Summer – Ready, Set, Glow!

 

We were lucky in Perth to feel the very first blissful kiss of summer the other weekend. It prompted me to whip out the Palmer’s cocoa butter, spray Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue everywhere, shop for some summer clothes and hit the beach. That bitey sunshine that we only get in Aus, thanks to our perfectly positioned hole in the o-zone layer, felt so good while lying on one of our wonderful west coast beaches. Even though it seems to have been just a teaser for what was to come, it was a huge wake up call – summer’s only just around the corner! A winter that is a little long can cause the following:

-        Extra dry skin cells building up and making us look a little washed out

-        Our bodies haven’t had adequate amounts of sun and so we’re a little Vitamin D deficient

-        Leading on from this Vitamin D deficiency are increased forms of the blues & a lowered immune system. At least 30 mins of sun per day has a multitude of health benefits including fighting depression and stress

-        Our bodies were kind in holding onto fat during the colder months to keep us warm, but it’s not necessarily something we want to be flaunting when we start hitting the beach!

It’s just nature for these winter symptoms to pass as the new season hits, but there are definitely things we can do now to ensure that by the time summer comes we are more than ready and absolutely GLOWING. Yay! I’ve outlined these things below:

Revealing the baby smooth skin you were born with

About now is a great time to start getting into the habit of dry body brushing. Dry body brushing is not only used for removing dead skin cells but also used for detoxification. Your skin is the largest organ of your body and by keeping the dead skin moving you are encouraging “out with the old and in with the new” cell production. You also stimulate your blood and lymphatic system so it encourages nutrients and oxygen to the skin, which is completely beneficial to you overall!

I have attached a really good article on how to dry body brush at home (there is an art to doing it properly)

http://www.koraorganics.com/blog/live-in-my-skin/all-things-organic/organic-certification/how-to-dry-body-brush-at-home/

If you’re worried about “orange peel” (cellulite), dry body brushing can help with this. Other remedies are ensuring your drinking loads of water. If you’re into detoxing, there is a juice fast David Wolfe recommends for getting rid of cellulite. For 3 days your juice is:

Grapefruit

Orange

Lemon

Feijoa

Apparently the results are amazing, though I am yet to try.

Good bye winter layers

If you gained a couple of kilos over winter - it’s normal! Now is a great time to start your bikini bod program. There are heaps of online resources to achieve a beach body your proud of – you really just need to pick a plan and then stick to it. Where in winter we may have just wanted to snuggle up on the couch – start getting out there and work out at least 3-4 times per week. Tell the winter hunger cravings “thank you but no need anymore now”. Start having lighter meals. You may not have even noticed that your habits changed over winter – now is the time to evaluate and start your bod planning. Keep your eye on the prize! You will glow from the inside out if you only fill yourself with clean foods. If you want any tips feel free to email me.

Hydration

If you really want fresh skin, start drinking at least 2 litres of water every day, plus another litre for every hour of exercise you do. Drinking this much water is helping you to get rid of so many toxins on a daily basis – I cannot recommend lots of water enough! Think of it as flushing yourself out – including fat cells and waste! Water keeps the skin supple and keeps all of your body functioning at its absolute optimum.

Can I also just chuck in here that Gatorade is not a good post workout choice of hydration. Sugars, food colouring etc. You’re better off having a Gastrolyte. The very very best choice post workout is 100% pure COCONUT WATER. It has electrolytes and potassium, which is generally lost when you do a heavy workout. Go water. Go Coconut water.

Get plenty of berry goodness now

So if we’re lacking in vitamin D and all the happiness that sunshine brings, we can easily get stressed. Stress contributes to vitamin C deficiency – vitamin C is one of those precious vitamins that help with glowing skin. Now is a good time to get all the vitamin C and glow back into your system via a good dose of BERRIES. Most berries are high in vitamin C and contain a ridiculous amount of antioxidents which fight free radicals and combat the effects of aging. Leading up to summer I’m going to be having a few of these:

Berry Easy Vanilla Shake

Blend together:

1/2 cup organic mixed berries (can buy from Manna Wholefoods in freo)

1 Tbs Goji berries

1 Scoop of Tony Sfeirs Designer Physique WPI in Vanilla (100% natural! No sugar, hardly any fat, hardly any carbs http://tonysfeir.com.au/products/naturel-healthy-proteins/whey-protein-isolate/whey-protein-isolate-vanilla-ice-cream/ )

Optional: Chia seeds, Maca Powder, Acai berry powder

Tastes like ice cream, is natural & only has about 650 kj!

Other ways to glow (in a greenie kinda way):

Be SunSmart: Therese Kerr pointed out to us last year that a majority of sunscreens contain a ridiculous amount of harsh chemicals that get absorbed into the body. Her recommendation was to use Avocado oil as it is a natural sunscreen that protects us from the sun. I’m not sure how the Cancer Council feels about that but the point is – stay sun smart to avoid skin cancer (big problem about having a hole in the o-zone layer).

Choose natural body care products: There are a few websites dedicated to natural beauty products and their reviews. The one I check out the most is Wellness WA: http://www.wellnesswa.com.au/

From greenie facials, tanners, body wraps, exfoliations, skin care products – you name it and want to see a review on it – it’s there!

Eat healthy fats: Don’t be scared of fats, the right type of fats will make your skin glow and encourage fat metabolism so it will actually help you lose weight if that’s your goal. Good fats include: coconut oil, omega 3 fish oils, avocados, nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias). But remember, all in moderation.

Green juice: You might want to consider a day of juice fasting on fresh pressed juices made mostly from fresh greens. It reboots the digestive system by giving it a well deserved break. You’d be surprised by how much the proper functioning of our digestive system has on our body overall. It’s very important to look after it. Digestion is all about effectively sorting waste and nutrients. If this isn’t happening smoothly and happily, the rest of the body suffers. Green juice delivers plenty of nutrients and is guaranteed to make you glow.

Think about the environment: In Oz we are so very lucky to be living in a country with boundless beauty. If you’ve lived here your whole life you might take it for granted. The sunshine helps us to appreciate what we’ve got and it’s in these moments we should really reflect on what we love about where we live. It is good for the soul, and it will open your mind to how you might like to give back.

Meditate: There is one practice out of ALL of the above that will make you glow brighter than anything- and that is carrying with you at all times your inner peace. I have just completed my studies as a meditation teacher. I will be starting up a Facebook page soon after graduation so that I can relay heaps of info and post guided meditations for you to try. The benefits of regular meditation are far reaching, I am really looking forward to sharing it all with you. Watch this space.

I hope this article has given you some ideas for prepping for summer. I cannot wait til the beach weather hits for a long & blissful summer! xo