Fresh tips for hot days
Long days, high temperatures, mild nights — we are in the middle of summer! So we gathered great tips how to enjoy our favourite season:
1. Drink up.
Sufficient hydration is important all year, but in summer we lose even more fluids because of the dry air and sweating. If you tend to forget to drink, always carry a water bottle with you and keep it in sight. You find pure water boring? Add some fruit, cucumber, or herbs like mint to it. It tastes delicious, adds vitamins and minerals and can be infused several times. Alternatively you can have iced tee, like black, green, or herb infusions — some lemon slices give an extra fresh kick.
2. Light meals.
With temperatures rising high, few people feel like eating a fat meal. Listen to your body and give it light food. Fresh salads, also with potatoes or legumes, are satiating and deliver valuable nutrients. How about a smoothie for breakfast? Light pasta dishes, e.g. from legumes, are also convenient for this season. They keep you satiated longer and contain good protein. Your ice cream cravings can be satisfied with this homemade “nice cream”, it is free from artificial additives and vegan: Simply mix a frozen peeled and cut banana with coconut milk and cocoa in a blender. Almond milk, coconut flakes, chopped nuts, peanut butter or fruits are also great options for this recipe. If you are not hungry at all, skip a meal. Your body tells you, what it needs.
3. Sunscreen 101
Summer is the perfect season to spend lots of time outside. The sun brightens our mood by increasing serotonin production, and our skin produces more of the important vitamin D. But too much of it can lead to sunburn and heat stroke. So it is indispensable to also have sufficient sun protection. Those of you, who have really light skin, require using sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF), like 30 or 50. The number tells you, how much longer you can stay in the sun without burning. If your skin starts to burn after 10 minutes, you can spend 300 minutes in the sun with SPF 30. Light clothes made of natural fabrics also protect you from too much sun exposure. If you do sports outside, choose multi-functional garments with special UV filters and good sweat transportation.
If you have a darker skin tone, already have a tan or mostly spend time outside in the morning or evening, you can use this all-natural sunscreen: coconut oil. It has a SPF of 7–8. If you want to experiment, add almond oil (SPF 4), Shea butter (SPF 4) and vitamin E oil (as a natural preservative and protection against free radicals) to the melted coconut oil. That’s your homemade sunscreen! You can store this mixture in a dark glass in your fridge up to 6 months. Don’t forget a hat and sunglasses for your head!
4. Tricks against the heat.
When temperatures are high, your blood vessels widen. It helps to compensate the temperature between the body and its environment. But it also slows down the backflow of blood from the veins to the heart. This can lead to swollen legs when you are standing or sitting for a long time. But movement helps because muscle contractions stimulate the fluid transport. Going for a walk, cycling and swimming in the evening can help. If you get swollen feet, choose wide, comfortable shoes. If you can, put your legs up from time to time and let gravity support the backflow of the blood. A cooling spay or gel from the fridge also helps to freshen up: Fill a spray bottle with water and a few drops of essential oil, like mint, lemongrass, or lemon balm. Shake well before use.
5. Travelling
If you plan a long-distance journey, prepare well and get information about your destination. How about drinking water quality? Against which possible infectious diseases are vaccinations advised? Some vaccinations should be carried out 6 weeks prior to your trip. So inform yourself in a timely manner! To be prepared for little inconveniences, take a well sorted first-aid kit with you. It should contain dressing material, medications against diarrhoea, constipation, head colds, travel sickness, painkillers, insect repellent, antipruritic gel for bites and of course sunscreen.
We wish you a great summer and lots of relaxing with legs up! Of course, with sun protection or in the shade. 😉
