After a year like 2020, with its limits and lockdowns, Summer couldn’t come soon enough! Now it’s time to get outside and embrace the fresh air and sunshine with my 4 Sensational Summer Health Hacks to ensure a healthy, happy summer season with family and friends that doesn’t disappoint.
Hack #1: Raise Your BBQ IQ
There’s nothing like the aroma of grilled foods wafting from the barbeque on a sunny day, with family and friends talking and laughing together in anticipation of sharing a great meal. But grilling – whether with gas, wood or charcoal, can produce AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) in your food. These “sticky” molecules cause oxidative stress throughout your body, contributing to premature aging and water retention by damaging cells and tissues, resulting in inflammation.
The great news is you can reduce AGEs formation by as much as 50% by just marinating your meats, fish and veggies before popping them on the grill. Even marinating in an acidic medium for one hour can make all the difference. Use lemon or lime juice, dry organic wine, organic grass-fed broth, olive oil, or apple cider vinegar. Step up your grilling game even further by adding herbs and spices to your marinades, such as rosemary, thyme, and allspice. These powerful additions not only produce amazing flavor, they also reduce carcinogens by as much as 88%!
One of the best ways to neutralize AGEs and send them out of the bloodstream and brain, is to supplement with benfotiamine, a fat-soluble form of vitamin B1. In fact, it counteracts meals high in AGEs better than any other antioxidant!
A groundbreaking study from 2016 shows that supplementing with benfotiamine may help to protect the brain against age-related slow down too, so you can keep up with the kids and grandkids to really enjoy your summer activities. I recommend UNI KEY’s Ultra H-3 Plus which contains 100 mg of benfotiamine as well as a proprietary formula of stellar ingredients to soothe stiff joints, boost energy and mood, and renew youthful vitality.
To enjoy AGE-less grilling while supporting your immune system and enhancing gentle detoxification, supplement with UNI KEY’s Vitality C. This easy-to-use powdered formula contains 4 grams of high quality, neutral pH vitamin C in every scoop. It mixes easily in water or smoothies and has a pleasant citrusy taste. And unlike other high-dose vitamin C formulas it won’t cause any nasty symptoms like upset stomach, gas or diarrhea.
Hack #2: Sip Wisely
Let’s face it – sometimes we just need to let our hair down and enjoy a soothing alcoholic beverage with friends on a nice summer evening. Of course, moderation is key, and staying hydrated is paramount. Alcohol is a diuretic that can quickly remove fluids from your body, leaving you dehydrated. So make sure to sip water before and between drinks, and do avoid high-calorie, sugar-laden mixed drinks which can raise blood sugar by increasing insulin secretion.
If you do decide to kick back and enjoy a drink or two this summer, choose your poison wisely and keep it simple. Try a shot of alcohol topped off with sparkling mineral water or plain soda and a squeeze of lemon or lime. Make it healthier by adding bitters such as the Angostura bitters in a classic Manhattan, or a splash of unsweetened cranberry juice. Spirits like gin, vodka, whiskey and tequila are higher in alcohol, but lower in calories per serving, thus kinder towards your waistline.
Protect your system from yeast overgrowth (Candida albicans) which can happen when we consume sugar – even natural sugars from fruits and fruit juices – especially when combined with alcohol. Additionally, sugar causes excess bloating, especially around the midsection, and increases water retention. To ward off Candida, yeast and flatten your belly, I recommend UNI KEY’s Y-C Cleanse. This clinically proven, natural, homeopathic yeast and Candida cleansing formula is a must for your summertime health arsenal.
Hack #3: Embrace the Sunshine
Basking in the wonderful, warm sunshine of summer is a two-sided coin. On the one side, not getting enough sun results in vitamin D deficiency. On the other side, too much sun can cause unhealthy burning which can increase skin cancer risk. But, our bodies are naturally built to receive sunlight, and the sooner we come into the light, the better, because the appropriate amount of regular sun exposure actually protects against skin cancer!
Early morning or early evening are the best times to soak up your daily dose of vitamin D. Depending upon your skin type, from about five to 30 minutes daily in the sun is optimal. One study in Health and Nutrition reported that 30 minutes in the sun provided 300 to 350 IU of vitamin D for the average person.
And, did you know that wearing sunscreen will not prevent vitamin D deficiency? Sunscreen absorbs the ultraviolet rays that are needed for the body to synthesize vitamin D, and continual sunscreen use has been found to decrease vitamin D levels in the blood. And many sunscreen products contain a plethora of unhealthy chemicals.
When you do need a sunscreen for prolonged exposure, look for products that contain non-nano zinc oxide only, such as 3rd Rock Essentials, which has a line of non-toxic products that are completely different than any other sunscreens on the market. And to make sure you’re getting enough quality vitamin D3 as well as vitamin K to assure that your bones stay strong for summer activities, I recommend UNI KEY’s Osteo-Key which contains the most absorbable form of calcium as well as 5 other crucial bone building minerals.
Hack #4: Be a Summer “Super Ager”
When I was writing my new book, Radical Longevity, I studied the “Super Agers”, those who live into their 100s and beyond in good health. One of the common threads was their ability to enjoy life – eating and drinking in moderation within a strong social circle. I hope you’ll take the time this summer to do the same. For more tips on how to stay healthy for the long run, including my greatest summertime marinade recipes, order your copy of Radical Longevity today.
And check out my recent blog, The Irony of Iron: The Truth About This Double-Edged Mineral. You also won’t want to miss my podcast with “Electrosense” guru, Lloyd Burrell – You Are All WiFried, as we discuss the hazards of non-ionizing cell phone radiation and what you can do to protect yourself.