Alto Barinas For most of us, summer means being outside, surrounding ourselves with friends, and indulging in our favorite food and drink. It’s tons of fun, but how can you stay healthy this summer?

Six Tips to Help You Stay Healthy This Summer

If any of your summer plans revolve around these activities, here are 6 ways you can ensure you stay healthy.

  1. Don’t forget the sunscreen. Putting on sunscreen is key not only to avoiding sunburn, and maintaining a younger looking appearance, but keeping your skin healthy. It’s been proven to prevent skin cancer, and reduce your chances of contracting it. Plus, if your sunburn gets bad enough you may get sun poisoning, which requires hospitalization. So, break out the SPF no matter where you go this summer!
  2. Put healthy food on the grill. Everyone loves a good barbecue, right? That’s why you can spice it up this summer with healthier food on the grill during your family barbecue.  Try grilling salmon, chicken, and vegetables instead of beef and pork at your next BBQ. You’ll feel better, and it will still be delicious!
  3. Get your H2O. We can’t stress enough how important it is to drink more water during the summer.  Not only does water have tons of health benefits, but dehydration is extremely harmful to your house, and causes many complications.  If you’re outside, we’re drinking alcohol, you need to drink more water than you normally would because heat and alcohol both further dehydrate you. If you’re not sure how much water you need to drink per day, you can ask your medical weight loss team at your next appointment.
  4. Don’t stuff the suitcase.  It seems odd, but packing light has health benefits.  Heavy luggage causes many summer injuries. Packing light helps prevent those common arms, shoulder, back and necks strains— not to mention keeping your stress low.
  5. It’s the most important meal of the day! Your parents weren’t kidding. The energy you get from consistent breakfast helps you maintain a healthy weight, and avoid resorting to high-calorie foods. In the summer, it’s especially important to have good nutrition so that you’re less prone to heat-related illness and dehydration.
  6. Drink responsibly: Although a cold beer feels refreshing and thirst-quenching in the summer heat, it actually dehydrates you further (and doesn’t replenish your body’s water stores). So if your pool party has a big beer cooler ready, make sure there’s a water cooler, too!

howling What’s your favorite healthy summer habit? Share your tips in the comments!