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Summers are nearly here! It could be loads of fun but the sweltering weather puts you at the target of bug bites, extreme sweating, and of course, diseases/infections. That’s why it’s important to follow some handy health tips for summer to stay safe in intense heat.
In today’s post, I’m sharing an ultimate list of 18 summer health and wellness tips for women to enjoy a relaxing season.
1. Make Water Your BFF
One of the most important health tips for summer is staying hydrated. You lose a lot of body fluids during hot weather because of continuous sweating, especially if you live in a region with a super hot climate.
And this could leave you severely dehydrated!
Your body is almost 60% water. It’s present in the lungs, kidneys, muscles, skin, and even bones. So you should drink enough to prevent overheating.
Proper hydration regulates the temperature and keeps the systems working well. Otherwise, you might suffer high blood pressure and other heart diseases.
According to health experts, women should drink water per the 8×8 rule: 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water each day.
Also, you shouldn’t wait till you are thirsty. I suggest setting daily reminders to drink water every hour. Even better is to carry a water bottle with you at all times!
2. Protect Yourself From the Sun
In summers, the days are longer and you may spend a lot of time out in the sun. In the peak morning and noon hours, the sun rays can pierce your skin and make you sunburnt.
That’s why your priority should be protecting your skin from the Ultraviolet sun rays. The UV index is higher in summers, so there’s a major risk of getting skin cancer.
Women with light skin or low melanin (a pigment that gives you a dark color) and those who easily sunburn, are more prone to skin cancers than others.
So one of the most crucial health tips for summer is to apply sunscreen lotions or creams before going out. Best is to carry one in your handbag daily.
High SPF sunscreens will effectively block UV rays and protect you from skin cancer. Make sure your cream is long-lasting if you typically spend hours outside of your home.
3. Wear Light Fabric Underwears
Another super useful summer health tip for women is choosing the right fabrics — particularly undergarments.
Wear panties or thongs made of thin breathable material to allow more air flow to your nether regions.
Light fabric underwears are not only comfortable to wear but also keep you cool. The air makes the moisture evaporate, creating a cool effect.
Plus, the moisture-wicking ability of panties prevents fungal infections or aggressive recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.
Avoid wearing nylon or thick materials. Light cotton underwears work best for casual wear in summer.
Also, silk is an ideal choice if you’re planning to take a dip. Or you could go for plant-based alternatives to animal-derived silk, such as rayon or bamboo.
Read More: 11 Best Home Remedies for Bacterial Vaginosis
4. Pay Attention to Your Diet
This list of useful health tips for summer wouldn’t be complete without discussing food!
A good nutritious diet could be a game-changer for your overall wellbeing in summers. As soon as you enter super hot days, eat more cooling foods, such as;
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupes or melons
- Mangoes
- Garlic
- Pumpkin
- Cucumber
- Curd
- Arugula or any leafy green veggies
- Tomatoes
- Mint
- Lemon
- Berries
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Carrots
- Bell peppers
These foods are popular in summer for a reason.
They’ll not only keep your body cool and hydrated but will also give you a natural energy boost which is much-needed in sweltering temperatures.
STOP douching as it can cause serious vaginal infections.
5. Steer Clear of Vaginal Douching
Among the most important health tips for summer is to completely avoid vaginal douching — no matter how appealing it sounds!
Douching wrecks your vaginal hygiene. The chemicals in these products mess up your vaginal flora by aggravating bacterial growth and killing off the good bacteria.
Scented creams, soaps, or chemical-filled cleaning products can trigger smelly yeast infections and painful bacterial vaginosis.
Remember that your Lady V is programmed to self-clean. The only safest thing you can do is wash the region thoroughly with water.
6. Drink Fresh Juices
Another one of my must-follow health tips for summer is drinking fresh fruit or veggie juices every. single. day.
I mean sure, water is great. But honestly, how much plain ol’ boring water can you drink in a day?!
When all you need is a flavored drink and you feel like going for an unhealthy sugary soda, I’d recommend switching to fresh juices.
Energy or soft drinks contain caffeine that drains water from your system, leaving you lethargic and seriously dehydrated. Sadly, sodas only offer a sweet temporary relief!
On the other hand, fresh juices keep you hydrated and beat the heat effectively. Refreshing orange juice, dates smoothie, melon punch, grape juice, and avocado mango smoothie are some tasty recipes to try.
You could also make your detox water to burn fat, energize, and cleanse your body of toxins during intense heat season.
Add some cucumber, lemon, and orange slices along with mint leaves in a jug of water. Chill it for a few hours or drop a few ice cubes. Et voila — drink up!
7. Be Ready for Messed Up Menstrual Cycle
Exposure to sunlight during summer affects the period length causing an irregular menstrual cycle. Your periods might become shorter or longer than usual as the temperatures rise.
According to health experts, summer can boost ovulation and decrease the period length by 1,2 days.
During hot weather, the menstrual symptoms you experience could change. And so will your coping mechanisms.
You can regulate your periods naturally by exercising and practicing yoga. Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Some nutritious foods like cinnamon, turmeric, and castor oil also help in normalizing the menstrual cycle.
All in all, pay attention to your self-care!
8. Follow Light Fitness Plans
Being mindful of how much you exercise daily is also one of the most important health tips for summer.
Excessive sweating during fitness routines can make your body run out of fluids quickly. A daily strenuous workout will, of course, leave you severely dehydrated, fatigued, and exhausted.
Dehydration drains your body of energy and your muscles won’t be able to endure extreme exercises.
So you should follow a low-intensity fitness workout in summers and take breaks often. Drink water between different sets. Stop immediately when you notice dizziness or nausea.
Read More: 10 Best Beginner Exercises for Weight Loss
9. Get Rid of Summer Headaches
Body overheating during summers is also harmful to your wellbeing. Heat exhaustion, heat strokes, and dehydration can often lead to serious painful headaches.
You might have noticed that staying outdoors under direct sunlight for hours makes your head feel heavy and dull, coupled with a throbbing headache.
Place cold packs on your head and keep drinking lots of water to avoid these disturbing migraines during the summer heat.
Also, take magnesium supplements, get sufficient sleep, and try aromatherapy to soothe your mind.
10. Avoid Wearing Flip-flops
For all my flip-flops fans — here’s one of the most crucial health tips for summer that often gets ignored.
These light open-toe sandals seem like an effortless and comfy choice for casual wear. But donning them for a long time in sunlight could do you more harm than good!
Podiatrists recommend against wearing flip-flops for hours during the intense summer heat. You can easily sprain your ankle if you’re going for a long walk on a particularly uneven surface.
Sandals offer poor support to your heels and foot arch, putting more pressure on your knees and spine for alignment. In the long run, it could eventually disturb your posture.
Plus, if your skin is sensitive, you become increasingly prone to blisters and bacterial infections.
You should only wear flip-flops if you’re going for a short walk, such as on the beach or going to buy groceries from a nearby store. Make sure you replace them after every 3 months and clean them thoroughly.
Select a design that best fits the foot shape, with major support to your heels and arch.
11. Reduce Risk of Pregnancy Complications
If you’re pregnant during peak hot weather, you’ll have to be extra careful about your baby’s wellbeing.
Being under extreme heat not only causes fainting or dizziness but also increases the risk of premature delivery, miscarriage, or stillbirth.
Pregnant women already have a high internal temperature. They feel dehydrated and have to pee often. This puts them at direct targets of heat strokes, heat exhaustion, and serious dehydration.
So one of the most important health tips for summer season is to ensure you’re getting sufficient liquids in your body. Drink water, smoothies, fresh juices — but avoid sodas.
Pregnancy also makes you prone to sunburns. So make sure you dress according to the weather.
Stay indoors as much as you can during hot spells. Don’t take hot baths or go swimming in the scorching heat. Always keep a water spray bottle with you.
Read More: 19 Scary Pregnancy Infections: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, and Prevention Tips
12. Throw Spoiled Foods in the Trash
Now let’s talk about some necessary digestive health tips for summer.
Food poisoning is fairly common during this season, primarily because most foods get spoiled easily as high temperatures trigger bacterial growth.
So it’s important to preserve all your groceries properly. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood in a cool and dry place before you grill it. Cook meat well.
Also, wash every utensil and your hands properly after touching raw meat as bacteria can easily transfer. Wash all vegetables and fruits thoroughly with water.
13. Control Summer Allergies
Summer can also trigger your allergies. Usually caused by pollens from grass, mold spores, and bugs, summer allergies are more common because the wind spreads allergens around.
Plus, pollination is at its peak during hot weather, making allergies worse.
Here are some preventive health tips for summer allergies:
- Always change clothes and take shower after visiting a garden.
- Keep your doors windows closed, so no pollen or spores can enter your home.
- Vacuum your carpets and rugs regularly.
- Wash the bedding weekly and use anti-dust mites covers for pillows.
- Clean your car and AC filters.
14. Prevent Summer Eczema Flare-ups
Soaring temperatures, warm weather, and humidity cause eczema flare-ups. Adding sweat to the equation makes the itching unbearable!
One of the most useful health tips for summer eczema is to keep your skin cool and moisturized. Use ceramides to dampen oily skin, particularly on elbows, neck, and chest.
The best thing you can do is to not go out during peak hot hours. Direct sun rays will lead to serious sunburns and skin irritation.
If you do go out, make sure you’re wearing a properly covered attire.
Also, avoid wearing wet clothes for a long time. As soon as you feel sweaty or are soaking after a swim, change into something dry. The salt in sweat or water sticks to the skin after drying and makes the itching worse.
13. Manage Diabetic Neuropathy Symptoms
Do you have diabetes type 1 & 2 and suffer from diabetic neuropathy?
Extreme summer heat can cause severe peripheral neuropathic reactions such as inflammation and tingling. High temperatures will intensify the pain.
You can even get third-degree burns in the scorching weather if you’re not careful!
Since neuropathy affects nerves, this condition messes with your ability to sweat. As a result, the skin would dry up, making it difficult for the body to cool down by sweating.
So what are some good summer health tips for diabetics?
For starters, make sure you stay in shade or indoors. Never walk barefoot as it increases pressure on your feet. Avoid hardcore fitness routines.
Drinking sufficient water and keeping yourself cool will also ease diabetes neuropathy symptoms in summers.
Read More: 14 Early Warning Signs of Diabetes in Women
16. Take Care of Achy Joints
Your joints contain fluids that make movements easier. But changes in heat and humidity wreck the fluid consistency, affecting joints movements. As a result, intense joint aches are quite common in summers.
In some cases, you might notice also painful swelling in the knees.
The air pressure outside also plays a role in joints inflammation. Because of warm temperatures, humidity, and increased air pressure, certain bones begin expanding. This affects the elasticity of muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Summers make arthritis and osteoporosis worse. The stiffness and inflammation of joints is difficult to deal with.
Here are some health tips for summer to holistically heal joint aches:
- Exercise
- Swimming
- Wear soft material fabric
- Keep hydrated
- Stay away from direct sunlight
17. Soak in The Sun For Some Minutes Daily
Sunbathing feels pleasing and relaxing. Summers are the best time to get your recommended dose of Vitamin D naturally from sunlight, particularly if you have long cold winters.
Vitamin D is essential for women to get strong bones. It also boosts your mood and strengthens the immune system, so your body can fight diseases more easily.
Make it a point to go sunbathing every week on the beach or in a park. If nothing else, go for a daily walk in broad daylight. But make sure you go out during safe hours, wear full clothing, and apply high SPF sunscreen.
18. Protect Yourself from Yeast Infections
A major drawback of sweltering heat is yeast infections. Because of the increased sweating and moisture, there’s a high risk of fungal growth.
If you live in a humid region, you’re more prone to yeast infections in the vagina and toes, especially if these parts have excessive sweat.
So your priority should be doing everything to avoid painful fungal problems. Here are some useful health tips for summer to prevent yeast infections.
- Stop deep scratching in itchy regions
- Wear light, breathable underwear
- Eat more yogurt as it contains probiotics
- Limit sugar intake
- Don’t use scented products in the vagina
- Avoid wearing wet clothes
- Practice good vaginal hygiene
Summer is a fantastic much-awaited month! But it could get ugly if you aren’t careful. Try these awesome health tips for summer to stay safe and protect yourself from major complications, diseases, and allergies.
Hope you enjoy this warm season! 🙂
References:
- https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/how-to-prevent-yeast-infection
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3356951/
- https://www.communitycare.com/News/Articles/Summer-The-Season-of-Food-Poisoning
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5397984/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5885123/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412017316860
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305417999000972
