Summer brings certain changes that make it essential to change up your self care routine. Sure, we all know come May its time to make sure you’re getting regular pedicures or at the very least making sure your feet are well scrubbed and polished yourself so you can wear your cutest sandals with no fear and keep your feet cool, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Below is a list of ideas to help you get through it in the best possible way!

1. Lots of sun, means lots of sunscreen! Put it on before you go outside or leave the house for the day, and reapply every few hours. Better yet, put it on after you towel off in the shower so it glides easily, has time to absorb before you are in the sun’s rays and you don’t miss spots near the edge of your clothing. BUT… make sure to get the sunscreen off of you at the end of the day, especially off of your face. Sunscreen can settle in your pores and cause clogs if it is not removed daily.

2. Lots of sun, and lots of extra drinkable fun, and outdoor activity, mean HYDRATE! Yes, hydrate means getting in at minimum 80 oz of water a day (more if you are partaking in any of those previously mentioned activities), but it also means making sure you are getting enough electolytes so that your body can absorb the water you drink and it gets into your cells. Make sure you have the right balance of potassium and sodium and enough magnesium in your diet. And though Gatorade will work in a pinch, ideally you’ll want to find an electrolyte drink with a lot less sugar and additives. One of my favorites is this one from Isagenix because it not only has those essential electrolytes but it contains hyaluronic acid as well to help you get your summer glow on!

3. Swimming this summer? You can help protect your hair from chlorine, salt water and sun by leaving a bit of conditioner in it when you shower. And, if you are a curly girl, this will also help those locks be frizz free if you rake and shake, scrunch and then don't touch it it’ll dry. Add another light layer of conditioner to dry hair before swimming. Just be sure to give it a few minutes to absorb into pourous strands before hopping in the water so it stays in your hair longer.

4. If you live where it’s humid, add some extra Vitamin B and garlic to your diet. They are both good deterrents for mosquitos. Lavender and eucalyptus essential oils diluted into a carrier oil are also good natural bug repellents. Just avoid using coconut oil and opt for avocado, almond oil, apricot kernel oil, grapeseed oil, or witch hazel as a carrier for this mixture instead or it might attract those mosquitos more than the lavender repels them!

5. Take advantage of the bounty of fresh fruits and veggies that are available in the summer time! Switch up the apples, pears and other things that are stocked all year long for nectaries, plums, figs, cherries, etc. and the great variety of farm fresh lettuces and greens that are readily available over the summer. Your taste buds willl love the variety and your body will benefit from the different vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients they provide!

The new year is a time that we plan and set new goals for ourselves moving forward.  Some of us more “Type A” personalities even plan out every action step along the way towards reaching those goals.  And, quite honestly, that is the best way to achieve goals - by focusing on the smaller action steps to get there.  BUT - and this is a big but, sustaining those action steps day after day and week after week to reach our goals can be difficult without replenishing our energy stores - something that many of us overlook!

As a person with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a chronic condition, I’ve had to learn that in order to succeed I need to pace myself.  If I push myself too hard, I hit a wall and ultimately break down, injure myself, get sick, or give in and accept failure before I get where I want to be.  But, if I recharge regularly, I can keep going and going just like that energizer bunny!  The same is true for every one of us.  My body just makes me more acutely aware when it is past time to recharge.  Your’s might give you more subtle signs.  What I’ve found though, is that by scheduling that self-care time before I hit that wall, actually putting it on my calendar and building into my day, I can avoid those dips in energy, and other more devastating setbacks and continue on, and on, and on at a steady pace.

There are certain things I do to recharge daily, others weekly, and still others that I can afford to push out to once a month.  Here are some ways I schedule in self care - I hope you can adapt and adopt some them for your needs too!

• I take time each morning to plan my top 3 priorities.  Things that I will know when they are done, I will feel accomplished even if nothing else goes according to plan the rest of the day.

• I also take a few minutes each morning to activate my core so I have my best chance to move in the right ways throughout the rest of the day and not tweak anything.

• I recharge with a healthy afternoon snack and drink around 3 pm so I don’t drop in energy levels or get hangry before dinner.

• I take just a little time to myself in the evening before bed to reflect, focus on the things I am grateful for that happened that day, reset and settle my mind before sleeping.

• I plan recovery days into my workout routine each week where I stretch, foam roll, align my posture and give my muscles a chance to rebuild.

• I take at least an hour each week, many times more, to plan out my week because knowing my schedule helps me to be way less stressed.

• I schedule at least one if not two or three self-care visits each month, whether it is massage, chiropractic, hair appointment, teeth cleaning, checkup etc.