Beats, Balance, and Bliss
Happy July! 🌊🍉🍦As we know, summertime is marked for its scorchingly hot days, so this month I wanted to bring you a blog post full of ideas and activities designed to inspire wellness and beat the heat! Grab a refreshing drink, your favorite sunglasses, and get ready to stay cool with the greatest hits of summer!
One of my favorite ways to practice wellness in the summer heat is to spend time in the sunshine before the day heats up! Getting out early ensures that you get some vitamin D and fresh air before risking a heat stroke. If you’re looking for a playlist to compliment a morning meditation on the porch or a feel good walk around the neighborhood, check out: Summer Breeze & Ice Cream, yes please! This playlist is complete with a wide variety of songs spanning generations including “Soak Up The Sun” by Sheryl Crow, “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor, and “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake!
Please note: Some songs on these playlists may contain explicit lyrics or themes, listener discretion is advised!
Another way to practice wellness in the summer is to enjoy a cool and refreshing treat! All winter long I talked about baking sweet treats as a way to beat the winter blues! Nobody wants to turn the oven on in the summer. Check out these “no bake” recipes I love for a sweet treat that keeps you hydrated and well nourished! Added bonus, all these recipes can be adapted for dietary needs. Using gluten free oats for the oat bites or making tortilla chips at home to eliminate seed oils are super easy modifications.
Chickpea salad is another simple way to get a lot of nutrients without turning on the oven in the summertime! There are thousands of different recipes out there. I personally like to add some combination of chickpeas, olives, onion, bell pepper, cheese, fresh parsley or cilantro, tomato, and cucumber. Some honorable mentions include banana peppers, jalapeños, beets, kidney beans, and avocado. For extra protein, I’ll serve it over cottage cheese! This is a great option to use up whatever is about to go bad in the fridge.
A third way to practice wellness in the summer is to engage with the community! Most towns in New Hampshire offer a free or low-cost summer concert series. The concerts are typically held outside in the evenings, providing a wonderful opportunity to engage with the community and get out of the house after the hottest portion of the day passes! Bring your picnic blankets or kick off your shoes and practice grounding yourself with the earth for an added element of wellness practice. If you’re interested, check out New Hampshire Live and In Concert to find a show near you!
And finally, I encourage you to practice mindfulness throughout all of these moments. Be present, breathe deeply, scan, and notice. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of summer camps and pool parties this season, so don’t forget to take time to nurture yourself. Try out one of those recipes I shared with you, grab a book you’ve really been wanting to read, and get comfy in the backyard. After the winter we braved, we deserve some lazy days in the sun! Enjoy all this season has to offer. See you back here in August!
Author: Kelly Weaver, MT-BC