5 Simple Ways to Summerize Your Diet

You change up your wardrobe, swap your boots for sandals, and pare down your makeup. Have you thought about doing the same with your diet during the summer?

- By Melissa Diane Smith

Q: I’m outside a lot during the summer and have trouble tolerating the heat. I tend to get fatigued, irritable, and dizzy, and I often get headaches or become sick to my stomach. Are there any ways I can change what I eat during the summer to help my body better tolerate the heat?

A: Most definitely! During the frigid temperatures of winter, it’s natural to want to eat hearty foods such as beef stew or roasted vegetables to keep the body warm and sustained. During the sweltering days of summer, on the other hand, it’s helpful to follow the cycles of nature and substantially lighten up what you eat and add more easy-to-absorb electrolytes and antioxidants to your diet.

Here are my top 5 tips to transform your diet to better enjoy the good old summertime:

1 Make main-dish salads a mainstay.

Top a variety of different greens with a protein of your choice (e.g., hard-boiled egg, cooked chicken breast meat, or canned tuna, salmon, or beans) and assorted vegetables (e.g., red onion, cucumber, tomato, peppers, carrots, celery, and mushrooms) to quickly make the ultimate go-to, no-cook, light-yet balanced meal.

Vary the salads you prepare by using different greens such as arugula; adding bits of fresh summer fruit, nuts, or seeds; and changing the flavor of your salad dressing. You can create an almost endless variety of flavorful—and nutritious—food combinations.

2 Eat more raw vegetables.