Savour the Flavours of Summer!

Summer is here and it’s a super time to make some small changes while still enjoying all that summer has to offer!

6 Tips to Modify Nutritional Intake & Lifestyle during the Summer Months

Below are some helpful tips to modify your nutritional intake and lifestyle that are particularly well-suited to this time of year and are simple to implement.

1. ‘Tis the season

It is time to familiarize yourself with seasonal fruits and vegetables and incorporate more of them into your daily intake. Visit farmers markets or your local grocer for asparagus, rhubarb, green peas, artichokes, lettuce and strawberries, bok choy, kale and spinach. Think about a rainbow of foods so you can increase your fiber, vitamins, and other disease-fighting micronutrients. The more colors you eat, the better! Add strawberries to salads; arugula to sandwiches; and blueberries in your smoothie. Consider exploring something entirely new (mine is lupini beans) — just add it to your shopping cart!

2. The Rest of the Plate

Consider dining at home giving you more control over what you are eating. Warm weather brings an increase in BBQing and picnics which can encourage unhealthy eating so choose wisely. Look for omega 3 rich fish, homemade chicken or turkey burgers, poultry or a homemade plant-based one. Try adding pulses which are legumes, lentils, chickpeas as well as nuts and seeds. Sometimes it is not what you eat but being mindful of portions as well.

3. Be Conscious of Your Fork

Small alterations are more sustainable than making big moves so pick just 3 items from your regular intake that you want to eliminate or replace and start there. Keep sugar to a minimum (my rule of thumb is less than 5 grams) by perhaps eliminating it from your drinks or choosing more unsweetened or naturally sweetened products. Look at labels by reading first 5 ingredients and shop the perimeter of the grocery store where there are fewer processed products.

4. Be Mindful When You Eat

Mindful eating is a practise or tool for eating with INTENTION and in the moment AWARENESS. It means deliberately CHECKING IN, without judgement, to the thoughts and body cues that guide eating choices, as well as the sensory experience of eating (i.e. taste, smell, touch, texture etc). By bringing awareness to the process of eating this can be transformational and elicit curiousity, observation and understanding of your eating choices and behaviors. Learn more about the benefits of mindful eating here >

5. Drink Up

The warm weather means you naturally lose more moisture through sweat. If you become even mildly dehydrated you can feel fatigued, lower energy and sometimes Keep a water bottle handy, perhaps dressed up with flavoured ice cubes or infused with mint/cucumber. Extra water also helps prevent overeating — an added bonus.

6. Move It Outside

Physical activity every day is really important and improved weather in the summer makes getting enough movement much easier. Being in the sun also boosts vitamin D which is good for bone and brain health and general functioning of our immunity. Build in some slight hills if walking, and uneven terrain engages more muscles and works on balance as well.

When you make a CHOICE to eat something, take a moment to think about how you might feel once eating it and beyond. .Food is meant to fuel and NOURISH our brains, body and soul. Look for patterns and make intentional changes. Every little change is a positive step forward.