Summertime means sunshine and salty water… but did you know that it’s also the season of hydrating?
It’s so easy to get caught up searching for new tactics and shortcuts to optimize our health and wellbeing. Especially in the summer when we want to look and feel our best.
But one of the most underrated wellness habits we can practice is one of the most simple. It starts with water… but it doesn’t involve going to a beach or pool or medi spa. It’s simply… hydrating!
Staying well hydrated is essential throughout the year, but particularly important in the summer months when the weather gets hotter, you’re sweating more, and you’re more active.
THE A, B, Cs OF HYDRATION
PROPER HYDRATION BRINGS US SO MANY HEALTH BENEFITS.
Drinking water does many wonderful things for our bodies. It:
- Regulates body temperature
- Lubricates joints
- Delivers nutrients to cells
- Keeps organs functioning properly
- Supports our immune system
- Fights off infections
Dehydration can lead to fatigue, poor skin conditions, headaches, muscle cramps, and low blood pressure, among other symptoms.
Hydration leads to improved energy levels, cognition, mood, digestion, and detoxification.
PROPER HYDRATION IMPROVES SKIN COMPLEXION.
The best summer beauty tip? Drink more water!
Drinking plenty of water is a must but here are a few more ways you can maximize your water intake to reap the benefits of increased hydration.
EAT WATER RICH FOODS
One of the best things you can do to increase not only your hydration levels, but your nutrient intake, too, is eating water rich food. Think cucumber, celery, zucchini, watermelon, oranges, cantaloupe, lettuce, and soups.
ADD ELECTROLYTES
Electrolytes include minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. If you are working out or sweating a lot, it may benefit you to add additional electrolytes to your drinking water. Electrolytes help the water you drink infiltrate your cells more efficiently. This allows for faster and better hydration. A few excellence electrolyte products are Liquid IV, Nuun Hydration, and Thorne Catalyte.
While staying hydrated is a key to summer wellness, you can’t forget to take proper steps to keep your skin protected.
According to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) only 14% of men and 30% of women regularly apply sunscreen to their faces and other exposed skin before going outdoors for more than an hour.
We all love to soak up some rays but spending too much time under the sun without skin protection can put you at risk for wrinkles, age spots, and skin cancer.
Don’t stop with hydration – make sure to incorporate these elements into your summer routine to ensure you’re taking care of your body!
SUNSCREEN
Opt for a mineral sunscreen, with Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide as the active ingredients. These mineral sunscreens form a barrier on the surface of your skin that helps reflect UV rays away from the skin. They’re ideal for daily and prolonged use because they offer broad spectrum protection against UV and UVB rays. Plus, they are coral reef safe!
ACCESSORIZE
Protect your skin by covering as much of it as possible by using hats, sunglasses, and long sleeves whenever possible. You can be sun conscious and stylish at the same time.
SUPPLEMENT
You can protect your skin from the inside, too! Astaxanthin is an antioxidant that may help reduce skin damage caused by the sun, as well as improving wrinkles.
As we all take steps to improve our health and to live well, we inspire others and give them permission to do the same. Living Healthy improves our lives on a micro level and also helps us begin to contribute to the improvement of our environment, our communities, and our world in ways we can’t always imagine.
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