A 5-Point Prescription for Midsummer Health

We have reached the midpoint of summer, and here is a quick reminder of some simple healthy habits that are easily within reach:

Water: It does a body good

Adult humans are 60 percent water, and blood is 90 percent water. Water is essential for bodily functions: it lubricates the joints, helps us digest our food, and keeps our mouth, nose, and eyes moist. It delivers oxygen throughout the body, keeps our skin healthy, cushions our brain and spinal cord regulates body temperature and helps us maintain proper blood pressure. It prevents kidney damage, helps remove waste products, and may even help with weight loss. Water boosts performance during exercise. Need we say more?

There are plenty of fresh summertime fruits and vegetables that are high in water content like melons, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, celery, cucumbers, lettuce, and zucchini. Make refreshing infused waters with favorite add-ins like cucumber or watermelon slices.

Exercise: Just keep moving

There is no perfect exercise prescription for everyone, so we need to find an exercise that we like to do … and then do it consistently such as swimming, walking, strength training, tai chi, yoga, even jumping on a trampoline. Consistent exercise boosts feel-good endorphins and helps alleviate stress; it improves blood and lymphatic circulation, and at the same time strengthens muscles and bones. Regular exercise can help us manage our weight and lower the risk of disease … and who wouldn’t want that?

Eat cooling, refreshing seasonal foods

In traditional Chinese medicine theory, good nutrition plays a significant role in keeping us healthy. Foods that are energetically cooling can help us replenish lost fluids and keep us hydrated. Energetically cooling foods include spinach, cauliflower, lettuces, watermelon, oranges, and papayas along with green and black teas.

Give acupuncture a try

With the insertion of fine needles to stimulate acupoints, acupuncture regulates the autonomic nervous system, reduces inflammation, and rebalances the body. Acupuncture is great for acute and chronic health conditions, and it is excellent for preventative care when you feel like you need a tune-up. And don’t forget to ask your practitioner about cupping! It relaxes muscles, stimulates blood flow, and assists the lymphatic system in reducing the buildup of toxins.

Breathe: You are alive!

Check in with your body. How deeply are you breathing? Are you breathing from your chest or your abdomen? Take an inhalation while gently pushing your abdomen outward. As you exhale, pull your abdomen inward. Consciously check in with your breathing from time to time throughout the day.

Taking a deep breath or two resets your body and mind and allows you to respond calmly to everyday, nonthreatening stresses. It improves mood, increases clarity of thought, and ensures more restful sleep.

Summer can be a very busy time for us—camps, vacations, family reunions, sports, gardening, and other hobbies—but incorporating these healthy habits in our activities may make them even more enjoyable. Please let us know if we can support you in any way!