Healthy holiday season
Whether you are heading to the beach, flying off to sunnier climes or getting set to explore your local wilderness this summer we want to make sure you have all you need to enjoy a happy, healthy summer.
Sunny days inside and out
If you struggle with low mood, just seeing the sunshine can be enough to boost our spirits a little. The benefit of spending time outdoors on sunny days can help boost your vitamin D levels too.
Vitamin D is linked to many areas of wellbeing including mood, immune system, bone health, teeth and muscles among many others. We often talk about the benefits of supplementing it as our main source of Vitamin D is from the sun so it can be difficult to come by through the winter months. Take the opportunity on sunny days to spend a little time outdoors to boost your levels. If you feel you don’t get enough Vitamin D naturally, then you can still supplement through the summer. We have a range of Vitamin D in the form of drops, oral sprays, tablets and capsules – something suitable for all.
Protect your skin
When spending time out in the sun, a lotion with a sun protection factor (SPF) is essential for all the family, even if you are someone who tans easily. The sun’s rays can be harmful to all skin types whether light, dark or medium, young, mature or in the middle! We have compiled a useful guide on sun protection products, click here to read our Summer Skin article.
Bites and beasties
Midges, mosquitoes and gnats are generally unwanted summer guests – but don’t worry, there are natural ways to keep them at bay.
These flying beasties don’t like the smell of citronella. Using this essential oil around the home and garden can help keep them away.
Other essential oils that mosquitoes don’t seem to like are tea tree, lavendar and eucalyptus – I have had these recommended by customers in store just recently.
Look for our range of insect repellents from Incognito. The body soap, roll-on and spray products are all 100% DEET-free and safe for all the family to use. This award winning range of effective insect repellents are great for preventing bites here in the UK and also in much warmer climates abroad. This range is vegan.
If you get bitten you can reduce the discomfort by using Weleda's Bite Spray. We get great feedback from customers who have found this helps relieve insect bites and stings. It works by reducing irritation and swelling caused by insect bites. This is suitable for adults, children, this spray is vegan too.
Look after your gut health
If you are travelling overseas, or likely to have a very different cuisine to what you are used to it is a good idea to look after your tummy by taking probiotics before, during and after your holiday. This will help prevent against tummy bugs and traveller’s diarrhoea.
A favourite with our Nutritional Therapists is the Saccharomyces Boulardi probiotic from Optibac. Plan ahead and take this for a few weeks before you travel. You can take 1-2 capsules to begin, up to a maximum of 6 capsules a day. As with all of our supplements, talk to us so that we can check any contraindications and make sure this is the right probiotic for you.
Keeping well hydrated will help digestion too. Make sure you drink plenty of water and replace lost electrolytes due to exercise and sweating by having coconut water in the mix too. Herbal teas are a great way to keep your water levels up so always have a choice of flavours in your travel bag.
Kombucha and Kefir drinks are fantastically refreshing alternatives to alcohol. We really love Mighty Brew Elderflower (Kate's favourite), Equinox Pink Grapefruit and Guava (my choice), Mighty Brew Jasmine (best seller) and Go Kombucha China White (everyone loves this one!)
This is the best time of year for all your veggies and fruits…..eat a rainbow every day with all the lovely deep green leafy veg, purple broccoli too as well as your aubergines, red tomatoes, yellow peppers – be creative with salads and add in seeds, crushed nuts, apple cider vinegar dressings and delicious avocado oil! Go a little easier on your fruits – apples, berries, citrus and so on. They can be a little high in sugar but make a lovely sweet treat or part of a summer fruit punch!
When on any break we want to enjoy the local cuisine, maybe have a few drinks and take a moment to have lots and lots of cake (maybe that is just me?!). If you want to indulge in delicious rich foods, you can help support your tummy by using digestive enzymes. These little guys help to break down fats, and they speed up chemical reactions that turn nutrients into substances that your digestive tract can absorb.
If you plan on enjoying some tipples this summer, you may be interested in Milk Thistle. This fantastic herb is available in drops and tablet form from our A. Vogel herbal range and has liver protecting properties. Many customers have told us that taking this before and during enjoying alcoholic drinks has helped prevent hangovers and the after effects of going "out-out".
Travel happy
I know the pain of travel sickness all too well. If you are the unfortunate traveller who can’t go more than a couple of miles as a passenger in a car, on a boat or – my least favourite – in a coach, then you will find these tips of great benefit!
My go-to is a ginger sucky sweet. I always have some of The Ginger People GinGins hard boiled sweets on any journeys and they really do work! There is a homeopathic remedy called Nux Vom which many people have found useful too. Tips for long trips – always have bottled water available, and head and neck supports as a passenger. I have found pre-travel stress can also cause travel sickness, so encourage a calm and relaxed run up to the journey too.
If you are worried or fearful of an upcoming journey you may find Arg Nit (homeopathic remedy) or our Australian Bush Flowers Remedies of interest. There are also remedies in both of these ranges for jet lag.
To keep your ‘travel space’ clean, clear and as germ free as possible Colloidal Silver can be used in the air around you. Our essential oil hand spray from Absolut Aromas will keep germs at bay too.
Book your FREE Summer Health check-in with registered Nutritional Therapist Alison today using the form below, or call us on 01737 223499.
Once submitted, Alison will contact you shortly.
Our FREE Summer Health Check-ins offer a 15 minute chat over the phone or in store with our Nutritional Therapist Alison, or if Alison is not available another Nutritional Therapist in our team. Please note that this session is limited to one health aspect. Complex queries cannot be discussed in this time.