Dear Red Hot Mamas- June 2018

By: Red Hot Mamas

Published: June 13, 2018

“Summer afternoon-summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language”.

                                        ~Henry James

Dear Red Hot Mamas,

Well, the summer is right around the corner. Many of us have already begun daydreams of sunny skies, rising temperatures, breezy seashores and cool beaches sitting under an umbrella. In my opinion, when summer arrives, it helps me with my feeling of well-being. Yes, it might be psychological on my part, but I actually feel healthier in the summer months.

One reason is the abundance of fruit availability. It really helps to enable us to eat those five portions of fruits and vegetables per day! And, of course, by doing so, this helps boost our immune system which may help to warn off chronic diseases. So, I encourage you to take a trip to a local farm for some fresh, local fruits.

I’m also inclined to drink far more water than I did during the winter months. Water is vital to improving our health. Drinking more water in the summer helps flush out toxins in the body. It also helps to promote digestion and may actually help with weight loss.

And, sunlight, in healthy doses, boosts Vitamin D levels and may help prevent fractures in women who are postmenopausal. Vitamin D is vital for building strong bones in our bodies. Of course, too much sun exposure can be dangerous, so be sure to apply sunscreen and wear protective clothes if you are outdoors for a prolonged period of time; and between 10 am and 4 pm when the sun rays are the most intense.

Another reason why I particularly like summer is that putting on my summer clothes sure is an incentive to get my body in shape. Yes, those extra pounds due to lack of exercise in the winter sure takes a toll of how I look. So sunlight boosts my enthusiasm to begin exercising and it has a feel good factor when my clothes suddenly fit better. And, I’m so grateful now to put away all those sweaters and heavy coats and put on my cool cotton tees.

So, I hope that you, too, will enjoy better weather, longer days and take advantage of the warmer weather. I wish you an awesome summer.

Good Health to You All,

Karen Giblin