Summer survival
What to eat and how to thrive in May and the summer months.
As the temperature increases, it can take a while to get used to! We don't sleep as well due to tossing and turning, and tensions rise along with the heat. If you find yourself sweating more than usual, try to be mindful of the need to drink more water (filtered tap water please, never bottled) and for some, take a little more salt to replace any lost electrolytes due to perspiration. It is also a good idea to add lemon or lime to your water as the sourness helps with gut secretions and also helps to keep you cool. If you are struggling to find lemons and limes (as I understand London and other cities are low on fresh fruit etc) then purchase an essential oil and use a drop in lieu.
Be mindful of your own limitations - don't spend hours in the sun only to get too hot and feel rotten afterwards! Dappled shade is a lovely compromise here, especially now that lockdown is continuing. Take some work outdoors if at all possible. If you have children, stay calm and try to understand that this is tough for the little ones too. Who knows what their memories of this will be like - but they are more likely to remember the way they felt than the day-to-day activities. Make homemade ice lollies with yogurt - they will enjoy the process and you will avoid their dreadful behaviour following a shop-bought ice lolly.
Enjoy all the fresh fruit and vegetables that are coming into season. Salads are en vogue, so make the most of the crunch for the next three-four months. It is lovely to make a green base (lettuce, cucumber, celery, spring onion and then 'tart up' with tendrils of carrot, pickled beetroot, some sprouted seeds and freshly chopped parsley, coriander and fennel. Make your own salad dressing with raw garlic, a generous slosh of apple cider vinegar (raw, with the mother), a squeeze of lemon, pinch of sea salt and top it up with olive oil. Try some other seed and nut oils too if you haven't for a while like flaxseed, or macadamia nut.
A vegetable not to miss is asparagus - a great cleanser and it only has a very short season. Look out for British strawberries as they are ripening now and the other berries will follow on. The smaller strawberries have more flavour, so opt for those! Try to find an organic source or talk to the farmer to avoid exposure to harmful pesticides and herbicides that wreak havoc on your gut bacteria.
If you are brave enough and live somewhere this is possible then nibble on the odd dandelion leaf, hawthorn leaf, wood sorrel or nettle top. The bitterness is great for the liver and although small, pack a punch in terms of nutrient value. PLEASE do not eat something unless you are 100% sure it is safe to do so!
Consider a vegetarian diet in May - there is an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables on offer with plenty of nutrients. Your liver might enjoy the break. If this is not an option (as it is not for me really), then opt for lighter protein sources like eggs, cottage cheese, fish and white meat.
Don't forget to maintain levels of Omega 3 (oily fish or a supplement) to help with skin protection in the sun and make sure to sit out in the sun baring some flesh for 10 minutes or so each day in order to replenish your Vitamin D3 levels.
If you have any questions about any of the above, please send me an email or give me a call.
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