Summer is in many ways a special time of the year. 
Warm and sunny days last very long, so we are active during 2/3 days. The nights are generally pleasant however, while waking up in the sunny mornings our body is full of energy in a special way.
After all daily activities, leisure time we to spend outside, in the nature. If we stay at home, pleasant evenings and pleasant mornings we love to enjoy on the terraces of our houses or apartments. If you do not have all the privilege to own garden or an outdoor kitchen, cooking time in a closed kitchen is always a hassle; therefore it is important to optimize the time of preparation of food. Here we do not want to forgo the luxury of healthy, nutritionally balanced, tasty meals.
An absolute imperative for a healthy diet is: whenever possible, eat seasonal foods, either as a base or as a supplement to your meals. Nutritionally speaking, summer food offers plenty of variety of antioxidants, “collateral” hydration, is very high in fibre. If a meal incorporates foods rich in proteins and healthy fatty acids, summer is a great time when we can follow the “anti-aging”, anti-inflammatory diet that significantly improves quality of life.
Do not begin your mornings with cheese toppings or sweetened cereal, rather serve for your breakfast favourite healthy menus. Also, “running away” from foods that contain protein usually ends with attacks of hunger, inability to lose weight or to maintain an optimal body weight. Seasonal vegetables are rich in so-called “bound water,” and by eating melons, blueberries, peppers or tomatoes your body gets re-hydrated.
Proper hydration is not only to recover the natural processes of detoxification, but gives concrete results, such as better and more regular digestion, more beautiful skin, absence of headache. Hydration also enables support for the body to be “cool” and to maintain blood volume. The sweating does not only lose water from the body, but also valuable minerals (electrolytes), especially the potassium, magnesium and sodium. As magnesium and potassium are critical minerals that we need to focus on, thus nutritionists recommend meals that allow an adequate dietary intake of potassium, and magnesium.
Msc. Nutr. Nenad Bratković
NutriKlinika nutrition counseling
NutriConsult d.o.o. consulting
