The Summer
months have arrived and that means for many of us it’s holiday time, a chance
to escape, wind down and set aside the stresses of day to day life. A time when
we become more active, focusing on increasing fitness, toning up and setting
the intention to shift those few extra pounds we gained over the winter. This
is the season when we want to feel good in that new bikini. It’s a time when we
become more health conscious. And whether or not you choose to holiday in the
UK or Travel Abroad, keeping in good health is vital if we want to avoid those
holiday ailments and the pre holiday stresses! Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!
As the days become warmer and our activity levels rise,
keeping adequately hydrated is vital. It is recommended that we drink at least
1.5L of water daily. The more we perspire in hot weather, the more fluid we
lose and so the more water we need to put back in. Alcohol intake is an
important factor to take into consideration too. Although those cocktails at a friend’s
garden party may be delicious, use good judgement – alcohol strips the body of
important electrolytes and hydrating qualities – so a good tip is to have a few
glasses of water in between drinks – keeping alcoholic beverages to a minimum.
The added bonus of drinking more water – it moisturises the skin leaving it softer
and your hair shinier, whilst your body is able to perform better during
physical activity.
Foods to Cool
According to Chinese Medicine, just as our bodies are
designed to respond to changes in light and dark, so do our tastes and
appetites respond to seasonal shifts in climate & temperature. During
hotter weather we naturally crave refreshing food such as healthy green salads,
melon, strawberries & oranges. “Light & Cooling” are key words to
remember when choosing health boosting summer foods. These foods will help cool
you down and are easy to digest: Cucumber, water melon, mango, grapes and
strawberries. Bitter greens and vegetables help strengthen the heart &
intestine and also help clear heat from the body. Green Vegetables are also
very cleansing. Try to include asparagus, chicory, watercress, Bitter endive, radicchio,
dandelion, spinach, cabbage, artichoke, Pea sprouts and green beans. Seasonal
fruits abundant in health boosting vitamins are also worth adding to your
shopping basket – look out for cherries, apples, peaches, apricots and wild
berries such as blueberries, blackberries & raspberries.
Protect Your Skin
For many years now we
have been advised to cover up and reduce our exposure to the Suns harmful rays.
However, research now suggests that there are increased health benefits to
limited sun exposure. We need a certain amount of sunlight on our skin for the
body to synthesise Vitamin D, an important vitamin involved in immune support,
bone health & healthy skin to name but a few. According to the Harvard
School of public health, worldwide, an estimated
1 billion people have inadequate levels of vitamin D in their blood.
Deficiencies are now on the increase, especially in Northern European climates
such as our own here in the UK. And in our efforts to block out the sun’s rays
we layer on the sun cream, Harvard goes on to report, that this act alone can reduce
our ability to absorb vitamin D by more than 90%
So, yes we need to spend at
least 15 minutes a day exposed to direct sunlight, but not long enough to risk
damaging the skin. Our skin is our largest organ and so should be treated with
care. There are a number of organic & natural sun creams now available (in
good health shops) which offer good protection, yet are free of harmful
chemical ingredients .Vitamin D supplements can also make up for any shortfall
we can’t get from the sun.
Certain health supplements
have also shown to have a protective role during sun exposure, ‘Astaxanthin’ is
one of them, a carotenoid that may help to protect the skin from UV damage. In
addition, ‘Pycnogenol’ (French Maritime Pine Bark) helps improve skin
elasticity and smoothing during the ageing process as well as protecting the
skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Pycnogenol has also been shown to aid
the circulatory system and may be particularly beneficial in minimising the
risk of developing blood clots on long haul flights.
And if you over do the sun
bathing, then, the healing properties of the Aloe Vera plant must not be
overlooked. Aloe Vera gel is fantastic for helping to soothe and cool sunburn,
whilst helping to heal & moisturise damaged skin. An absolute holiday
essential! The homeopathic remedy Cantharis can also help ease sunburn. It can be
all too easy when we go away to get just a little more sun than we bargained
for and if you are unlucky enough to get a dose of sunstroke then the
homeopathic remedy Belladonna is good to have at hand.
A tincture made from Stinging nettles (urtica) is also a remedy that has
been traditionally used for easing itchy skin conditions and as a natural
antihistamine. It has particular value in easing the symptoms of Prickly Heat.
Your Holiday Survival Kit
Holidays can be fun but also sometimes full of new and unusual
activities that the day after can leave you waking stiff, aching and unable to
walk. Help is at hand with a few doses
of the homeopathic remedy, Arnica 30c. Arnica
is good for soothing bruises and easing tired and painful muscles after
strenuous activity allowing you to enjoy the rest of your holiday. It is great for jetlag too.
When travelling abroad it is often a good idea to pack a few remedies
that you can have at hand should you get a dose of Travellers Tummy or other
digestive problems. A good quality probiotic containing a good mix of
beneficial bacteria is highly recommended, as is a digestive enzyme supplement
that will help your digestive system to efficiently break down foods that your
body may struggle to cope with. And should you pick up any nasty bugs or
intestinal parasites whilst on your travels, then the herbs Pau d’arco and
‘Neem’ are particularly useful.
And talking of bugs, to keep those midges & mosquitos at arms length
a few drops of citronella oil onto a few cotton wool pads placed around the
holiday apartment can be a great help or a mosquito spray containing the herb ‘neem’
may help protect you from those nasty bites!
Finally for those of you who have
a fear of flying – a dose of the Bach Flower Remedy ‘Mimulus’ or ‘Rescue
Remedy’ is a handy option to have in your hand luggage & may just help ease
those unwanted fears, leaving you with nothing to worry about other than your
awaiting holiday destination, long summer days and warm nights, spending time in the outdoors engaging
in your favourite pursuits & time to chill out with family & friends.
What could be better? It’s truly time to leave the cold weather behind.
The content
within this article is for information purposes only. If you are taking
prescribed medication or undergoing any form of treatment please consult your
GP before making any changes to your healthcare regime.
For more
information or to chat to one of our advisors, please call Bare Health on 01260
408413.
