9 Ways to Avoid Those Summertime Blues and Stay Healthy During Hot Weather
By Paul A. Philips
It’s that time of year again. With the summer solstice (longest day) just reached, what could be a better time to consider taking those necessary precautions to avoid ill-health during the hot weather. Here are my 9 ways to avoid those summertime blues and stay healthy during hot weather.
1. Avoid sun overexposure
You may find yourself in a situation where you’ll want to protect yourself from sun overexposure. Just in case I would recommend having Aloe Vera gel (natural NOT chemical) sunscreen lotion on standby. Unlike natural sunscreens, chemical ones stop the sun’s vitamin D health giving properties from getting through.
2. Stay well hydrated
The human body is made up of around 70% water. Water is needed for many metabolic functions like, for example, supplying nutrients and waste removal. Water is involved in things like blood circulation, heat regulation, sweating and thirst sensation…
How much water do I need? Let your thirst be a guide or monitor your urine which ideally should be straw yellow. Make a habit of regular intakes throughout the day, remembering more well may be needed after exercise. Get good quality clean drinking water.
3. Exercise: Take advantage of good weather and do outdoor activity
How about a game of tennis or a run in the park or maybe a countryside cycle..? Indeed, whatever takes your fancy? As well as the detoxification side of things through sweating, exercise promotes alertness, a healthy heart and good blood circulation.
4. Get closer to nature
Getting closer to nature as a means of enhancing one’s spirituality or as a healing is not to be underestimated. For example, the countryside is a great place to meditate, right? How about making some time for taking a trip to a national park..?
5. Eat appropriately and reap the benefits from summer’s bounty
I would recommend a raw food diet of about 80% (a salad a day?), keeping the meals regular but light. You’ll want to watch out for your salt (sodium and potassium) levels too. Maybe you could take advantage of nature’s summertime bounty, a time when organic fruits and vegetables can be found to be at their best.
6. Stress out and relax
Perhaps you’ll want to spend some of your hard-earned pay on vacations where you can get away from the stressful situations, switch of that cell phone, don’t put on the TV and relax in the peace of some great outdoor surroundings.
7. Avoid unhealthy holiday habits…
Many people, when holidaying, find themselves not having the usual dietary habits because of the different circumstances they’re in: Two weeks’ worth of junk laden big breakfasts and fast foods accompanied by alcohol binge drinking (dehydration) can take its toll. It is known that many people when on holidays also change their dietary habits when in the company of friends, so do take care…
8. Take extra care of your ailments
Remember to take the necessary precautions if you have ailments. For examples, high blood pressure sufferers, diabetics and people with age-related illnesses need to check if that they’re getting enough water. Elderly people need to realise that it’s known that those 70 years or older can lose their sensation of thirst. Whatever the case may be, if uncertain, consult a health professional.
9. Protect your children
Protecting children from heatstroke, perspiration or dehydration does indeed require precautions. Making sure that your children are well shaded, wear light clothing, are kept cool and have regular drinks of water is the answer. At the same time however, watch out for the signs; that the child may be not drinking, showing dizziness, feeling faint, vomiting, having tearful irritability, high temperature or a red-flushed face…
It is hoped that the threat of ill health due to hot weather is not underestimated. There are indeed other circumstances; some may be requiring professional medical advice on how to deal with it.
You can read more from Paul A. Philips at his site New Paradigm, where this article first appeared.
