Summer is a beautiful time of the year, but it can be very hot, humid and exhausting. We need to learn how to cool down and take advantage of this wonderful season to feel and look fabulous.
First of all, summer is a good time to reduce high-calorie and high fat meals. It can help us to l oose some weight, detox and relax to look and feel better.
Hot weather increases sweating and reduces urination which might lead to water retention, and sometimes to a puffy face or heavy legs. Try to eat more cherries right now, while they are in season. Only remember that cherries are from the Dirty Dozen List, so it is better (healthier) to buy them organic.
All fruits (apples, berries, pears, apricots plums, melons, grapes, peaches, mangos, papaya as well as all citrus fruits are also cooling and laxative which can help our cleansing/natural detox process.
We also should try to eat more refreshing and cooling salads with slightly bitter-tasting, cleansing greens, such as dandelion greens, watercress and endive. All leafy vegetables have a cooling effect on the body.
If you are on a weight-loss program, you should add more minerals to your diet with asparagus and okra (okra might also help if you have joint and swelling pain). As for me, I also eat a lot of cabbage - I love it more than broccoli. All vegetables from cabbage family increase alkalinity and reduce acid condition such as bad breath, excess hunger and even anger.
If you live in a climate with high humidity, try to eat more watermelons - they can make a delicious breakfast or snack. Sometimes I have water melon detox day and eat only water melons and rye bread all day long like my grandmother liked to do. It is a good detox remedy for our kidneys, full of licopen to prevent heart disease, and like bananas rich in potassium, which might help reduce blemishes, dark circles around the eyes and fatigue.
In summer we can eat more local fruits and vegetables, so don't forget to incorporate a lot of cooling vegetables, such as potato, tomato, summer squash, zucchini, cucumber, celery, mushrooms, bean sprouts, artichoke, bell peppers, asparagus, sweet potatoes, beets root and yam into your diet. You can cook them, eat them raw or make delicious juices. Humid weather demands additional cleansing, so enjoy your fruits and vegetables-natural detox- all day long. And speaking about cleansing/detox, a dash of lemon will be a great addition to any salad or drink.
We are supposed to eat more cooling foods that are easily digested in summer, so mung beans, barley, rice, couscous, as well as sea vegetables can be added to salads if you want to avoid hot dishes.
Sea food will be better choice over poultry or meat - it has cooling effect and is easier to digest.
If we drink more water and juices and eat more cooling vegetables and fruits, we will feel better, get slimmer and look fabulous.
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