I felt like I’ve been chasing the summer since last August when I left home to embark on a trip of a lifetime.
It might be because I’m a summer baby, a Leo to be more precise, but I think it’s the food more than anything.
It’s like everything is in season, but more than that, it’s the time of year where I WANT to eat the healthiest, and when I actually get a lot of nutrients.
Even though I crave the fruit and veggies that are oozing with hydration, there are always temptations of over-processed and fat-saturated foods.
I mean munching on chips at the BBQ, grabbing ready-made potato salad from the deli, or ready-made guacamole or dips… it’s good to be aware that these summer foods can all be laden with hydrogenated oils.
I love being in the kitchen, but I get that’s not everyone’s jam, especially if you’re on the go.
The good news is that in the summertime, you naturally need less food because your body absorbs more energy and vitamin D from sunlight.
Stocking up on veggies with your outdoor meal, either on the BBQ, as a side veggie, or veggie platter (hot or cold and oh so quick – that’s the beauty right there!).
Veggies are the number one provider of vitamins, and our bodies need vitamins in order to function. Food gives us the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that our bodies can’t produce. #plantbasedeating – Thanks Mama Nature 🙂
Why I eat (and love) my veggies!
Vitamin A:
- Think Orange – sweet potatoes and carrots – and think Dark Green – spinach, kale and collards.
- Fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that your body stores it until it needs it (best to eat with good fats like avocado for best absorption!)
- It is good for healthy vision, skin, bones and other tissues in the body.
“Through its role with cell growth and division, vitamin A has an important role in the normal formation and maintenance of the heart, lungs, kidneys and other vital organs,” Dr. Sherry Ross, women’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, told Live Science. Source: https://www.livescience.com/51975-vitamin-a.html
Vitamin B:
- Think leafy green vegetables, peas and beans.
- There are 9 B Vitamins: B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B-5 (pantothenic acid), B-6 (pyridoxine), B-7 (biotin), B-9 (folic acid), B-12 (cobalamin)
- B vitamins have a direct impact on your energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism. They play a role in producing red blood cells, which mobilize oxygen throughout the body.
- They also help to prevent infections and support or promote:
- cell health
- growth of red blood cells
- energy levels
- good eyesight
- healthy brain function
- good digestion
- healthy appetite
- proper nerve function
- hormones and cholesterol production
- cardiovascular health
- muscle tone
Vitamin C:Â
- Think sweet red peppers, oranges, broccoli, kale, spinach and cabbage, lemon essential oil.
- Water soluble vitamin that helps strengthen the immune system, heal injuries, and also keeps tissues such as gums and muscles in optimum health.
Check out this Homemade Face Wash by Dr. Axe that includes lemon essential oil (vitamin C), which helps keep the skin youthful by nourishing it with powerful antioxidants.
Vitamin E:
- Think leafy green vegetables – spinach, kale – and almonds
- Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. Like the rust on your bike or car, a similar process of oxidation and accelerated aging takes place in your body when cells are exposed to molecules called free radicals. Free radicals weaken and break down healthy cells. These molecules may also contribute to heart disease and cancer. Free radicals form as a result of normal body processes. They cause damage that shortens the life of your cells so when you nourish your body with powerful antioxidants like Vitamin E, it may help reduce free radical damage and slow the aging process of your cells, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
- It produces red blood cells and protects lungs from potential damage by air pollution It also helps maintain bodily tissues such as the eyes, skin and liver.
Vitamin K:
- Think leafy green vegetables – kale broccoli, spinach and eat with a fat like avocado
- Vitamin K is fat-soluble, which is why I said to eat along with a healthy fat for better storage and absorption.
- It plays a key role in helping the blood clot and helps the body heal wounds, maintain your blood vessels and keep your bones healthy. Â Vitamin K may also help in preventing fractures (broken bones), especially in women after menopause. Learn More with UnlockFood.ca brought to you by the Dietitians of Canada.
There are so many summer veggies to delight in and it’s also fun, and remarkably inexpensive, to purchase them from your local farmer’s market.
Check out your local farmer’s market this summer for healthier al fresco eating.
Happy Summer! Happy Eating!
Until next time!
Disclaimer:
The information contained on this website is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician.
About the Author
Natalia is a Certified Wellness Coach through the International Association of Wellness Professionals (IAWP), a Yin Yoga Teacher, an Author, an Independent International Distributor with Young Living, and holds an MBA and CPA.
Natalia is now dedicated to helping people get back to healthy, clean living so that they can have the energy and mindset to live their best life.Â
Her passion for wellness and helping people comes through in her blog writing as well as in her signature Make it Happen mentorship program geared towards people who are feeling stuck or in a rut so that they can finally get clear and live their life on purpose.
Before transitioning into her role as a Wellness Coach, Natalia worked at one of the top Canadian Wealth Management firms in Canada, acting not only as a coach and mentor to her staff, but also as acting co-chair and mentor to women enrolled in their Women’s Mentorship Program.
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