The days are longer and the weather is warmer; summer is here! This is the best time to enjoy the outdoors and continue to stay healthy. As much as we want to be outside and enjoying our summer activities, it is still important to remember these tips to help keep you healthy while enjoying the summer days.

1) Stay Hydrated! The weather is warmer and that means we will lose fluids much easier, no matter the activity. The daily recommended water intake is 8 glasses of water, but if we are outside doing any vigorous activity, we are going to want to increase that intake to keep up with the fluid loss. A good rule of thumb is to make sure to drink AT LEAST half your body weight in ounces of water PER DAY! This will ensure that your body is getting enough water and staying hydrated all summer long!

2) Get FREE Vitamin D! Our body makes vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight. The summer time offers you plenty of opportunity to get outside and expose yourself to the natural sunlight. 15-20 minutes a day during the strongest rays (10am to 2pm) with the most skin exposed will provide you the optimal daily dose of vitamin D. The sun is allowing you to get the vitamins you need (for free, too!) that help promote healthy bones and teeth. It also helps with easing the symptoms of depression, inflammation, and helps to increase brain development in pregnancy and infancy.

3) Take Care of Your Skin! The two most common products used in the summer time are sunscreen and bug repellent. Be careful of the products that you are using though. The skin is the largest organ of our body and has the ability to absorb all of the toxins into our body that we put on ourselves. When shopping for sunscreens this summer, you want to avoid these 6 ingredients: oxybenzone, octinoxate, retinyl palmitate, homosalate, oxtocrylene, and parabens. Some great non-toxic sunscreen brands are: Badger Balm, Blue Lizard, All Good, California Baby, Babo Botanicals, Poofy Organics, Goddess Garden, Think, Beautycounter, Kabana, and Earth Mama Organics.

Get out and enjoy the summer, but remember to protect yourself, your body, and your health!

By: Dr. Tod Williams