As the days begin to get warmer and longer we all want to look and feel our best for summer. Some of us may want to get lighter body too. At this time of year we naturally feel the need to swap our warm cosy clothing for lighter, brighter items. This is also the time to be swapping the warm comforting foods like thick soups, casseroles, bread and pasta for much lighter meals. Such as fresh salads with lightly cooked fish, chicken and meats. And to also enjoy the abundance of delicious summer fruits.
Here are 18 Tips on Looking and Feeling Healthy for the Summer Months:
1. Include fresh raw salad vegetables with every meal
2. Add nuts and seeds to salads for an extra protein boost
3. Add beans and legumes to salads to make them more hearty and healthy
4. Steam or poach fish and chicken and lightly cook red meats
5. Steam or lightly cook greens such as spinach and Asian greens with some garlic and drizzle with lemon juice
6. Eat your fill of fresh vegetables – they will not cause weight gain – in fact the additional fibre in vegetables will help you lose weight by increasing the excretion of built up toxins in your system and improve your gut health
7. Enjoy the seasonal summer fruits – a wide variety of fruits are available throughout the summer months – make the most of them
8. If you are worried about the sugar content of fruit, include tart fruits such as lemons, limes, pineapple, grapefruits, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries and granny smith apples in your diet – these foods are naturally lower in sugars than the sweeter fruits
9. Tart fruits are also beneficial to the liver and gallbladder and the most detoxifying of fruits
10. Add fruit to natural yoghurt with some added chia or nuts and seeds for crunch as a yummy desert – the protein in the yoghurt will help balance the sugar from the fruit
11. Throw all kinds of fruits and vegetables into your smoothie – a mix of both will balance out the sugar and add many more nutrients to your diet
12. Remember that we don’t need to eat bread with every meal – or even every day
13. Limit the amount of alcohol you consume – enjoy a wine or beer if you like to – just not every day
14. Move more – aim for at least a 20-30 minute walk most days of the week – the more you move the better you will feel – both physically and emotionally
15. As the days get longer a 30 minute walk after dinner will help the digestion of your meal
16. Get some sunshine to increase your Vitamin D levels after winter – aim for 15-20 minutes sun exposure on your arms or chest every day if possible – avoid the hottest part of the day and be careful not to get burnt
17. Vitamin D will help you feel good emotionally and aids the absorption of nutrients such as calcium
18. Drink lots and lots of water to keep hydrated and help detoxify your system – your body will thank you for it and your skin will look great
At Freedom Chinese Medicine we don’t follow a one size fits all approach. We tailor an individualised health plan to you, in achievable steps so you can get more well and stay that way. And we will be honest with you, setting realistic health goals that you can achieve and maintain with your current state of health & lifestyle.
Please give us a call on 03 9486 5966 to book in for a pre summer consult if you would like some additional help with feeling great this summer..
