Surviving The Silly Season
My top 10 tips for optimal wellbeing through the silly season
Hydration
Optimal water intake is critical for daily health and wellbeing but it is even more important over the hot summer months. Beverages like caffeine and alcohol dehydrate us further so it is really important to boost your water to a minimum of 2L per day. A great homemade summer “vitamin water” idea is adding fresh mint leaves, cucumber slices and lemon wedges to your water.
Digestion
Optimal gut health can be tricky to manage over the holiday season with increased travel, more sweets and temptations of foods we may be intolerant to. Support your digestion by avoiding your known food intolerances and continuing to take any gut health supplements you have been prescribed such as digestive enzymes or probiotics. Other great tips are staying hydrated, eating lots of fibre for healthy bowels and soothing your gut with digestive herbal teas. My favourite herbal teas for reducing bloating and enhancing digestion are: Lemon and ginger, chamomile, dandelion root, peppermint and fennel.
Slow down
Take the summer break for some rest, relaxation and self care to recharge. Enjoy the ocean, bush walks and sunshine. There is so much science showing how beneficial getting into nature is for our mental and physical health. Another great tip is to try to get into some new habits surrounding mindful eating by not rushing your meals as we can all slow down on holidays.
Sleep
Sleep can sometimes become less of a priority when we are on holiday, but it is when our body repairs and detoxes so it is really important to still achieve 7-8 hours per night. Avoiding eating large meals late at night will also help you sleep better and improve your digestion. Ensuring your bedroom is cool and dark will also help you fall into the deep REM repair sleep we all need.
Move
Both incidental movement and your regular exercise regime are important to continue with over summer. This is especially important for maintaining a healthy metabolism and supporting a strong, healthy body into the new year. My tip is to skip the gym and get outdoors, try an exercise you haven’t done for a while like swimming or beach walks in soft sand.
Fast
Intermittent fasting is a hot topic that is currenting trending however it has an abundance of credible research backing it’s health benefits. Fasting through breakfast or resting your digestion is a great tip for when we are indulging a little more through the silly season. Even just swapping a larger meal for a therapeutic smoothie one morning or evening let’s your body reset!
Vitamin D
Summer time is the perfect opportunity for Australian’s to boost their Vitamin D levels. Many Australian’s are deficient in this Vitamin. Of course we want to be SunSmart but exposing your legs and arms for 15 minutes in the morning sun will help boost your Vitamin D levels.
Summer Fruits
We are so lucky to have our Aussie Summer fruits rich in vitamins, phyto-nutrients, anti-oxidants and digestive enzymes. My top picks to enjoy through summer are blueberries, papaya and pineapple as wholefoods or blended into smoothies.
Beverages
As the summer Aperol’s start flowing it is important to still have alcohol free night’s and ensure you are drinking lots of water to stay hydrated and detoxing well. Mocktails are a great idea and can also include things like kombucha and lemon wedges to further support your digestive health. Summer may also be a great opportunity to have a break from coffee if your intake has crept up and you have felt dependent on it through the year.
New Year
The holiday period is a great time to recharge and reflect on the year. It is also a great time to set New Year health goals! The team at Willow is there to support you with Naturopathy and Nutrition, Chinese Medicine (coming soon) Cooking classes, Yoga & Barre classes, Infrared sauna sessions, Massages, Osteopathy, Facials, Health & Wellbeing workshops and of course, our nutritionally designed healthy wholefoods café menu to keep your diet on track!
