Beat the Heat

Before you know it, summer will be upon us and temperatures will start to spike.  Do you have some strategies to keep your nutrition level high when the mercury starts to rise?  Here are a few tips to beat the heat in a healthy way:

Hydration:

Staying hydrated is critical when it comes to the summer months.  Drinking lots of water is always a healthy habit, but sometimes our outdoor activities require a bit more hydration.  Sports drinks like Bodyarmor work well because it has potassium-packed electrolytes, coconut water and vitamins.  That’s it.  No artificial flavors or sweeteners. 

Freeze your fruit:

Instead of reaching for a popsicle or other form of artificially colored sugar, try frozen fruit.  Simply stick a popsicle stick into a wedge of melon, a spear of pineapple, or even make a kebab-pop by freezing a fruit kebab. 

Not only will it cool you down and add in some hydration, but you’ll be getting all the wonderful nutrition of eating more fruit.  Few people get more than a couple servings of produce, so this is a refreshing and delicious way to get it in. 

Countertop Cook:

A lot of folks don’t feel like heating up the kitchen to cook dinner in the summer, and often turn to take-out, or scrounging around for prepackaged foods as a result.  You can still enjoy all the nutrition of a home-cooked meal without heating up your house.  Plan in a few nights of main-dish salads and consider counter-top cooking ideas.  Slow-cookers are a cooler way to bake potatoes.  Waffle irons cook anything from hash browns to paninis with less heat, and don’t forget the cooler convenience of a countertop grill.  Chicken, fish, and beef are all quick to prepare without heating the oven. 

With a little planning, you can beat the heat in healthy, delicious ways.