Looking Good From the Inside Out
Living a Joyous Summer
Ah yes, it's summer and we all want to look our best as we reveal more of our bodies in the sun. If I were a more conventional person, I would share some fabulous kick butt weight loss program, so you could feel better about being in your bathing suit. But I'm not very conventional, and that is just WAY too stressful. Instead, I propose that this be a summer that you let go of those worries and appreciate yourself as you are. If you want to think about looking good, let it come from the inside out by feeling good. Think about being healthy and happy. Save extreme skinniness for the super models. So, here are my tips to help you be radiant this summer.
EAT LIGHTLY AND CARRY A BIG SMILE
I told you I wasn't going to lay out a big diet plan. And I'm not, because I don't want you to stress about what you weigh. In Chinese medicine, the focus is simply about eating appropriate foods in the appropriate manner. Eat a healthy balanced diet and let your body do the rest.
What is a healthy diet? Unrefined organic foods in proper balance. In summer, the season itself tells you what to eat. It's not really the right time for heavy food, so keep it light. Fresh veggies and fruits abound. Eat them with wild abandon. If you are lucky enough to harvest them from your own garden or buy them at a local farmer's market, so much the better. And don't forget every now and then to eat something you really love, even if it's ice cream. (Oh, the humanity!) Just keep those indulgences infrequent, have small quantities, and cherish every bite.
GET UP EARLY AND EAT YOUR BREAKFAST ON THE PATIO
To encourage the healthy production and smooth flow of qi, it isn't just a matter of which foods we eat, but the manner in which they are consumed. Erratic eating patterns, eating on the run or while under emotional upheaval will create stagnation. While many of us will still have a work schedule for at least part of the summer, try to build in a little time at the beginning of each day to relax and catch your breath before you rush off. What better time to sit out on the patio, listen to the birds and savor your delicious breakfast? Even if you have to go to work, your
qi will be so much smoother for the experience.
PLAY OUTSIDE AND DON'T USE TOO MUCH SUNSCREEN
The energy of the season encourages engaging in activity and enjoying the return of the light. We're a sedentary society for sure. Part of being healthier is moving our bodies. The great thing about summer is that physical activity doesn't necessarily feel like exercise because we are having fun doing it. The long bike ride at the beach beats 45 minutes on the elliptical machine in the gym any day.
We also need to see more sunlight. All of us, children included, spend too much time inside away from the natural light of the sun. This deprives our brains of precious mood enhancing hormones. It also limits our bodies' ability to manufacture vitamin D, especially given our obsession with sunscreen. Take care not to fry yourself for sure, but a good 15 to 20 minutes a day of unprotected sun exposure will let you get some vitamin D, which improves your health quotient immensely. A little color on the skin really is a healthy glow.
COCONUT OIL: THE EFFORTLESS DIET PLAN
OK. I can't leave this topic without one weight loss tip. It's one that requires very little effort - just a simple switch of dietary fat. You don't need to go low fat, just different fat. Start by ditching the poly-unsaturated vegetable oils we have been brainwashed to believe are "heart smart" and healthy. They aren't on either score. Try switching to coconut oil. Really. Apart from its many newly discovered health benefits, it helps promote weight loss. Seems counter-intuitive. A saturated fat should make you fat, not thin, right? Ranchers once thought so to, and tried to use a relatively cheap method to fatten their livestock. They were shocked to find that the more coconut oil they fed their cows, the skinnier they got. They quickly dropped the idea.
It's really an easy switch. Fry with it. Pop your popcorn in it. Melt it on your cooked veggies. Use it with some butter or olive oil too, if you like those flavors. (Olive oil, organic butter and the fat in grass fed beef are actually pretty "heart smart" and anti-inflammatory.) For a breakfast treat, add a tablespoon of coconut oil to your cooked oatmeal with fresh berries, grab your green tea and head out to the patio to listen to the birds!
Have a joyous and carefree summer, feeling and looking great from the inside out!
