Summer is a great time to focus on health. The warm days, the long sunshine, and being outdoors are powerful magnetic inspirations for achieving optimal health.
Here are 4 secrets to support you and your family to have a healthy summer.
Great Nutrition
The hot days of summer can be a great time to boost your nutrition. It’s a lot easier to get great nutrition when you can pop into the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and vegetables.
While you’re looking at your diet, focus on finding a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and fats. You may find that with summer heat, it’s easier to eat less – and still feel full.
A big move for summer health is to reduce sugar. Reduce reliance on sugary drinks, soda, and sugary lemonades. Focus on drinking water, sparkling water, and kombucha. Experiment with adding iced green tea to lemonade. If you dilute it half and half, you’ll save 50% of the sugar, without sacrificing any of the flavors.
Similarly, experiment with reducing your reliance on cream and ice cream. Yes, this can be challenging, but you’ll get the hang of it. Switch from coffee ice cream to black iced coffee. Switch to sorbet instead of full-fat ice cream.
With a little awareness of reducing sugar, you can make huge progress in your fitness goals.
Another big move is to reduce reliance on flour. If you have a habit of grabbing a pastry for breakfast, decide to change to fruit. Grab a banana, berries, or melon. It’s a lot easier to reduce gluten and empty calories when you start first thing in the morning. Also, you’ll eliminate the reliance on butter – making this a win-win all around.
Eat Berries!
July is National Blueberry Month – and it’s clear why! Blueberries are out and about in farm stands, farmer’s markets, and local stores. This little berry is considered a superfood, as it’s loaded with goodness.
The deep blue color of blueberries comes from an antioxidant called anthocyanin. Research confirms that this can help protect the body from cancer, heart disease, and inflammation. It has also been associated with increased immune function.
If you’re curious about the power of blueberries, be sure to add at least a half-cup to your daily meals.
Of course, there’s no need to stop with blueberries.
Check out all the other berries that are in season: strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries, and blackberries are filled with vitamins and minerals. Plus, they taste great – fresh, frozen, alone, or with other berries.
Have an Emergency Plan
While it is summer and we’d like to only think about grilling and chilling, there may be other things to handle. Many people get their summer plans thrown off due to unexpected emergencies. If you need help for a sudden business setback, injury, family tragedy, or even the illness of your family pet, check online. Do a quick Internet search for emergency loans for bad credit or emergency loans for good credit, and you’ll get information in minutes.
The good news is that emergency expenses become more manageable when divided up into installment payments. You can handle the event, and get back to doing what you’d envisioned for your summer.
Plan a Stress-Free Vacation
Summer vacations are times for relaxing, connecting, and restoring ties with your loved ones. Yet, for many people, family events are stressful. If you are planning a family reunion, gathering, graduation, or vacation, do your best to have it be stress-free.
Follow these easy guidelines:
Have something for everyone.
Children and adults have different interests and passions. Organize events that will appeal to everyone.
Ask for input.
Family members of all ages will have unique suggestions and feel respected when asked for their input on activities.
Mix and match.
Provide a blend of relaxing and active excursions. Look for a mixture of options to appeal to introverts and extroverts.
Ask for food preferences.
It’s often said that “one man’s meat is another man’s poison.” This can be true for family meals, picnics, and grill fests. If you have a vegan, vegetarian, or carnivore in your tribe – make sure everyone has what he or she finds desirable.
Ask for beverage preferences.
Some people wouldn’t consider a grill fest without a beer. Others wouldn’t think of having anything with alcohol. Get input from everyone attending and make sure you have enough options on hand to keep everyone happy and hydrated.
Here’s to a healthy and happy summer!
