Summer is my favorite season. I love the warmer days and the energy of summer as my family relaxes into a summer routine with no school for the kids and vacation times. It definitely has its ups and downs as many mothers would tell you, but overall, summer is a time for taking that time to watch the seeds that I have planted over the spring start to sprout and turn into a beautiful harvest for later.
As the weather starts to warm up, as women, we can look to the changing season as a way to give us some clues as to what we can be doing to align our habits in order to thrive in our wellness.
This article is to help you look at the upcoming season and see what lifestyle changes would fit you best as well as some herbal recommendation to keep you cool and hydrated.
Skincare
I always think of the skin and protecting it when it comes to summer. Hopefully to naturally protect it right? I do. not know how many Youtube videos I watched or articles I ready about your own DIY natural sunscreen products or mineral sunscreen product reviews and these are just some observations and tips after extensive research.
Hopefully you get some benefit from this and give some of these a try yourself in order to protect your skin during the summer.
When you do not feel like wearing long sleeves to cover yourself up or do not have a hat to cover your face, you want to look into products that have non-nano zinc oxide and oils that naturally block the suns UV rays.
There are recipes that you can try to make yourself when it comes to natural sunscreen or buy one. Here is the best recipe I found if you want to do it yourself:
DIY Sunscreen
4 tbsp coconut oil
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp cocoa butter
4 tbsp organic grated beeswax
4 tbs non-nano zinc oxide
In a double broiler mix all the ingredients together and blend well. Transfer to a glass container and allow to cool completely before applying.
If you are looking for just buying one here is the one that will not leave your skin white and also protect your skin from the sun.
Different butters and oils have a certain SPF so when making your own or purchasing one you want to look at the ingredients to see what is has to make sure that you are getting good protection from the sun. Here is a good breakdown of all the natural plant oils and butters and their SPF.
Insects
Mosquitos. Bugs. Summer. Heat. Sweat. They go hand in hand. Some people are lucky and do not have to deal with mosquitos biting them while others invest in special bracelets and sprays just to keep from getting bitten.
There are special oils that can help you keep the bugs away naturally but what if you get bug bites that turn into itching which can then turn into an infection?
For bug bites in general, they are very common and usually when you apply cold compresses on them they tend to resolve on their own.
If it is a bite that seems to be spreading, I like to have activated charcoal on hand and apply it as a poultice to draw out any toxins. Usnea is also an herb that helps a lot with infections, if you are somewhere where there is fresh usnea then you can also use that as a poultice and keep it on for about 30 min or drink it as a tea along with the ice compress to keep the infection at bay and swelling down. I usually always have usnea in a double extraction ready year round specifically for bacterial issues that might come up.
Another great herb that is around in abundance during the summer is yarrow which is great for inflammation and open wounds. Imagine you are on a camp site and you get bit and have no activated charcoal. This is where knowing what yarrow looks like comes in handy because you can use the leaves or fresh yarrow as a poultice also and make tea to help with any insect bites.
For keeping insects at bay as a prevention and you are traveling then it’s useful to have a spray bottle on hand and you can use citronella or lemongrass diluted in water around your room. If you know that you are prone to being bit a great oil is eucalyptus lemon (eucalyptus citriodora)
Here is my favorite blend:
4 drops thyme linalol
8 drops lemongrass
4 drops lavender
4 drops peppermint
2 drops tea tree
Combine all oils and use about 2 drops in any carrier oil or 2 drops in your body lotion for the day time and for the night I like to dilute about 6 drop per 30 ml of aloe vera gel that I prepare ahead of time and use that mix as it is cooling and keeps the insects away for those hot summer nights and I do not have to deal with the oily feel of a lotion or a carrier oil.
Cooling Herbs & Foods
Let me ask you a question… when you think about summer foods, what comes to your mind? Watermelon? Zucchini? Berries? Or do you think of greasy food and summer BBQ season?
There is no right answer here but it’s interesting to ponder on this because the way you eat in the summer really affects you on a physical and mental level.
For example, if someone is prone to getting upset easily and gets overwhelmed easily and they start to eat foods that are spicy or maybe consuming more alcohol in the summer time, then chances are that they will be more prone to burning out and feeling completely drained when it comes to the Autumn season.
By now we know that foods affect us in on many levels. So when it comes to summer food if we pay attention to our natural inclinations towards foods or what is in season around us we will see foods that are cooling in nature and have a high water content.
If we look at advertisements for summer foods we mainly see convenience foods (which is not just in summer it seems like) and we know that certain foods create a lot of inflammation in the body, so when we look into supporting your wellness in the summer naturally it is important to look at what the season offers to us.
Summer bounty offers us bitter, sweet and astringent tastes with foods such as:
- summer squash
- peas
- celery
- cucumbers
- leafy greens
- sweet berries
- papaya
- pineapple
While it is common to run to iced beverages during the summer, I always incorporate sipping on coconut water in between meals, mainly for its hydrating and electrolyte benefits. Another beverage that I love is mint from the garden and cucumber water. I make a batch ahead of time and sip throughout the day.
Speaking of mint… spearmint, peppermint, rosemary, lavender, chamomile, lemongrass and lemon balm are all great herbs to work with during the summer season. These herbs have a cooling and calming effect, and in a season where some people are prone to getting more agitated because of the summer heat, sometimes working with even the tinctures are a great help.
Self care
It’s a loaded word, I know. Looking at summer self care looks very different for everyone but I wanted to offer you some questions to answer that could be useful in building your own self care practice for the summer.
1.What’s realistic?
If you have newborns and are up all night then maybe a 10 min shower by yourself is the most realistic thing you can swing in the summer this year.
Maybe your kids are grown and you can devote more time to getting work outs in or waking up early for walks and other practices.
Maybe you husband is working a lot and you have multiple kids and can just realistically squeeze in 10 min outside here and there or take your kids with you.
What’s realistic for you right now?
2.What will really fill my cup?
People told me once that a shower doesn’t count as self care. Well, when I had my twins a shower felt like heaven and filled my cup up so much and I was able to function better.
There are many opinions out there about what self care is this is why this question is important.
Some women might just say …sleep! And others might say hikes.
Only you know what actually fills your cup in this season.
Follow that.
3.Where can I let go?
Majority of women I talk to have too much on their plates. As the seasons shift, plans seem to get piled on and we might not be able to mentally handle them.
Are there areas in your life where you can let some things go for a season?
Maybe there are too many sporting activities for your kids and you need to scale back. Or let another kids activity take a break while you work out travel plans.
This can take some juggling around but well worth your sanity.
Letting go of certain foods or habits you know are causing overwhelm also is something to think about.
Maybe letting go of alcohol for the summer or letting go of eating out because it affects your gut. Or letting go of eating late or snacking.
All examples of things to ponder on.
Final thoughts
My own thoughts about summer has changed throughout the years. When I was younger it was so much of just going with the tide and the busyness and in the process I was burning myself out.
As we gain more awareness about how to balance out our lives we naturally shift with working with the seasons and not pushing ourselves to society standards or Instagram standards of what summer needs to look like.
Looking at the food we eat and our schedule can be a great start.
If you’re looking to work with the seasons and develop habits that help you thrive, reach out for a free consultation so we can talk about where you want to be with your health and if having a guide there to help you might be something you need right now.
God bless you and yours
Krystina
