Practicing self-care doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. To ensure your body is supported and thriving throughout all your activities, check out these five simple self-care tips.
1. Move your body
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, adults should get 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. That may sound overwhelming, but when you spread it out from Monday through Friday, you’d spend about 30 minutes a day moving your body. Keep in mind, staying active is even more manageable if you commit to movement you actually enjoy, so feel free to switch up your movement to find what works best for you and your body.
Start your morning with a gentle yoga session, go for an evening stroll around the neighbourhood or go for a longer bike ride on the weekend if you’re short on time during the workweek. No matter how you decide to exercise, you’ll feel more energized when you move your body a little each day.
2. Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables
Did you know that eating seasonal produce is fresher, tastier and more nutritious than eating food that’s out of season? Head to your local grocery store or plan a trip to the farmers market for fresh, flavourful fruits and vegetables. Some summer seasonal foods include apples, avocados, cherries, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, peaches, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon and zucchini.
3. Stay hydrated
The hotter it gets, the more you need to hydrate. You’ve probably heard before that you should drink eight glasses of water each day. While that’s a good general rule, how much water you actually need is based on your individual needs and will depend on your health, activity level, environment and other factors. For example, if you live in a drier climate, you may feel thirstier more often and sweat more, which means you need to be vigilant about hydrating.
If you aren’t already in the habit of drinking water, start by having a glass at each meal and drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up in the morning. You can also carry a reusable water bottle with you when you run errands so you can hydrate on the go.
4. Nourish your gut
When your stomach is uncomfortable, it can throw off your whole day. One way to keep yourself feeling healthy and energetic is to focus on your gut health. In addition to eating a balanced diet and hydrating, nourish your gut by taking prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics support gut health by nourishing good gut bacteria and probiotics add more and nourish good bacteria, both of which keep your gut health in check.
5. Keep SPF on hand
Finally, while the sun is out in full force, don’t forget to put on and reapply sunscreen throughout the day. Start your day by putting on facial and body moisturizer with SPF. If you don’t spend much time outside, you likely won’t need to reapply. However, if you work outdoors or spend a lot of time in the sun, make sure to reapply sunscreen every two hours.
Keep a bottle of SPF on hand in your car or a bag you regularly carry in case you’re out and about longer than expected. On particularly sunny days, you should also wear sunglasses, protective clothing and hats in addition to sunscreen to reduce sun exposure.
Using these five tips, you’ll create healthy habits that will keep you feeling well and energized this summer so you can fully appreciate everything the season has to offer.
