The summer is the perfect time to improve your health — the days are longer, warmer and generally less chaotic. Because the season is more relaxing and laid back, you won’t even notice the changes you’re making.
Focusing on fitness, stress, diet, vision and oral health, WedMD suggests the following tips to boost your personal health:
- Berry boost your diet: Add a daily cup of mixed berries to your diet. Berries are high in fiber and antioxidants which help reduce age-related illnesses, prevent tissue damage and help keep cholesterol low.
- Stress less by getting dirty: Planting a garden or flower box, indoors or out, can make you feel grounded and helps relieve mental and physical stress.
- Floss everyday: Daily flossing reduces oral bacteria meaning your body can focus on fighting bacteria in other parts of your body instead, improving overall health.
- Exercise outside: Go on a nature walk, or go cycling, roller blading or swimming with or without your family. All of this can help you feel less cooped-up.
- Protect your eyes: Don’t forget to wear your sunglasses while outside to block unwanted ultraviolet rays and prevent cataracts and crows-feet.
- Take a vacation: Vacationing can lower your heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones.
- Ease up on the hard alcohol: Choose light, chilled alcoholic beverages instead, which in moderation (one or two drinks daily), can protect against heart disease.
- Catch up on sleep: It’s hard to resist staying up late in the summer but following a good wake-up and bedtime schedule is the easiest thing to do to improve your overall health.