Who would have thought that our summer would turn out to be such a sizzler and I must say its brilliant to see such a positive mood in old London town. Enough though the heat is welcome, we still need to be careful with our health and make sure that with all the excitement we don’t over heat and compromise our ability to enjoy the season of joy that we love.
Here are my top tips:
1. Start your day earlier when sun rises to get the most of the day – I wake up around 5am and work until 2pm. It is not only cooler but your head will feel a lot clearer if you tackle the more difficult tasks whilst the phones are still quiet and the city has not fully woken from its slumber.
2)
a. Like-wise with exercise – try to do this at the coolest part of the day (in the morning). The temperatures are not dropping enough at the moment in the evening to consider running after a day of heat.
b. Reduce the intensity of your workout – running for long periods can cause heat exhaustion post workout so go for a light jog or run and make sure you cool down properly afterwards. Using a heart-rate monitor is a great way to help you regulate the intensity of your workout.
c. Is it a great time to get involved with summer water sports such as swimming or aqua aerobics or even try walking a lot more to make sure you get a full hit of vitamin D to store for the winter.
3. Drink plenty of fluids including water and herbal tea – if you want to drink a hot drink make sure it has cooled to just above room temperature before consuming. I am still not a believer of drinking ice-cold drinks, even in the greatest heat due to its negative effects on the stomach.
4. It is important to not over consume cooked food. Summer is the optimum time to consume highly nutritious raw vegetable product without compromising our health. Salads, fruits, vegetable smoothies and lightly steamed vegetables are all readily available to add a much needed vitamin boost to our diets. If you do eat cooked foods, make sure that they, too, have cooled sufficiently before consumption.
5. Sugar addicts take heed – avoid refined sugars; there are plenty of naturally sweet fruits available full of fibre, vitamins and minerals to help reduce your sweet tooth.
And finally, remember that all fires can burn out! So try to pace yourself when you’re out and about: moderation is advised for alcohol, barbeques and sun exposure to help you to make the most of all the party invitations.
Bye for now,
Jacqueline.