inundated with diet culture and the belief that there’s an “ideal” summer body. We can set aside these toxic belief, reorient our priorities, and embrace a healthier summer experience. Let’s enjoy summer in a way that promotes great physical and mental health in a compassionate and holistic way. Follow these tips below:
For the Body
- Change Your Fitness: Summer is a great chance to try a new fitness routine. Longer and sunnier days allow us more freedom to move our bodies. Try outdoor yoga classes in parks or beaches. Visit your local pool for water aerobic classes or just some laps. Hit the trail with an epic run, or enjoy a sunset walk with friends and loved ones. There’s bound to be exciting fitness offerings to try this summer, so get inspired to move your body in a new way.
- Stay Hydrated: We love the sun, but you dehydrate much faster than you may realize in the summer months. Be sure to drink around 13 cups, or four liters, a day. If you have an intense workout or are simply spending the entire day outdoors, increase to four liters. Don’t forget about incorporating hydrating foods in your summer meals. Eat fresh watermelon as an afternoon snack or even a sweet summer dessert.
- Keep Skin Protected: Make sunscreen your new best friend. Every sunburn, especially the blistering ones, increases the risk of skin cancers like melanoma. Wear 30 SPF minimum, and try mineral and zinc based sunscreens. These sunscreens have purer formulas and are less toxic for the environment. Reapply every 2 hours. And pack a hat and sunglasses for extra sunny days. Your skin is your largest organ and deserves a little extra love and care this summer.
For the Mind
- Embrace Nature: Summer’s sunshine has amazing health benefits. Sunshine can help increase seratonin, one of our brain’s ‘happy hormones’. Serotonin is linked to improved mood and lowered anxiety. And for those who suffer from SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, be sure to catch some extra rays this summer.
- Create a Epic Summer Bucketlist: Summer is the best time to go outside your comfort zone and try new activities. Create a list of must-dos with your friends and family, and check off each activity you complete. When we shake up our routine with positive experiences like trying a new activity, we improve our mind and spirit. A summer bucketlist will guarantee a memorable summer.
For our Emotions
- Slow Down and Unwind: Find new ways to relax this summer. Take walks in nature, mediate, journal and plan get-aways. On a budget? Plan a daycation: explore areas in your hometown you’ve never visited. Take your mind of work or to-dos and focus on fun. Whatever you find relaxing, be sure to make it a priority this summer. When we take the time to relax and have fun, we maintain a healthy work-life balance, not to mention a boost of creativity overall.
- Gather with Friends: Summer provides the best weather to plan get-togethers with friends. Friendships are so important for our emotional health, and it can be hard as adults to make time to meet up and connect. Whether it’s an exciting getaway or just a cozy meal at home with friends, be sure to bring everyone together and celebrate.
For our Spirit
- Show Your Body Love: Summertime can be a great opportunity to try new things, but it can also highlight our insecurities. Wearing swimsuits in public, hotter than expected days and even large, crowded events can result in heightened anxiety. Check in with your body and take the time to recalibrate with deep breaths or breaks. Acknowledge that summer events can be overstimulating, and be kind to yourself.
- Tread Barefoot: One practice to introduce into your new summer routine is grounding. Grounding is when we walk barefoot in soil and sand to connect with the Earth. There many scientific studies that discuss the health benefits of this practice, which include lowering blood pressure and strengthening the immune system.
For our Bellies
- Choose the Rainbow: While diet culture is a toxic way to address weight management, a better practice is to ‘eat the rainbow’. Colorful fruits and vegetables will give you a diverse source of fiber, and it will also look beautiful on your plate. Choosing a rainbow of fruits and veggies will give your body a varied group of nutrients that aid many bodily functions.
- Go for Produce: A fun way to do it all: buy seasonal, local produce. In the Northern Hemisphere, more plants are in season, resulting in a wider selection at your local farmer’s market. Save money, help your local economy and eat the freshest food available. It’s even a great opportunity to hang with friends and meet new people.
Follow these helpful tips to easily plan a stress-free summer. There are so many opportunities to nourish your mind, body and soul this summer. Enjoy!