to keep you balanced, bright & non-burnt on the sand this summer
I always tend to feel like the "real" kick-off to summer is the Fourth of July holiday and the week following the festivities. So here we are - Officially in the full swing of summer mode. That also means sand from the beach will start to infiltrate my home and I'm okay with it! 🌊
Not only is going to the beach a fun, family-friendly activity - but it is also good for our health. The American Journal of Health Promotion recently published a study touting the benefits of being in nature on our mind, body and nutrition. The study showed that "simply feeling connected with the natural world benefits dietary diversity and fruit and vegetable intake."
Today's article is all about my go-to beach necessities to keep you balanced, bright, and non-burnt. Let's dive in...
BEACH MUST-HAVES TO KEEP YOU BALANCED:
Oftentimes at the beach, I love to graze between throwing the football to my son and taking a quick dip in the ocean. That's where these delicious, balanced snacks come into play (Bonus: very kid-friendly too!). You can prep these the night or morning before your beach outing and pack in a portable cooler. We love this Yeti Cooler we got last summer!
GO-TO BEACH SNACKS
Sliced cucumbers & single hummus packets
Fruit trail mix - add fresh blueberries to your salted mixed nuts
Siete tortilla mini-wraps filled with a nitrate-free deli meat & Kite Hill Cream Cheese
Mini caprese skewers - with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella & basil
Carrots & nut butter packets
Single olive packets
BEACH MUST-HAVES TO KEEP YOU BRIGHT:
Feeling vibrant at the beach has a lot to do with proper hydration. A good rule of thumb is to drink water before you feel thirst coming on. Let's drink up...
HYDRATION HACKS
LMNT Hydration Packets to throw into your water bottle to not only boost your magnesium, potassium, and sodium balance but also to enjoy as a tasty, cold bev. I love their Lemon Lime & Watermelon flavors (my kids do too!) but there are tons of new flavors to try. You can try their LMNT Sample Pack for free ($5 shipping) to see if they are a good fit for you!
A good water bottle always makes a difference for keeping you motivated to drink up. Hydroflask water bottles in different sizes do the trick.
For my kiddos, I bring a variety of ice cold Hint Kids Waters (that they believe is "juice"). I think my 5YO is catching on but he still drinks up. It's either this or some LMNT water at the beach to keep their blood sugar balanced and prevent dehydration.
BEACH MUST-HAVE TO KEEP YOU NON-BURNT:
Sun protection is so important - and something I'm wishing I had done even more of when I first moved down to Southern California. Coming from Washington state, I wasn't as sun-savvy as I could have been. It's so important for not only preserving your skin, but also for potential skin-related cancers. Below are my favorite ways to be out in the sun while still being protected.
SUN HATS
I love Billabong's hat or Madewell's large brim hat. There's tons of cute options out there!
For kiddos, Bitty Brah is a functional hat option that has a built-in tie to keep it from falling off! Company started by my friend Larinna 💜
MINERAL-BASED SUNSCREEN
You can check out your favorite sunscreen (and other beauty and cleaning products) on this free Think Dirty App. Simply scan the barcode or manually search your product for a complete science-based breakdown of the ingredients and their impacts on your health. They also provide cleaner alternatives if your product is in the not-so-healthy rating.
Think Baby Mineral-Based Sunscreens (adult options too from this brand!)
LONG-SLEEVE COVER-UP
SUNGLASSES
Unbreakable polarized sunglass pack of 3 for kids (Amazon) - We recently got a bunch of these t0 keep pairs stashed everywhere for when we need them!
TRAVELING THIS SUMMER?
While on-the-go this summer, you can use these 7 healthy travel tips to keep you on track and feeling your best from now until the first day of school.
The summer barbecues and parties do not have to derail your progress towards your health goals and can be a nice pause from the day-to-day to enjoy and celebrate with your friends and family. Enjoy!