All the things that make summer fun also make it a challenging time to stay healthy. Summer is social. Summer may involve travel or weekends away. With more daylight, dinners in summer may be later. There’s rosé and ice cream, pie and barbecues. It’s easy to feel as though you’re on a three month vacation. If you’re balancing all of this nicely, amazing. But if, midway through summer, you need to modify things, I have a few ideas. And not to worry, none of them involve skipping your favorite treats.

You can add a slight amount of structure with these secret weapons for summer:

Electrolytes

If you're active in the summer, working out or spending time outside, you should probably consider electrolytes. Electrolytes help you fully absorb the water you drink. They replace what’s lost via sweat, preventing headaches and muscle cramps. They’re also a hangover helper. Skip sugary sports drinks and opt for sugar free versions such as LMNT, Body Bio or Redmond.

Cacao

If you’re spending a lot of time in the sun, you probably want to think about your skin. Beyond SPF, certain foods can help. Foods rich in polyphenols help reduce extremal skin aging from environmental stressors such as the sun and pollution. Cacao is one of those foods. You can buy cacao in powder form. Blend it with coffee, collagen peptides and some ice for a delicious and healthy iced mocha.

Raspberries and kiwi fruit

Digestive issues abound in the summer. When we’re traveling or out of our routine, our systems can be thrown off. Vacation constipation is real. Two of the best fruits if you’re backed up are raspberries and kiwi fruit. Have them with a probiotic-rich yogurt such as this one for a gut-friendly start to the day.

NOES day

Sometimes it’s good to pump the brakes. To balance out sweets and alcohol, I have my nutrition clients do 1-2 “noes” days each week. On a noes day, there’s no alcohol, grains, or sugar. It’s not only taking a break from these things, but also filling your day with produce, high-quality protein and good fats.

Herbs

Herbs are way more than garnish. Herbs such as cilantro, mint, basil and parsley are extremely healthy. They’re debloating, immune boosting and anti-inflammatory. They’re also abundant. this time of year. Add a handful of chopped herbs to any salad, make pesto or steep them in warm water.

Sometimes, when we know the benefits of a food, we’re more inclined to eat it. Pick one or more of these summer secret weapons to incorporate. And I promise, you can enjoy all of summer’s perks and still keep things relatively healthy.