Summer is a beautiful time of the year. It can be also the healthiest time if you learn to take advantage of the summer weather, long days and abundance of seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Summer can be the right time for natural fast weight loss,  detox and lots of inexpensive beauty remedies to nourish and rejuvenate your skin.

Here are some helpful hot weather tips for you to enjoy your summer  :

I. Try to drink two-three extra glasses of water a day– it is very easy to do when it is hot outside. If you can develop this habit, you will continue drinking more water in the fall and winter.

Dehydration is one of the causes for headaches, migraines, and constipation, all of which can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease, hormones imbalance, PMS symptoms, etc.

One Extra Glass of Water to Drink and 500 calories to Burn the Easy Way

II. Start an easy excercise program. By easy I mean think about some outdoor and indoor activities you might have forgotten you enjoy, like  walking, bike riding, tennis, swimming, hiking or even dancing. If you are extra ambitious, consider camping.

Summer days are long enough, so no excuses for not having time for an excercise program. Eventually it will become your daily routine and will thus be easier to keep up with in winter.

III. Try to reduce high-calorie and high fat foods by replacing them with an abundance of fruits and vegetables that can help with constipation. Eating more plant foods helps with weight loss,  detox, and to cleanse smart. Why? Because all fruits and most vegetables are laxative = rich in fiber. And foods high in fiber is what you need the most if you want to have a healthy digestive system.

Avoiding high calorie and high sugar foods can also relax you, which is very important if you want to feel and look fabulous (remember: stress and nutrition are related and needed for natural fast weight loss)

Tips on How to Read Labels and Find Hidden Sugar

IV. Try to eat more detoxifying food, for example, diuretic foods, such as cherries, pine apple, celery, parsley root, water melon, cucumbers, artichokes, watercress, all of which improve urination.

Hot weather increases sweating and reduces urination, which can lead to water retention, and sometimes to a puffy face or heavy legs. These foods will also help you reduce your blood pressure which is very important for healthy kidneys and heart. Check which fruits and vegetables are from Dirty Dozen List, and why it is better (healthier) to buy them as organic fruits and vegetables for their organic food benefits.

Why Strawberries, Peaches and Cherries Can Be Dangerous for Health

V. Try to spend at least 10 – 15 minutes every day being with and in nature: at the beach, in the park, in the woods, in your back yard watching birds, floating clouds, your favorite flower or a tiny lizard; or maybe doing completely nothing. It will de-stress your mind and relax your body.

Take a Break and Relax with Flowers

VI. Make some homemade beauty remedies using Summer fruits and vegetables that can nourish, moisturize and cleanse your skin.

Let us take advantage of Summer time to get healthier and happier, shall we?

Breathe, smile and be happy.

©Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health Coach and Nutrition Counselor

It’s that time of year – cold and flu season when we have to take care of ourselves to stay healthy.

If you don’t want to catch a cold or to reduce stress, have more energy, sleep better, or even to lose, or at least not to gain some weight, you need to know not only which foods to eat but also which foods to avoid to survive the busiest time of the year.

Did you notice that we always look for super foods to be healthier and feel better? But what about foods that might make us super sick?

These are super unhealthy foods which add more stress on our system and are super harmful for our health:

• Hydrogenated oils
• Sugars
• Artificial sweeteners
• High-fructose syrup
• Flour products
• Refined grains
• Junk foods
• Fast foods
• Processed foods
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Tobacco

*** The trans fatty acids most fast and processed foods contain actually reduce circulation and raise blood pressure, keeping your body in a constant state of stress.

*** Alcohol upsets the blood sugar level and disturbs sleep patterns.

*** Caffeine boosts the production of the stress hormone adrenaline.

*** Sweets, raise your insulin levels increasing serotonin for a little while, and then serotonin level goes down very fast turning you into cranky and irritable person.

Did you know that average American consumes more than 190 pounds of sugar a year, and 3/4 of it are “hidden” in processed foods?

Be aware of hidden sugars in the following items:

• Breakfast cereals
• Salad dressings
• Luncheon meats
• Canned fruits
• Bread
• Peanut butter
• Crackers
• Soups
• Sausage
• Cheese dips
• Chewing gum
• Jellies and jams
• Fruit Yogurts
• Fruit Juices
• Frozen deserts (ice cream, sorbets)

You don’t have to avoid these items entirely.  You just need to be wary of them.

A lot of people don’t realize that to stay healthy sometimes it is not about what to eat but rather what not.

So let us be food smart to feel and look fabulous during this holiday season.

Click to listen to Pamela Reilly, Naturopath and Raw Food Coach on How to Boost Our Immunity During Cold and Flu Season.

Breathe, smile and be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health, Nutrition Coach and Counselor

So how good are your eating habits?  Do you eat while reading, watching TV, looking at your computer, talking over the phone, etc.?

Have you ever noticed when you multitask you can eat a lot without noticing what you are actually eating? Even when you have dinner with your friends or coworkers, as soon as the conversation starts, the control of how much you eat ends..

As a Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach and Counselor, I always remind my clients that if you eat while multitasking, you will give your brain the wrong signals. You can call this mindless eating.  If your brain is thinking of work, it isn’t thinking of eating and won’t tell your body to stop eating .

If you focus your mind on your eating you will:

• eat less,
• be full faster,
• digest your food properly,
• absorb all nutrients
• lose weight

Here are some healthy tips and ideas to help focus your brain for mindful eating:

• Take a couple of deep breathes to slow down before your meal.
• Bless your food, or at least give thanks – it will help you feel gratitude, which by itself a powerful stress relief technique to help your digestion.
• Try to enjoy what you eat by noticing the food, smelling and savoring it.
• Chew properly – it helps enzymes from your pancreas and other organs get into your stomach and small intestines.
• Eat slower to feel full faster.
• Have a quiet happy family dinner at least twice a week instead of eating on the go.
• Chant “Sat Nam” five times.( Sat Nam is a healing sound or meditation mantra).
• Say Bon Appetit before every meal even if you eat alone. It will help you set your mood for eating and enjoying the food.

Establish these stress free eating habits to maintain your weight more easily and feel and look fabulous, shall we?

Breathe, smile and be happy.

© Irina Wardas, HHC

Women’s Holistic Health and Nutrition Coach and Counselor