Diary / Wellness / Sep 26, 2022

5 Easy Ways to Make the End of Summer Healthier

Written by: Lauren Slayton

As a nutritionist, I always notice something this time of year with my clients. It’s that point in the summer when we can see fall on the horizon (buzzkill, I know)—and in an effort to make the most of summer, many of us can fall victim to what I call “last hurrah syndrome.” The thinking goes something like this: soon enough I’ll be back to my regular routine, I’ll focus on my eating and exercise habits then. But I’m here to say, a tiny bit of effort now can help you feel better come September. Whether you’ve been drinking a little too much, you’re having skin issues, need to debloat or curb your appetite, here are suggestions for each predicament-pick and choose what works for you.

If there’s all day rosé…

I get it, there’s something about a glass of rose on a beautiful day. But if it’s multiple glasses or every day, let’s show your liver some love. There’s a supplement called NAC, which stands for n-acetyl cysteine. NAC helps your body clear toxins and sadly alcohol is a toxin. It’s also touted as a hangover helper though it seems women may benefit, in this regard, more than men. NAC has multiple health benefits from immunity to blood sugar. You can read more about it here. Green tea and matcha also benefit your liver.

If you’re looking to debloat…

Sugar or snacking, restaurant meals and travel can leave you feeling puffy and bloated. My go-to debloating ingredient is dandelion. You can either sip an iced dandelion tea or try these dandelion bitters. You can also reduce bloat by consuming potassium rich foods. Both avocados and cantaloupe are good options.

If you need some hair help…

Many clients ask for suggestions to improve their hair health. I love an ingredient called sea buckthorn. You can consume it in a liquid (tastes a little like a sour patch kid without the sugar) or capsule. Two good brands are Sibu and Seabuck Wonders. I originally learned of sea buckthorn from a hair stylist, who said her clients saw a noticeable difference when taking the sea buckthorn capsules. I’ve recommended it for years and clients report difference in hair growth and shine as well as eyebrow growth.

If the sun or summer has taken its toll on your skin…

Skincare begins within, that is with what you eat. In a recent study, almonds were found to reduce both wrinkle severity and uneven pigmentation. Another favorite skin-related secret weapon is collagen, mix collagen peptides in a smoothie with cacao powder, which helps protect your skin from sun damage, banana and almond butter for a delicious skin boosting smoothie.

If you’re always hungry…

The first thing I think about, when a client reports increased hunger, is sleep. Just one night of poor sleep increases your appetite the next day. Another good hunger helper is seafood. Omega 3’s in seafood increase leptin, the hormone that says, “you’ve had enough to eat.”

I’m by no means saying that drinking green tea or eating almonds will counter dessert and drinking and chips. But these little tweaks can counter “last hurrah syndrome” and often one positive change leads to others.

Lauren Slayton is a nutritionist and the founder of Foodtrainers.

Diary / Wellness / Sep 26, 2022

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