Are you feeling hot, hot, hot? Just because the living feels easy in summer doesn’t mean that you get to ignore healthy habits without consequence.
Too much heat in the weather, in your diet and in your lifestyle can lead to burn out, lack of energy, skin and eye irritation, digestive distress and hot emotions like anger, frustration and jealousy. Don’t let these heat related health problems ruin your summer fun.
Try these hot tips for staying cool (and healthy) this summer!
1.Ditch the Ice
Icy drinks and food weaken your digestive fire. A weak digestive fire can’t effectively process the food you eat leading to digestive distress, weight gain and build up of undigested metabolic waste in your body. Yuck.
News flash – you don’t need ice to cool down. Instead, drink cool or room temperature water flavored with cooling foods like cucumber, mint, lime and pomegranate. Fill a carafe with water in the morning. Slice half a cucumber, a lime and add some fresh mint leaves. Place all of these ingredients in the carafe with the water. Let sit and enjoy all day!
Your digestive fire will thank you, and you’ll feel lighter, more energetic and cooler.
2.Moon Bathe
Balance your sun bathing with moon bathing this summer. Yes, moon bathing is a real thing, and it’s very cooling and calming!
When the moon is half full to full, find a spot where you can sit comfortably and soak in the moonlight.
This practice is very calming, helps to settle the mind, and is especially helpful as a summer bedtime routine. You’ll find that moon bathing is very beneficial for helping to induce deeper, more restful sleep.
One of my favorite ways to moon bathe is on multi-day wilderness river retreats like my Womens River Adventure Retreat on the Main Salmon River in Idaho.
3.Exercise in the morning
Ever notice that when you exercise in the heat of the day you tend to feel depleted? You may even feel a little grumpy afterwards – this is especially true if you went out to ‘blow off steam,’ but ended up overheating instead.
To avoid increased inflammation in your body, and hot emotions in your mind, exercise first thing in the morning during the summer. A good morning movement session will help you feel invigorated and energized, and you’ll have the rest of your day to create and enjoy.
4.Cool Off Your Diet
I’ve had clients describe their digestive distress during summer season as cramping, loose stool and urgent bathroom trips. They also complain of skin and eye redness and irritation. When I ask them what foods they’re eating, the list always seems to include hot, spicy food.
Summer is not the season for spicy foods, too much alcohol, red meat and other heating foods. It’s already hot outside, you don’t need to add more heat to your body.
If you want to optimize your digestion, feel comfortable after you eat and boost your energy levels in summer, enjoy cooling foods like cucumber, cilantro, melon, avocado, coconut, pomegranate, berries, beets, broccoli, kale, lettuce, sprouts, summer squash, yogurt, basmati rice and chick peas.
These foods will help keep your body and your mind cool and refreshed all summer.
5.Rest and Replenish
Feeling hot-headed and needing to blow off steam?
Instead of reaching for that cocktail after work or exercising in the heat of the day, try a relaxation practice instead.
Take 5 minutes to meditate, belly breathe or even nap to cool the mind off and settle the nervous system.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your busy schedule, a return to socializing, and your (over) commitments, take a few minutes each day for rest and replenishment.
Hint: A consistent morning routine provides that space and sets your day up for success.
6.Get Out and Paddle!
What’s the perfect antidote to summer heat? Cool water!
This is the optimal season for all things water related. Get out on your favorite river or lake. Lounge by the secret swimming hole you recently discovered or take those surf lessons you’ve been wanting.
In Ayurveda it’s all about introducing opposite action in diet and lifestyle to bring your body and mind back into balance. My hot tips for a cool summer bring the cool quality needed to counteract the health problems created by too much heat. Try them and stay cool my friends 🙂
If you’re looking for guidance to have more fun on the water so you can stay cool and build confidence, email me about private kayak and/or SUP instruction here in Asheville, NC!
