Healthy with summer fun!

The secret to staying upbeat, ache-free and energetic all season long? Enjoying your favorite warm-weather activities

Relaxing in a rocking chair boosts balance

Kicking back in a rocker on a balmy day keeps you steady on your feet. An Indian study in the International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences found that people who rock in a rocking chair for 30 minutes a day five days a week saw significant improvement in their balance within three months.

And their levels of anxiety and depression dropped too. Rocking stimulates the vestibular system in the inner ear, which plays a key role in maintaining balance and communicating with the central nervous system to ease your “fight or flight” response. No rocking chair? No problem! Try Ready Rocker (ReadyRocker.​com/WW), a lightweight, portable rocker that turns any chair (or couch!) into a relaxing rocking chair.

Lift your spirits with farmstand faves

This is a great time of year to visit your farmers market since dozens of summer favorites—including sweet corn, green beans, cherries, berries and plums—are at their peak. And doing so will help you sail through even hectic days feeling upbeat. That’s because you’re twice as likely to eat lots of fruit and vegetables if you buy fresh produce. And Australian scientists say the nutrients they contain (magnesium, zinc and vitamins C, E and folate) are essential building blocks of mood-steadying serotonin and dopamine.