Start Your Beach Vacation a 7, Go Home a 10!

It’s finally beach season and I cannot wait to head down to Seven Mile Beach! I plan on making this my best summer yet!

At our longevity practice, we spend a lot of time talking strategy with our patients, and this means we talk about being intentional. Summer is a great time to focus on skin health and mindful eating.

Lots of sun means lots of vitamin D, but it also means we need to be intentional about caring for our largest organ, the skin. Let’s talk about some tips on how to get clear, glowing skin this summer besides the obvious “wear sunscreen” tip. The secret to healthy skin is not about what you put on your body, but what you put in your body. And why is our approach where you treat skin issues from the inside out through things like improving your diet and eating specific skin-improving foods so much more effective? It all goes back to focusing on the root cause of issues instead of the band-aid approach.

Quit the skin-damaging foods! Sugar – even too many natural sweeteners like coconut sugar and honey can contribute significantly to poor complexion by feeding the bad gut bacteria. Like your bread products? Well, eat them in moderation since grains also contain amylose sugars and gluten-like proteins that worsen gut dysfunction and cause leaky gut.

Figure out what foods your body has sensitivities to. Every one of us has unique biochemistry, and so we each have different food intolerances and sensitivities. Take avocados, for example. We know these are great healthy fats. However, we have seen patients at our practice who have an intolerance to avocados that manifests not as an allergic reaction, but as a more subtle reaction like causing skin issues, fatigue, headaches, or even weight gain. Learning which foods trigger an inflammatory response in you can help to structure a dietary plan that optimizes health and minimizes inflammation. Once you know what to avoid, replace those foods with superfoods that make your skin glow. If you need help with this, we can help determine what those foods are.

If you need to soothe and repair skin, don’t spend hundreds on fancy skin creams when coconut oil can do it all. In addition to being a great choice for cooking because it doesn’t oxidize at high temps and become inflammatory, it is antimicrobial, too. This also makes it a great choice for a makeup remover or moisturizer. And for an after-cleansing toner, use good old apple cider vinegar. This can help clear up blemishes by balancing your skin’s pH level. I read a study recently that showed that apple cider vinegar reduces eczema in just 3 weeks!

Take a probiotic! At the practice, we base our treatment and care on science – so we do a lot of testing. We determine exactly what’s happening in your gut microbiome. And since so much of the immune system lives in the gut, a lot of inflammation can happen there. So, get tested and take a probiotic that fits your particular needs.

Balance your hormones! Do a deep dive into your thyroid hormones since imbalance there can cause dry skin. Sex hormone imbalances can lead to breakouts and acne. Hormones are made from fats and proteins and most of us don’t get enough of the omega-2 fatty acids we need. These are found in oily fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts. Get zinc levels checked because it’s necessary for sex hormone production. And if your iodine and selenium levels are low, this will compromise optimal thyroid production.

Now let’s talk about what we’re going to eat this summer. If you’re always eating on the go or eating just to check a box, summertime at the beach is a great time to reset and start mindful eating.

So, what’s the difference between mindful and mindless eating?

Like most of us, you’ve probably eaten something in the past few hours but might not be able to recall everything you ate. A 2011 report from the U.S. Dept of Agriculture stated that the average American spends 2½ hours a day eating, but at least 50% of that time we’re also doing things like working, driving, reading, watching TV. And because we’re multitasking, we’re not fully aware of what we’re eating.

This is mindless eating – and it contributes to excess unwanted calories, and also poor gut health. When we eat like this, we don’t do basic things like chewing and making sure our food is coated with the right digestive enzymes to optimize gut health.

So, mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food – as you buy, prepare, serve, and consume it. And with more time, and the slower pace at the beach, this is the time to create some menus. Look more carefully at macronutrients – are you getting enough protein, enough fiber? And also look at your micronutrients – are you getting the different colors of the rainbow so that you have all the building blocks necessary for energy production, immune function, bone health, fluid balance, muscle repair and several other processes? Micronutrient testing helps to determine what your levels are, what to eat to replenish, or in some cases, this will require targeted supplementation.

And just because you’re eating out doesn’t mean you can’t eat healthy. You’ll find lots of delicious seafood, grilled vegetables, and salads at all your favorite restaurants in Avalon and Stone Harbor. I eat out all the time, and I can’t get enough yummy salads with healthy proteins on top. I stay away from fried foods since they’re high in trans fats and super inflammatory. It’s easy to kick back a lot of drinks during these beautiful summer days. Decide which days are going to be alcohol-free days and have a club soda with a lime instead. Lots of tasty mocktails out there as well, but many have high sugar contents, so be careful with that.

Being intentional about how you’re eating means not being behind the eight ball when summer ends. There’s no reason to make up for “fun” in the months after summer; keep up with the things that optimize health, and be in your best shape by the end of summer. I’m planning on doing lots of biking and running – there’s nothing better than exercising with the ocean air. See you on the boardwalk!