Do you count down the days to summer? Do you dream of lazy days by the pool or a vacation outdoors?
The long days and warmth of summer give endless opportunities for fun. Why not ensure you are healthy while you are enjoying yourself?
Summer is a time for fun and sun, but it is also a time to be more careful about your health.
The temperature rises as time passes, affecting our health and causing heatstroke, sunburn, dehydration, etc. It is essential to be careful during summer, as our body’s requirements change every season. This blog highlights some effective summer health tips. Read on to know more.
Importance of Following Health Tips for Summer
In summer, the allure of sunny days, outdoor adventures, and carefree moments sometimes lead to health negligence. However, it’s vital to recognize that maintaining healthy summer habits is necessary. Summer presents unique challenges, such as dehydration risks, increased heat and sun exposure, and routine shifts.
By prioritizing and adopting healthy habits, we can safeguard our well-being and reap the benefits of this vibrant season. These habits help us stay mentally strong and physically fit, contributing to long-term health benefits.
Let’s explore some essential summer health tips that allow us to embrace this season’s joys while nourishing and nurturing our bodies and overall well-being.
Summer Health Tips
Summer is a great time to think about how to become the best version of you. Use some of the following health tips to help you thrive this summer:
1. Hydration is the Key
Drinking water is vital as it helps rehydrate the body and helps it function better. Ensure you drink up to 8-10 glasses of water every day. Do not drink too chilled water as it will wreak havoc on your health.
Staying hydrated incurs many benefits apart from the essential bodily functions:
- Regulates body temperature
- Keeps your joints lubricated
- Improves sleep quality
- Improves cognition
- Elevates energy levels and brain function
- Helps keep the digestive system healthy
- Prevents Kidney Stone Prevention
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2. Enjoy Nature’s Bounty
The summer produces numerous fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables. Consuming cooling and light food is an excellent way to stay healthy in warm weather. Consume fresh fruits, vegetable juices, salads, and lots of water. The juicy food will nourish your body for summertime activities. Also, include some light and nourishing protein. Berries, watermelon, nuts, seeds, sprouted beans, soy products, yogurt, cottage cheese, fish, and poultry are some delicious foods to be tried.
3. Eat More Cooling Foods
Load up on more body-cooling and hydrating foods, which will help you keep going in this heat. Eating watermelon, sesame, coconut water, cucumber, mint, fennel seeds, and other fruits will cool the body.
4. Downsize Your Meal
In summer, your stomach needs plenty of time to digest the food particles, as the weather is hot and the body cannot process faster. Lighter meals are always a good choice in summer.
5. Binge on Lighter Snacks
Forget about fried foods you enjoyed during winter; it is time to load on lighter snack options like nuts, trail mixes, seeds, fruits, etc. This will make you feel good and keep your body optimal.
6. Limit Added Sugars
Try to eat less than six teaspoons of added sugar. Save your six teaspoons for a special dessert. When looking at labels, it is helpful to know that one teaspoon equals four grams of added sugar.
7. Pritorise Mental Well-being
While summer is often associated with relaxation, it’s necessary to acknowledge that this season also brings unique challenges to our mental health. Take time to engage in activities that bring you joy; these can be pursuing hobbies, practicing mindfulness, or enjoying quiet moments in nature. Managing stress through techniques like exercise, deep breathing, or journaling is beneficial, too. Moreover, seeking support from loved ones or professional resources provides emotional support.
8. Keep Track of Hygiene
Ensure whatever you eat or drink is clean and hygienic. Utensils in restaurants and at home can cause bacterial infections. Be sure to wash your hands before eating. These healthy tips will be efficient for the summer, without a doubt!
9. Be Generous With SPF
Always apply generous amounts of sunscreen with a broad UVA spectrum before venturing into the sun. Reapply after every 2 hours, as it wears off with time. Sunscreens should be applied even indoors, as harmful ultraviolet rays reach your skin even indoors. A minimum SPF of 30 sunscreen must be used while going out.
10. Choose Lighter Clothes Over Heftier
It’s better to choose lighter apparel in summer, as it will be breathable and won’t trap your sweat. You will most likely perspire if you wear fitted and heavy clothes, so always wear lighter apparel!
11. Follow CEM Rule
CEM translates to cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing. With the soaring temperatures, skin problems like dry patches, sun rashes, sunburn, or hyperpigmentation occur. The sun’s extreme heat also produces excessive oil and, thus, frequent breakouts. Therefore, it is equally essential not to neglect your skin. Cleansing removes the pollution, top layer of dirt, and oil. Exfoliation removes the layer of dead skin cells and helps skincare items penetrate better. Moisturizing hydrates the skin and keeps it supple.
12. Watch Your Steps
It’s best to avoid venturing outdoors during the hottest part of the day – between the afternoon and evenings. Exposure to scalding sun rays and heat waves can cause many problems and should be avoided. Step outside before the afternoon or after sunset, or if it’s imperative, ensure to get back as soon as the work gets over. It’s best to allocate the wee hours of the morning for any exercise or act of physical exertion. Indoor alternatives should be explored and prioritized over outdoor ones during the daytime.
Also Read: 9 Best Healthy Winter Drinks in India
13. Cultivate an Active Lifestyle
It’s an adage that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body. Being active and warding off lethargy not only keeps the body alert but also has a positive impact on the mind. Kickstarting the day with brisk running or simple exercises at home has enormous long-term benefits. It’s unnecessary to hit the gym or lift weights; simple free-hand exercises can be done at home.
14. Guard Against Injuries and Consult a Doctor
Intense physical activity, such as bristling with energy, also increases the probability of injuries. Be it the gym, club swimming pool, or playground, injuries can take place anywhere. To prevent them, it is essential to wear appropriate sports gear and keep a first-aid kid with painkillers, ointments, antiseptics, and bandages handy. Sun heat can aggravate the wound further, so in case of a severe injury or if the pain doesn’t subside even after spraying painkillers, then seek medical help without any delay.
15. Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine
Alcohol, coca-cola, and coffee can quickly dehydrate you. Reduce your intake of these favorite beverages, especially during hot weather. Plain or flavored water is a good alternative.
16. Protect Against Hay Fever
Allergies occur when your body’s defenses can’t keep out foreign invaders. When flowers bloom in the early summer and pollen comes into contact with your body, it causes Hay fever.
Below are some symptoms:
- Congested nose
- Fatigue
- Watery eyes
- Cough
- Fever
- Sneezing
Use a pollution mask to reduce exposure to allergens. Consult your doctor if you suffer from the above symptoms. These are managed through medication.
Do not let the hotness of the summer steal your health. Indulge in healthy summer-friendly habits to get the most out of the season. While all the above health tips in summer are common, discussing any changes with your healthcare professional before indulging them into your routine is essential. Also, one thing that can help you stay ahead of your health problems is a routine health checkup.
Foods to Eat During the Summer Season
During the summer, our bodies lose water rapidly, so it is imperative to replenish it to keep the body’s electrolytes in balance and stay hydrated. Look for food items rich in water, which cool the body and contain abundant essential minerals and vitamins. Seasonal fruits and veggies also contain abundant nutrients.
Let us explore some food items that can be enjoyed during the summer season:
- Curd— Plain, unsweetened curd is a powerful probiotic that aids digestion. Curd rice is a staple in many coastal states of India.
- Tender Coconut Water— Tender Coconut water is a delicious natural beverage known to boost energy. It is potent with several essential vitamins and minerals required to maintain the body’s electrolyte levels. If you are lucky, you can even enjoy the sweet coconut kernel sometimes found during the tender coconut’s growing stages.
- Sweet corn— Sweet corn is a rich source of fiber and contains Vitamins A, E, and B, which are essential for keeping skin, hair, and eyes healthy and slowing down aging. It is a versatile ingredient that can be used in several recipes.
- Buttermilk— Consuming buttermilk during summer keeps the body cool and hydrated. It may also reduce the chances of suffering from heat strokes.
- Mangoes— Besides being delicious, mangoes help boost immunity and are an excellent source of iron and magnesium.
- Watermelon— Watermelon coolers and mojitos give you all the essential nutrients while making you feel boujee.
- Cucumber— Rich in water content, cucumbers are cooling and add the perfect crunch to salads.
- Berries— Blueberries, Raspberries, and even Gooseberries (Amla)—contain antioxidants. They can be enjoyed in smoothies or simply as a snack.
- Lemonade— Known as Nimbu Pani, lemonades are incredibly refreshing and can be enjoyed by the calorie-conscious.
- Roasted gram powder (Sattu)— You can easily prepare coolant drinks made with sattu, which can be added with coriander leaves, mint leaves, salt, or sugar per your dietary requirements. This refreshing drink provides a good amount of proteins and fiber necessary for your body.
Also Read: Sattvic Food: Meaning, Benefits, Foods List, Diet Plan
Exercises that Boost Healthy Living During Summer
Consistently staying active regardless of the heat is crucial to accomplishing fitness. Below are some workouts that can be enjoyed during the summer to stay healthy:
- Swimming— What better way to exercise and stay relaxed than swimming? It doesn’t feel too strenuous, yet it helps shed excess weight massively.
- Brisk Walking— Regular brisk walks early in the morning or evening are a great way to stay active during the summer.
- Hiking— A break from the fast-moving city life and hiking in the hills are good summer adventure sports.
- Cycling— Ditch the car and take a bicycle to the local market instead. Cycling helps you stay fit while additionally saving on fuel costs.
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Conclusion
Do not let the hotness of the summer steal your health. Indulge in healthy summer-friendly habits to get the most out of the season. While all the above tips are shared, discussing any changes with your healthcare professional before indulging them into your routine is essential. Also, apart from the above tips, one thing that can help you stay ahead of your health problem is a routine health checkup.
Follow these easy summer health tips to make the most of this season. Summer foods can be so much fun, with a lip-smacking smoothie, a bowl of super-refreshing salad, and a glass of blissful iced tea. A handful of outdoor activities will keep the body and mind aligned.
Happy summers!
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