In a couple of months, summer will start showing its true colors. For many of us, it’s a time of vacations, a time of being free from school. Here, in Houston the weather is so unpredictable that within two days you can see a difference of 20-30 degree F. Within few months, it will be boiling outside. We start staying indoors as much as we can. But it is not always possible. Especially, with kids keeping them entertained inside gets tough. They wait for the sun to go down so that they can step out to play. When ice creams become a permanent and favorite dessert and chilled beverages take the place of tea and coffee, summertime is also the time to fall sick. Not just kids but adults to get heat stroke, sunburn. Here are 5 self-care tips for you and your family during summer.

 

 

• Stay hydrated: First point in Sumer self-care is staying hydrated. It is the most important point during summer. Whenever stepping out, make a habit of carrying a water bottle. Even for short distances have a water bottle with you. When you have a bottle, you drink it. It’s psychological. If you don’t like plain water then add few lemon slices in it or you can make your own naturally flavored beverages. Add your choice of fresh fruits to it. It not only changes the taste of plain boring water but also increases your water intake.  My favorite is freshly squeezed lemonade and coconut water.

 

• Cut down on sodas: Secondly, Sodas or carbonated drink taste good and when we are thirsty, sugary carbonated drinks come the first option on our list. When we talk about summer self-care, we concentrate mainly on skin, water intake and our food choices. We overlook soda intake. Somehow, we feel it satisfies our thirst more than water. Sodas are not good for teeth, they are loaded with artificial sweeteners and they are one of the causes of obesity. Along with this because of the high sugar, sodium and caffeine content in soda, it dehydrates the body and over a long period of time can cause chronic dehydration. I am not a soda lover in general but during my pregnancy, I completely stopped drinking soda and after those 9 months, I never felt the desire to start it again. I rather prefer fresh homemade lemonade or coconut water as mentioned in the previous point.

 

• Limit your hours outside if possible: Try to avoid the midday sun, typically between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. With the sun at its most direct, these are the hottest times of the day. I won’t mind pushing this time to 4:00 p.m. if you are in an especially hot area.

 

• Using sunscreen: Talking about the third pointer then it is our skin. Yes, skin is the first thing to get affected by the weather change. Don’t forget to put on sunscreen before stepping out. No matter what your complexion is, you need sunscreen to protect your body. When there is extreme heat, there is more than likely extreme sun too, so you need to apply the proper SPF so as to help prevent skin cancer, brown spots, skin discolorations, and premature wrinkles. The sunscreen aisle offers a lot of choices so which one to pick? Most sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher do an excellent job of protecting against UVB. SPF — or Sun Protection Factor — is a measure of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin. If you are light-sensitive, or have a history of skin cancer, those extra percentages will make a difference. And as you can see, no sunscreen can block all UV rays.

Here is a very informative article on Sunscreen.

 

• Dress comfortably: Loose, light color clothing, sun hat, sunglasses should be your fashion style during summer. Along with its colour, the weave of your clothing will determine how hot or cold you are. Clothing should be constructed so that the heat escapes from the body rather than trapped. Cotton and linen are the ideal conductors of heat, which is why summer clothing is usually made from these materials. I was looking for some “comfortable women’s tops & tees online” which can be comfortable and also add style to my overall look. I have to admit “Shoppers Stop’s online store” has really cool designs

So, these were the few self-care tips I follow for me and my family. Summer is a time to enjoy with friends and family. Places where winters are longer, people wait for summertime. Today with global warming, the weather has become very unpredictable everywhere. With a little bit of advance planning, we can enjoy summer to its fullest.