Don't Let the Sun Ruin Your Summer Fun!

Aloha,

As spring is already here and summer around the corner, I find myself outside more often. The last few years I have been more conscious of protecting my skin during the summer months and applying sunscreen whenever I am outdoors. From when I was younger, I have many freckles (I call them ‘sun kisses’) that are turning a darker brown. Eventually, they could turn into moles which doesn’t surprise me at all after the amount of time I spent in the sun.

I started to think what we can do to prevent more wrinkles, sun blotches, and sunburns while in the sun. I put together a list of things I use before and after a day in the sun:

• SPF 15 (or higher) Sunscreen & Reapply Often

• Zinc, Aloe Vera, Glutathione

• Maui Babe After Browning Lotion

• Hat, Sunglasses & Umbrella (for lounging)

• Lots of Water

• Cold Cloth & Bath

• Apple Cider Vinegar

• Swim Shirt or Rash Guard (for those who burn easily)

There is no reason we can’t enjoy the sun during the spring and summer, we just need to protect our body. During the day between 10am and 4pm, be sure to always have sunscreen (reapplying frequently), drink lots of water, and wear a hat to avoid unnecessary damage. As you pack your bags for day trips or vacations, remember to include all the essentials to protect your body from the sun (avoiding those nasty sunburns) while soaking up the sun rays this year!

Keep Smiling!

Melissa

How You Can Use Yoga & Stretching to Improve Your Health

Aloha,

Spring is here and the weather is warming up! People are getting outside and enjoying the beautiful sunshine. Personally, the warmer weather motivates me to exercise more and shake off my winter’s hibernation. But as I exercise more, I experience more aches, pains, and tight muscles. I constantly need to stretch in order to keep my body mobile, flexible, and injury-free. I find yoga and stretching help significantly with my aches and pains from a bulging lumbar and neuropathy in my feet and legs.

Yoga can help in more ways than you can imagine ranging from relieving stress to protecting your spine. Best of all it gives an overall sense of tranquility. I put together a list of fifteen benefits of yoga after reading two great articles from Yoga Journal (link) and Sports Rec (link) websites:

• Encourages Flexibility

• Increases Range of Motion

• Accelerates Pain Relief

• Induces Relaxation

• Improves Posture

• Builds Muscle

• Protects Spine

• Improves Circulation

• Boosts Immunity

• Elevates Heart Rate

• Lowers Blood Pressure

• Improves Balance

• Releases Tension

• Enhances Sleep Quality

• Improves Optimism

All of these benefits make me want to grab my yoga mat and have a quick session! Yoga is such a great way to start your day and taking the time to release the tension will improve your health immensely. Not only is yoga the best way to stretch and keep my body functioning, it also promotes inner peace during difficult times. Practicing yoga can heal you in so many ways!

From each yoga practice, you develop a sense of patience with yourself and body as you see slight improvements. You will notice how well you sleep after going through a stretching session as your body is relieved, realigned, centered, and relaxed. Most times I don’t go through an entire yoga session, but I use the stretches I’ve learned, and it has become part of my routine before bed to relax my body.

Try doing a quick stretch routine before bed and see how well it improves your sleep quality. I’ve included one of my favorite YouTube yoga instructors I can put on anytime (any level, quick sessions, long sessions, etc.). I would love to hear what you do to help relax and improve your body through yoga in the comments below!

Namaste,

Melissa