Although summertime has looked a bit different this year, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the sunshine and spend time, safely, with friends and family. Perhaps instead of crowding into a bar with your coworkers after work, you have a video call happy hour from home; rather than take the kids to the local pool, you spend time running through the sprinkler in the backyard.
However you choose to enjoy the summer weather, it’s also important to also make sure that you’re prioritizing your health and keeping yourself well. From drinking enough water to relieving stress, here are some ways to say healthy during the summer months.
Prioritizing Your Health in Summer
Stay Hydrated
Any Dallas resident knows that our summers can be blisteringly hot when it comes to the intensity of the sun and temperatures outdoors. If you’re spending time outside — whether it be out on the lake or simply in your backyard — it’s essential to drink enough water to keep yourself properly hydrated.
It’s important to note that it’s best to specifically drink water — not juice, soda, or alcoholic beverages. This is because those juice and soda don’t hydrate you nearly as much as water does. They also contain high amounts of sugar and sodium. Alcohol actually dehydrates you, so even if you’re simply sipping on spiked seltzers, you’re having the opposite effect.
It’s also important to be able to recognize the signs of dehydration so you can seek medical attention in case of an emergency.
Protect Your Skin
While you may be hoping to exit the summer months with a bronze, sun-kissed glow, if you’re not careful, you could end up with a nasty burn instead. You should be applying sunscreen before you leave the house each day, even if you’re just running around doing errands, to shield your skin against UVA and UVB rays.
If you’re going to be spending time outside in direct sunlight, be sure to reapply sunscreen every two hours and each time you get out of any water. Although you may be tempted to apply some tanning product to get a bronzed tone, steer clear of those so you don’t risk getting a sunburn or, worse, sun poisoning.
Wear Protective Eyewear
Just like your skin can suffer from too much sun, so can your eyes. If you’re going to be spending time outdoors, even in the car on a road trip, wear sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays. Too much exposure to direct sunlight can cause eye strain, among other things.
Improve Your Diet
Many summer foods tend to be more on the indulgent side than they are healthy. While it’s entirely fine to treat yourself to some brisket and burgers at a BBQ or an extra scoop of ice cream after a long summer’s day, you shouldn’t allow these to be the main components of your diet.
Take the opportunity to try to improve your diet during the summer months instead. Stock up on seasonal fruits and fresh vegetables so you can increase your antioxidant and fiber intake.
Manage Stress by Heading Outdoors
Especially with everything going on in the world, you may be feeling very stressed and anxious these past few months. Take advantage of the summer and relieve some of that stress outdoors. Studies have shown that being in nature helps alleviate stress and makes you feel more at one with yourself.
Try activities such as:
Hiking
Cycling
Swimming
Planting a garden
Limit Alcohol Consumption
Although you may see summer as the time to kick back with a beer or cocktail, be careful not to overindulge. Not only can you put yourself at risk of alcohol poisoning (and potentially long term addiction) but drinking too much, especially outdoors, can cause dehydration.
Try to count your drinks and limit them to one per hour in order to keep your BAC at a safe level.
Emergency Care in Dallas
If you find yourself in the middle of a health emergency this summer, Advance ER is here for you. With two emergency rooms and no wait times, we offer the Dallas community 24/7 care at the same cost of a busy hospital.
For more information or to speak to a member of our expert staff, contact us today.