Tips on how to stay healthy during
the hot months of summer
1. WATER!!! Always have water readily available wherever
you go. Pack it in a cooler with some
ice packs and even when your car gets very hot, it’ll stay cool for a pretty
long time. Staying hydrated is the most
important tip to remember, no matter what time of year it is.
2. WEAR A HAT! I know “hat hair” is terrible, but more than
likely if you can put your hair into a ponytail it will be in one when it’s
hot, so throwing a hat on over it won’t kill your ‘do. Not only will it keep your face cooler but it
will also shade your eyes and the delicate skin on your face…saving you from
getting wrinkles or possibly skin cancer.
Which leads to my next point…
3. SUNSCREEN! Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!! No one wants cancer, wrinkles, or that
“leather” look. Put it on after your
morning shower and reapply as often as you can depending upon how long you are
outside. Take care of your skin….if you
hadn’t noticed, it’s all over you so you can’t hide bad skin!
4. EAT CONSISTANTLY! Pack some snacks in with your cooler full of
water…keeping your blood sugar levels even during a hot day will decrease the
likelihood of you getting lightheaded or possibly passing out. In addition, you’ll stay leaner and healthier
by eating every 2-3 hours, so start munching on healthy food!
5. OPEN YOUR WINDOWS PERIODICALLY! I know when it is hot it’s hard to turn off
the AC and open your windows to get fresh air circulated through your living
space, but it is very critical that you do this. Even if it is once a week, possibly even
while you are away for a couple of hours, it is imperative that you do this. Turn on ceiling fans if you have them and get
some fresh air in and push the bad air out.
This will keep you breathing less allergens, pet dander, common germs
that cause you to get sick, etc. Check
your filters as well and make sure they are clean. It’s better than feeling ill when you could
be at the pool or amusement park having fun.
6. WORK OUT REGULARLY! Keep your body and especially your heart
healthy so that you can manage the heat better.
The sooner you get worn out on a regular basis, the harder it will be to
stay active in the intense heat of the summer months. The healthier you are, the longer you can
have fun outside…and you’ll look and feel better, too. Win/win…
7. PROTECT YOUR EYES! You need to protect your eyes just as much as
your skin. Wear protective eyewear that
is dark and doesn’t let much or any sun in around the sides of the lenses. I wear sunglasses even in the winter. Keep those UV rays out of your eyes and
prevent painful surgeries and/or corrective lens (or making your eye sight
worse than it already is) in the future.
8. REGULATE YOUR TIME OUTDOORS! Try not to stay outside in extreme heat for
too long of a period of time. Give your
body a rest periodically and cool back down.
Try to stay in the shade as much as possible. Trust me, heat exhaustion is NOT fun…
9. GRILL OUT! One big plus for hot weather is eating
healthier! Although some still grill out
in the winter, most people don’t. Take
advantage of your grill and make a variety of healthy foods, satisfying your
taste buds as well as turning yourself into a lean, mean, healthy machine. Get into those new habits and continue to eat
this way throughout the winter months.
Buy a grill pan for your stove and savor the flavor!
10.
ENJOY THE WEATHER!!!!! Be a kid again! Run around, play sports, walk, swim, play
games with your kids, play with water balloons or water squirters, go to the
beach and walk in the water or in the sand….GET ACTIVE! HAVE FUN DOING IT! Raise your spirits as well as your
metabolism! Trust me, you’ll notice a
difference!
Always to
your health…
Miranda
Hoffmann, CFT, CLFC
937.239.0180
