Summer has finally arrived, bringing longer days and warmer weather. It’s the perfect time to enjoy the sun, but it’s also important to take care of yourself by adjusting your diet, hydration, and physical activity to the season’s needs. Here are some practical tips to make the most of this summer.
There is nothing more important than maintaining proper hydration during the summer. With the heat, we sweat more and risk dehydration. A golden rule is to drink at least 0.035 liters of water per kilogram of body weight per day. Homemade herbal teas and infusions are great options for variety, while industrial teas and energy drinks high in sugars or artificial sweeteners are best avoided.
It’s easy to fall into the habit of eating only fruits and vegetables during the summer, thinking they are enough to stay light. However, it is essential to balance your diet with an adequate amount of protein.
To set up a personalized rotation diet that keeps inflammation under control, we recommend undergoing a Recaller Medical Program.
Why Avoid Artificial Sweeteners? These can interfere with the production of ATP, the molecule that provides energy to the body, reducing energy efficiency and causing fatigue.
Balanced Nutrition: Not Just Fruits and Vegetables
It’s easy to fall into the habit of eating only fruits and vegetables during the summer, thinking they are enough to stay light. However, balancing your diet with an adequate amount of protein is essential. Proteins are fundamental for maintaining muscle mass and ensuring a longer-lasting sense of satiety.
Starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast can make a difference. An example? Greek yogurt with nuts or eggs with avocado. This helps maintain stable energy levels throughout the day and prevents blood sugar spikes.
When it comes to fruit, berries are ideal, as they are rich in polyphenols that improve circulation and benefit cardiovascular health. However, let’s also enjoy peaches, melon, and watermelon, varying as much as possible and always pairing them with a source of protein to prevent sugars, even natural ones, from causing hyperglycemia.
Ice Cream: Choose Mindfully
During the summer, ice cream is an irresistible treat. Often, people opt for fruit-flavored ice cream, thinking it’s lighter, but be careful: these flavors are often purely sugary. Cream-based ice creams, on the other hand, thanks to the fats they contain, reduce the effect of blood sugar spikes. It’s ideal to top your ice cream with crushed hazelnuts or almonds, which also provide a bit of protein. Additionally, it’s always better to enjoy ice cream after lunch or dinner rather than on an empty stomach to avoid rapid increases in blood sugar.
Watch Out for Aperitifs
Summer is also the time for outdoor dinners and aperitifs with friends. It’s easy to indulge in unhealthy foods like pizzas, focaccias, and sugary drinks. For a healthy aperitif, choose vegetable crudités and lean proteins like cold cuts and low-fat cheeses. If you want an alcoholic drink, opt for those without added syrups, sweet juices, and added sugars.
The benefits of seafood and shellfish
A food myth to debunk concerns the cholesterol found in shellfish and crustaceans. Often avoided because they are considered harmful to cholesterol levels, in reality, these foods are rich in B vitamins and are not the main contributors to an increase in bad cholesterol (LDL). The real culprit is the excessive intake of refined sugars.
Typical Summer Dishes: Simple and Healthy
Summer offers the opportunity to enjoy fresh and light dishes like Greek salad, prosciutto and melon, and rice salads enriched with tuna and hard-boiled eggs. These dishes are not only delicious but also balanced, as they include a proper amount of protein and are generally easy to digest, perfect for hot days.
Additionally, opting for cold carbohydrates like rice or whole-grain pasta salads is an excellent choice for the summer. Thanks to the retrogradation of starch, these carbohydrates have a lower glycemic impact, helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels
Excess sodium can lead to electrolyte imbalances, especially in conditions of dehydration. To counteract the effects of flavorful foods like prosciutto and feta, it’s important to balance the diet with potassium-rich vegetables, which help maintain fluid balance in the body and counteract the effects of sodium.
Examples of potassium-rich vegetables include: tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, avocado, and spinach.
Physical Activity: Take Advantage of the Early Hours of the Day
Exercising in the morning, perhaps before breakfast, can be a winning strategy to stimulate fat metabolism. Additionally, with the coolness of the early hours, it’s more pleasant to work out, and you avoid the intense heat of midday. The important thing is to stay well-hydrated and balance salt loss by consuming plenty of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Conclusions
Facing the summer in good health isn’t difficult with a few simple precautions. Staying properly hydrated, maintaining a balanced diet, and exercising are essential steps to make the most of this season. Remember, you don’t need to make major changes: just a few daily adjustments are enough to feel your best and live a summer full of energy and well-being.
Edited by The scientific editorial team GEK Lab
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