Summer is finally here and we are so excited to enjoy some much needed time in the sun! While summer is a great time to take some time to enjoy family and friends, the added heat warrants some extra care for our bodies.  

These are our 5 top summer health tips for taking in all the goodness of the season, while staying cool, hydrated, and glowing, from the inside out!

1. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

Summertime activities often revolve around being in the sun for long periods of time. An easy way to feel your best, while soaking up some rays is to stay hydrated. For every hour that you are in the sun, you should drink at least 1-2 glasses of water. This simple (but important) step helps to prevent dehydration and will replenish your energy levels while you take in the rays. You’ll even notice it helps keep your skin looking more plump and hydrated as well! Our Chief Vitamin Officer, Brianna Harris, RD, has compiled a few more hydration tips for you to ensure you're body performs at optimum levels. Click below to watch! 

2. Apply (& Re-apply) Lotion

From prevention to moisturizing, a great lotion is a MUST in the summer months. Sunscreen should be an essential part of everyone’s daily routine and that especially applies this season. Sunscreen helps prevent sunburns and melanoma on your body’s largest organ: your skin. A hydrating summer lotion is the best way to help replenish dry skin. Pick out a natural lotion with a scent that takes you to a tropical place for an inexpensive at-home spa feel.  You can also use something completely organic, like coconut or jojoba oil! If you’re into convenience - try using a daily moisturizer with sunscreen in it.

3. Set a Time Limit

How are you going to protect yourself from UV rays? If you are going to spend the day poolside or lounging on a beach, make sure you have a plan in advance and cap your time in the sun! While it might feel good to tan all day, it’s not the safest option. What are UV rays?  They are the spectrum of ultraviolet light from the sun that can help us get Vitamin D but can also be harmful to your skin health. UV rays from tanning beds can be particularly harmful, and early use of tanning beds has been linked to melanoma - so try to use tanning methods like bronzers to get sun-kissed summer skin you’re looking for instead.  Too much unprotected exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression, and skin cancer. Remember, everything in moderation!

4. Supplement Your Summer

With all those hot summer rays, you may think you’ve got your Vitamin D covered; but if you’re wearing the sunscreen you should be, you may have to think again! Applying sunscreen is extremely important for prevention, but it also blocks out much of the Vitamin D your body would be absorbing. Not to mention, it’s hard it is to stick to a perfectly balanced meal plan with all the summer BBQ’s and “Sunday Fun-days”. Keep your body in tip-top shape with VitaCup’s daily delivery of vitamins through your favorite morning cup of coffee or tea!

5. Deep Condition Hair

Though the sun can gift your locks with some gorgeous, natural highlights, swimming every day can leave it looking dry. Chlorine is one of the things that can destroy your hair the fastest, especially if you wash your hair immediately after a swim. Trying out new styles or colors for summer festival seasons can mean you’re trying out new summer hair trends that take a toll on your hair, so get a little more TLC if you’re testing a new color or hair treatment.  Take some time to treat yourself to a hair mask or a deep conditioning hair treatment to help restore life into brittle hair.

What do you think? Will you be trying any of these summer health tips? Let us know in the comments if you will be giving any of these a try, or if you have a favorite way to stay refreshed during the summer!

Looking for an easy way to get an extra boost of essential vitamins this summer? Explore our vitamin-infused coffees & teas!