Top Tips For Good Health In Summer

When summer comes around, Americans have visions of spending time on the water, eating smores around a campfire and taking long hikes to enjoy the beauty of nature. For many folks, the sky’s the limit when it comes to having summertime fun.

There’s no doubt summer is a great time to have fun, but it’s also a time to think about getting healthy. With plenty of good weather, there’s been a better time to get outside and exercise, eat better and get yourself checked out by a doctor. Studies have shown that more than 50% of Americans worry greatly about their health. By following tips for good health in summer, you can commit to getting healthier and change your life.

Healthy Summertime Eating

In the summer time, it’s hard not to be tempted all kinds of delicious American food: hot dogs, apple pie, burgers, s’mores, and even refreshing, fruity drinks. But if you’re not healthy, all that delicious food can expand your waistline.

So how can you eat healthier during the summer? These tips for good health in summer can be a big help:

• Summer is a great time to eat fresh produce, so stock up on fruits, vegetables and fresh herbs.
• Summer is also the perfect time to grill. If you’re looking to eat healthy, try grilling vegetables and lean meats like chicken and shrimp.
• Temptation is going to be there in the summer to enjoy fattening foods or desserts. Don’t cut them out entirely. Take time to enjoy them here and there, since they can also help you stay focused on a diet.
• Eat healthy if you’re planning on dining out. Most restaurants have nutrition information on the menu, so you can see what you’re getting before you order. You can also portion your meal and take some home for another time.
• If you’re trying to lose weight one of the best tips for good health in summer is not to do anything extreme. That means you should try and avoid cleanses and fasting and anything that might involve depriving yourself of nutrition.

• One of the best things you can do this summer is to try new foods. If you’ve heard good things about gluten free pizza, for example, try making some at home with different toppings. If you’re looking to add more fruits and vegetables to your plate, try following the guidelines of the Mediterranean diet, which emphasize loading up on veggies, fruits, and grains as well as seafood, wine, and oils.
• As you embark on healthy eating and a diet plan, focus on the long game rather than short-term results. You may not see immediate weight loss, but you may notice that you have more energy, you’re feeling better overall and your mood is improved.

Stay Hydrated

Eating healthy is important, but perhaps one of the greatest tips for good health in summer is staying hydrated.

Sugary drinks and alcoholic drinks may seem more refreshing during the summer, but make no mistake: you absolutely need water. In fact, doctors recommend that you drink about a half gallon a day or at least 64 ounces. For that reason, it’s a good idea to stock up on bottled water and carry several bottles with you on a long hike or for a day in the office. If you’re looking something long lasting, try getting yourself a reusable water bottle you can fill several times a day.

If you’re trying to add more water and cut down on unhealthy drinks, these tips for good health in summer can easily help you drink more water and stay hydrated:

• Add flavor to your water. You can easily do this by adding veggies—cucumber is a popular choice—as well as your favorite fruits.
• Find times throughout the day to sip water. This might include while you’re prepping a meal or waiting for lunch. You should also drink water if you’re working outside or doing strenuous activity in the heat.
• If you must half a soda or some other kind of sugary drink, try adding some ice or some water to dilute the sweetness.
• For cleaner, healthier water, get a water filter you can attach to the tap in your kitchen.
• Try alternatives to soda and coffee such as sparkling water or tea. Many companies make delicious flavors of sparkling water that can satisfy cravings for something fizzy.
• Snacking on salty foods such as nuts can be a great way to ingest a lot of water.
• Keep water handy. Whether you’re got a refillable water bottle or several bottled waters or a gallon jug, always have water around so that you can easily quench your thirst and reach your recommended daily water intake.

Easy Summer Workouts

Eating healthy and staying hydrated are helpful tips for good health in summer, but you need to compliment those two things by staying active.

Staying active doesn’t mean you have to rush out and get yourself a ton of home exercise equipment though. There are plenty of exercises you can do with no equipment at all.

One of the best exercises you can do is to walk on a regular basis. If you live in a subdivision, you can take a nightly stroll around the neighborhood, perhaps with your dog in tow. If you live near a high school with a walking track, you can go there and do several laps a day. For older folks who want to stay active, you can visit a medical supply store to get a walking aid such as a cane to help get out and about.

Another way to stay active and work toward your goal of losing weight is to take part in a fitness challenge. Nowadays you can join Facebook groups and even groups at your health club that are committed to fitness challenges. These usually work by giving you a task to complete every day—think walking 2,000 steps or doing 20 push ups and 20 sit-ups.

Depending on what your fitness goal is, you can find fitness challenges to fit your needs and most of them involve workouts you can do right at home.

Get Yourself Checked Out

Keeping on your health is good to do any time of the year, but another of the many beneficial tips for good health in summer is getting yourself checked out.

• If you’re going to be doing any boating or hiking, it’s helpful to visit an eye care centre to get your eyesight checked. If you’re going to be doing some bird watching, an eye exam can also be helpful if you’re looking to snag a new pair of binoculars.
• Before you enjoy the sweet treats of summer, making a visit to your dentist for routine dental care. An exam before summer can help you prevent cavities and help you keep good hygiene habits going, which are good things to do even if you have a busy travel schedule.
• One of the best decisions you can make for your health before summer hits is to visit your primary care doctor for a physical. If it’s been a while since you’ve been to the doctor, a visit during the summer can ensure that your body is in good shape and help prevent the spread of adult diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. It’s also a good idea to get a physical to update your immunizations.

Don’t Forget About Your Air Conditioning

It isn’t a physical tip, but one of the best tips for good health in summer you can use is to get your air conditioner in working order. After all, the last thing you want on a sweltering day is for air conditioner to be on the fritz with no relief in sight.

Fortunately, there’s lot you can do to get your air conditioner in good working order while saving money at the same time:

• Make sure the outdoor condenser unit is clean in order to maximize efficiency.
• Clean the vents and make sure they’re not blocked to maximize airflow.
• If you’ve got a programmable thermostat, adjust the temperature for different times of the day. This also works if you’ve got a new air conditioner installation in your house. You can set it to cycle on and off once an hour or you can turn it to low if you’re going to be away from home for awhile.
• You can also keep your energy bills low by keeping your curtains and blinds closed, so that your home isn’t pounded by sunlight on a hot day.

Summer Driving Tips

There are plenty of tips for good health in summer you can use to improve yourself physically and to cool yourself in the summer, but when summer hits it also helps to be prepared if you’re going to hit the open road. Even though the weather is nicer in the summer, the higher number of cars on the road can sometimes lead to higher rates of accidents and the need for the services of auto accident attorneys.

To keep yourself and other drivers around you safe, auto accident attorneys recommend using some of the following tips:

Travel With Essentials

Whether you’re driving an hour away to visit some relatives or you’re driving on a cross-country vacation, it helps to have an essentials or an emergency kit handy. You never know when things might go south and it’s better to be safe than sorry. Your essentials kit may include things like:

• A first aid kit
• A copy of your insurance card
• A flashlight
• Jumper cables
• A working cell phone charger
• Flares or hazard triangles

Tips For Traveling With Kids

If you’re planning a family vacation with young kids, there are plenty of tips for good health in summer you can use to keep yourself sane on a long car ride. You can use the drive as a way to bond with your kids, teaching them about good driving habits. You should stop every few hours to let everyone stretch their legs, and you can keep them happy with snacks and electronic devices.

Being Safe On The Road

Before you hit the road this summer, be sure to check with your insurance companies about the finer points of your auto insurance policy. You might have add-ons that enable you to have roadside service in the event of a breakdown or you might have rental car coverage in the event of an accident. It’s a good idea to review your policy, just in case something happens.

Ultimately, you want to be as safe as possible on the road and there are plenty of tips you can use to stay safe and most of them involve using common sense:

• Keep an eye out for distracted drivers. If you see them, get away from them because the potential for accidents around them may be high.
• Pay attention to the weather. If there’s bad weather in the forecast, pull over in a safe area and let the weather pass or avoid traveling at that time if you can.
• Keep an eye on the calendar. If you’re driving during a holiday weekend, there’s going to be more traffic, so you’re going to have to be extra careful or give yourself more time to travel.
• Get a good pair of sunglasses to cut through the glare of the sun when you’re driving.
• If you’re towing a boat or a trailer or a camper, drive in the slow lane and increase your following distance to avoid crowding around cars and trucks.

By using the tips for good health in summer described above, you can have an enjoyable summer while focusing on getting healthier, traveling safely and eating better. By taking things one day at a time and making a real commitment to getting healthy, you may surprise yourself with just how much you can positively transform your body.

By staying safe and healthy, you can make the most of your summertime, whether you’re taking a big trip for vacation, enjoying a sunny day on the lake or lounging around a bonfire in your backyard.