Summer is such a fun time! Lots of things to do… lots of sun… and all things hot… But amidst all the fun and games, comes some very important things to remember to make this a wonderful, fun and healthy summer for everyone! So how about some warnings, tips, and some ideas to get the summer fun started out right?

Warnings:

• Dehydration – With the heat and all the outdoor activities this season it is very easy to forget to drink enough water, and we sweat off more than we take in.
• Sunstroke – Along with dehydration comes this risk. Not drinking enough water has a lot to do with it, but other factors include not eating the right foods, eating the WRONG foods and drink and not allowing your body to cool down in intense heat.
• Sunburn (Sunscreen) – I think we all would like to avoid getting hot, crispy, red skin, so sunscreen is needed (especially around water). But we also need to be mindful of the sunscreen we use, since that can cause just as much damage as sunburn.
• Bugs (bug spray) – Bugs are a pest this time of year, aren’t they? Mosquitoes ESPECIALLY. So keep bug spray handy. Again, be mindful of the kind you use. I’ll talk more about this a little further down.

Tips:

• Drink plenty of water – One of the best things you can do during the summer. If you are sweating a lot, you need to be putting that water back into your body.
• Food (watermelon, strawberries, salad, chicken) – Eating foods in season is very delicious! And the summer season has some very wonderful choices to choose from to make these hot months a little easier on our bodies!
• Essential Oils – Many EOs have wonderful health benefits for the summer months: Tea Tree and Citronella help REPEL the bugs before they get to you, but if some manage to sneak past and bite you (the little devils ) Lavender helps soothe those itchy bug bites and also for sunburn relief, Orange and Lemon brighten up your day and can help you feel refreshed and ready for each hot day ahead, and Peppermint helps to keep away mosquitoes AND is a great cooling agent.
• Sunscreen (Don’t let the clouds fool you) – Keep in mind, even if the sun is hidden behind the clouds all day, you can still look like a tomato the next day.
• Drinks – It’s important to stay hydrated during the hot summer months. However, along with getting enough good hydrating liquids, you should also avoid the liquids that can DEHYDRATE you: Soda, Fruit Juice and Iced Coffee are some popular summer drinks that make it on the “Avoid It” list.

Fun Events: 

• Camping – Nothing like spending a few days in God’s beautiful nature! Remember to pack your bug spray!
• Swimming (keep a clean pool!) – A favorite summer pastime is getting into the water. Maybe swimming laps, having a water fight with your friends or family, or even just relaxing in the nice cool gentle waves.
• Picnics – Get the kids in car, pack the basket with lots of delicious healthy food (make sure the lemonade is ice cold), and let’s head to the lake!
• Sports – Summer is a great season to spend time outdoors. There are a lot of sports to play with friends, but be sure and bring water!

Tell me what some of your favorite summer past-times are, and what you like to do to stay healthy and active when the heat gets super intense!

Have a fantastic summer!

It is essential to our body’s health that we eat good foods. This, I believe, is something on which we can all agree. But are our “healthy” foods also making us sick?

It is agreed in our nation that we should be getting lots of fruits and vegetables in our diet. That’s healthy, right? But have we actually given much thought to how our fruits and vegetables are grown? And to what goes on them?

For years, the way crops in the U.S. have been grown and harvested to produce more yield and to speed the process of harvesting, has been causing more harm to our bodies than good. Produce grown on conventional farms are sprayed with pesticides and chemicals to kill bugs and make the harvesting process easier. However, those chemicals are killing more than just insects that seek to eat our produce. Those pesticides and chemicals contain the deadly active ingredient: glyphosate. Scientific studies are showing that these chemicals are not only killing the bad bacteria in the soil, but it is also toxic to the good bacteria. Healthy soil repels bugs because it grows at a frequency that bugs cannot digest. When we grow our food in healthy soil with proper PH, we shouldn’t have such a pest problem. And that is what we are putting into our bodies when we eat the foods that have been treated with pesticides and other chemicals.

What To Do?

So how can we avoid all of this in our food? While we may not be able to completely rid ourselves of these chemicals, here are some steps we can take to lessen our exposure to them:

1. Buy Organic When Possible

Though it is more expensive, buying foods such as wheat, berries, apples, grapes, tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach and peppers organically would be a better option.

2. Wash Fruits and Vegetables

When buying conventional fruits and vegetables, be sure and wash them under water, rubbing them with your fingers. This will help to get rid of the residue from the pesticides.

3. Grow Your Own Garden

There are many advantages to growing your own food. It can save you money, and you know where it comes from and can be in control over what is sprayed on it. Though it can be hard to keep bugs away from your garden, there are natural and harmless things you can try. Some farms use Basil oil on their plants to deter little pests.

Something else we can do is to check the sugar content of our produce to see if it is grown properly. Dr. Carey Reams reveals that food grown properly WILL NOT rot, but dehydrate.

References:

draxe.com

foodmatters.com

thehealthyhomeeconomist.com

healthytipsworld.com