SUMMER SOUL-STICE

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000168 EndHTML:0000005146 StartFragment:0000000469 EndFragment:0000005129 <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> Summertime is truly medicine for the soul! The only thing more exciting than the promise of spring is the fulfillment of summer. The spring equinox brings a re-birthing to the mind, body & spirit, while the summer solstice motivates us to live in wellness and adds fun to the mix. Combining wellness and fun can be a powerful salve for the soul. The following are a few ingredients for your summertime wellness remedy:

SLEEP – Who among us gets enough? Just because there's more daylight this time of year doesn't mean you have to add more tasks to your already busy day, thereby shortening your sleep time at night. Eight hours of sleep is still ideal for optimum performance during the day. Insufficient sleep causes a host of issues such as fatigue, crankiness, agitation, and physical imbalance, with the worst being weight gain. Adequate rest literally improves your mind, body and spirit.

FOOD – Eat light meals with plenty of leafy greens and a small portion of meat or fish. Grilled vegetables or green salads with raw veggies and fruits are tasty and healthy. They provide plenty of necessary antioxidants to fight off disease, and protein for energy. We tend to be more physically active during summer, but we don't need to eat heavier to gain more stamina.

DRINK – Although “It's 5:00 somewhere”, Happy Hour can be a little healthier with organic wine and liquor. Have fun making your own organic cocktails for friends, or share your recipes with your favorite bartender. Stay hydrated with water before and after happy hour. Add organic fruit flavor to your water to make it refreshing.

SKIN – Incidentally one of my favorite things. Wellness begins with healthy skin. Remember the sunscreen and be sure to apply it to the skin underneath your swimsuit/trunks. Sun can penetrate fabric, leaving covered skin equally vulnerable (as exposed skin) to burns.

PLAY TIME – Water, water and more water here in the Keys. Boating, swimming, diving, snorkeling, paddle boarding, the list goes on and on. Water also means staying hydrated with sufficient water intake for whatever activity you choose. If you can manage to drink your weight in ounces of water on a daily basis you'll be golden.

MEDITATION – Carpe Diem. Silence at sunrise is a great way to seize the day. It's amazing how much we can hear when we are completely silent. Looking for answers, direction, peace of mind? Try simply sitting quietly at dawn, paying attention to only the sights and sounds around you before the noise of the day begins. Enhance your summertime wellness experience by energizing your chakras with an uplifting Reiki session. Refresh your crystal gemstone grid by adding dalmatian jasper and prehnite stones to attract the lighthearted energy of unconditional love. Lush green gardens, blue skies, blue-green waters, and lazy days filled with laughter are all healing images of summer. Summertime is like a tonic mixture of vibrancy, exuberance and a zest for life. Nourish your soul by taking a huge daily dose, Be Well and Live Life! Find summertime medicine for the soul at Angelic Moon Holistic Day Spa & APOTHECARY, on Cudjoe Key and Marathon!