Uplifting Selfcare Tips For A Wet Summer

It’s officially the wettest summer on record in the UK, and if you’re like us, you might be wondering what you can do to enhance your summer self-care routine and feel better, despite the weather. The lack of sun-kissed skin and gloomy skies can affect our mental and physical well-being, especially with fewer sunny days leading to more time spent indoors.

Here, Plenish Nutritionist Katie Morley shares four tips to boost your summer self-care routine, helping you feel your best and lift your spirits during this rainy summer of 2024.

Four tips to boost your summer selfcare routine

Incorporate Mood-Boosting Foods

Our food choices can significantly affect our mood and overall well-being, both physically and emotionally. Eating large amounts of ultra-processed and highly refined foods may be associated with a low mood, increased anxiety and sleep problems. These effects could be due to increased inflammation in the body, blood sugar fluctuations and hormonal imbalances. On the other hand, a Mediterranean-style diet, which includes plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids (particularly from olive oil), nuts and seeds, whole grains, low levels of alcohol and caffeine and minimal processed foods, may have positive effects on mood. This is because this diet can help regulate blood sugar levels and contains precursors to neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline, which are crucial for mood regulation.

Serotonin, often linked to improved mood and reduced depression, is produced in the brain and as a hormone in the blood, with around 95% produced in the gut. As a result, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome is essential for serotonin production. Foods rich in the amino acid tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, can also help increase serotonin levels. Gut-friendly foods include colourful fruits and vegetables, probiotics found in cultured and fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir. Our Berry Gut Health Shot, for example, contains millions of live cultures to support gut health. Plant-based sources of tryptophan include complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.

Get Enough Vitamin C and Vitamin D

To support your overall wellbeing this summer, focus on including vitamins and minerals that enhance both your general health and mood, regardless of the weather. Vitamin C, a key water-soluble antioxidant, plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, such as supporting the immune system and promoting the production of collagen for healthy, radiant skin. It could also help stabilise and balance your mood by facilitating the production of mood-boosting neurotransmitters like dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin. These neurotransmitters help regulate mood and cognition while reducing inflammation in the brain. Additionally, Vitamin C assists in the absorption of iron, an essential trace mineral for producing healthy red blood cells, which are required for oxygen transport throughout the body. Low iron levels can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, pale skin, dizziness and low mood, including depression. Fortunately, Vitamin C is easy to include in your diet, as it is abundant in fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as in our Ginger Immunity Shot, which provides 100% of your daily recommended intake.

Another important vitamin to focus on is Vitamin D, especially given the rainy summer and increased time indoors in the UK. Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” Vitamin D is essential for maintaining strong and healthy teeth and bones, brain development, muscle function and immune health. Low levels of Vitamin D could negatively impact mood, so it’s important to stay on top of your intake to help you feel brighter this summer. Interestingly, magnesium enhances the absorption of Vitamin D, so including magnesium-rich foods like dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, legumes and whole grains in your diet could be beneficial. The best source of Vitamin D is sunlight in the summer months.  Good plant-based sources of Vitamin D include, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, and chlorella. Our Mango Sunshine Shot provides 100% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin D in a single serving.

Explore Wellness-Boosting Nootropics

Nootropics are a relatively unknown category of natural supplements that may enhance focus, memory, energy, cognitive performance, relaxation and stress management. L-theanine, an amino acid primarily found in mushrooms and green tea, is known for promoting relaxation, focus and better sleep. It does this by increasing levels of Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which all support cognitive function and induce calmness. Additionally, L-theanine can stimulate the release of alpha brain waves, associated with states of meditation, creative thinking, daydreaming and REM sleep, which is the deep sleep phase characterised by active dreaming. The best dietary sources of L-theanine are black tea and green tea.

Omega-3 fatty acids are another nootropic to add to your list, known for their beneficial effects on memory and mood. Omega-3s can easily cross the brain cell membrane and interact with neurotransmitters like serotonin, often referred to as the “happy hormone.” They also have anti-inflammatory properties that may help alleviate symptoms of depression and mood disorders. Plant-based sources of omega-3s include green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds (such as flaxseeds and chia seeds), walnuts, avocado and microalgae like spirulina and chlorella.

Support the Gut-Brain Connection

There is growing evidence that links the gut and the brain. For instance, anxiety often causes nausea or a sensation of “butterflies” in the stomach. This connection is bidirectional, as digestive issues can also send signals to the brain, impacting mood and overall well-being. The vagus nerve serves as the primary communication pathway between the gut and brain and beyond dietary changes, you can support this connection, or stimulate the vagus nerve, through lifestyle practices such as diaphragmatic breathing, cold water therapy, yoga, singing, laughing and intermittent fasting. The key point is that activating the body’s parasympathetic nervous system increases relaxation and reduces inflammation, which in turn may affect everything from mood to digestion.

Author: Plenish Nutritionist, Katie Morley

DipNT, mBANT, mANP, CNHC

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.holsome.uk