Help yourself prepare for the long summer days with these tips…

Prepare your skin for exposure to the sun

Searching for beautiful tanned skin that lasts, while still protecting your skin against free radicals? Eat more carrots! Rich in beta-carotene (carotenoid is what gives the vegetable its beautiful orange color), the carrot is a valuable asset you can use to protect your skin and encourage a clear complexion.

Beta-carotene (often called provitamin A) is synthesized by the liver to provide vitamin A, with levels depending on what the body needs.  A powerful anti-oxidant and cellular regenerator, it protects all of your organs from aging, from the skin to the brain.

It can be taken in the form of capsules made from an oily macerate, or provided in the consumption of certain raw foods where it retains all its properties and provides fiber content that aids digestion and calms food cravings.

Reduce your appetite and prevent weight gain

Summer is a season that encourages us to control our weight. Losing weight is not just achieved through managing your diet, however.  It is also necessary to moderate your appetite and respect certain lifestyle rules.

Here are a few rules to follow:

1) Eat at regular times, and every 3 to 4 hours to prevent your blood sugar level and ensure the don’t slump and encourage cravings.

2) Curb food cravings with a cold or hot herbal tea. Look for teas with digestive, hepatic plants such as fennel, rosemary, and lemon balm, as these stimulate digestion, limit the absorption of fats and sugar and promote the elimination of waste. Taking in liquids, especially in summer, is an added weapon in the war on kilograms.

3) Consume high fiber foods. You’ll have problem finding these in the summer – look for carrots, red and white beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, tomatoes, leeks, fennel and spinach. And don’t forget your fruit!

4) Make the most of the good weather and make sure you exercise.

5) Make sure you sleep well and for long enough as there is a correlation between sleep disorder, stress and weight gain all related to hormonal disturbance.

Help improve your blood circulation

As  the temperatures increases, people tend to feel blood circulation issues more acutely. This happens because as the blood thickens from poor circulation the blood vessels dilate and water drains away through the vein membranes; if this lymphatic elimination is insufficient, then edema and pain appear. Pain and discomfort also tends to be higher if you have existing varicose veins.

Circulatory and diuretic plants that will help relieve the issue include:

Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum / berries)

These achieve:

• Vascular protection
• Antioxidant action
• Decreased edema and pain

 Red vine (Vitis vinifera / leaves)

This helps with:

• Protection of blood vessels
• Increase in capillary resistance
• Inhibition of venous tissue degradation
• Decreased edema and pain
• Antioxidant action

Stimulate your Libido

Low libido can occur at any time in our lives, affecting both men or women.

The main causes of decreased libido may be physical, including: pain during intercourse or inability to reach an orgasm; an illness or side effects of a drug (cancer, diabetes, hypertension and antihypertensives, epression and antidepressants, neurological diseases etc.); localized surgery in the breasts or genitals; alcohol or drug us;  physical or psychological fatigue; hormonal changes (menopause and vaginal dryness, pregnancy, breast-feeding, low testosterone, birth control pills); or psychological, including: sexual abuse; intense stress; low self-esteem; a difficult romantic relationship; or the unbridled routine of everyday life.

Plants can help men and women escape from their everyday worries to relax and regain some vitality., and their calming, relaxing and stimulating properties have been used for centuries. There is an abundance of of scientific validation for this, and it explains why many relaxing or tonic medicinal plants like eleutherococcus or ginger are traditionally associated with the aphrodisiac properties.

Follow these tips and feel like your best self all summer long.