Welcome to the shortest season in Canada – the one filled with sunshine, fresh grown food eaten outside, and untold outdoor activities in and around the many beautiful lakes indigenous to our home and native land.
Here are some pointers for getting the most of this wonderful season.
- Take your holidays! Many Canadians don’t. Plan yours now. Rest and relax. It is so important to your overall health.
- Drink enough water. Most people need at LEAST 2 litres of water per day, and when it’s hot and humid, you need more. Try infusing your water with fruit to add electrolytes and flavour.
- Eat what is growing when it is growing. Seasonal food is the most nutrient rich food you can get all year. Visit your local farmers markets and plan your meals around what you find there.
- Naturally repel insects. Many essential oils repel mosquitoes and other bite-y insects. Citronella, Clove, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Cajeput, Eucalyptus, Cedar, Catnip, Lavender, Mint, to name a few. Contact a natural soup and body product producer like Jen at From the Blue House with Love, or try making your own.
- Stick to the trails. There are many plants that will make your summer experience miserable, like poison ivy, poison oak, and giant hogweed. If you keep to the trails then running into these characters is far less likely.
- Manage your sun exposure. Some is good–about 20-30 minutes will make you lots of great vitamin D au naturale. Too much is bad–the oxidative stress causes damage and increases your risk of cancer. Cover up with all-natural sun screens, or use clothing and shade.
Have a fabulous Canada Day!