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Treats and Tips For A Great Day At The Beach

By May 27, 2015Body Care, Meal Planning

beach-picnic-inspiration

Nature is something I am so grateful for. I am blessed that I can often spend time in nature. I feel the happiest there! This time of year, I take time to walk on the beach, which gives me access to the earth’s unlimited resource of negatively charged free electrons and it’s energy. This is known as Earthing or grounding. It balances your hormones and calms your mind. You get this energy from walking on sand and also walking barefoot outdoors on grass, earth or rocks.

I spent some time this past weekend at the beach enjoying my new book, Dying To Be Me and connecting to nature.   I love feeling the sand on my feet and the warmth of the sun on my skin. I spent most of my time under an umbrella with my favorite hat that I got while on my trip to Vietnam. It was relaxing listening to the ocean and feeling the ocean breeze on my skin. I love the smell of the ocean.

Being at the beach or in the forest is a great way to disconnect from your mind chatter and really feel present, in touch with your divine energy.

I like to swim in the warm ocean (like I did last winter in Thailand) or put my feet into the cold ocean here in New York. I have to wait until at least July for the water to warm up enough for me to swim here. The best grounding you can get is bathing in the ocean, in lakes or rivers.

Today I want to share a few tips and treats for your next beach adventure.

Picnics at the beach are so much fun. There is something about the sand, sun and water that makes good food taste even better. Eating in nature is magical. We spend so much time indoors, I try and eat outside whenever I can.

Beach Treats

kale pizzacabbagemangokale avocadozucchini hummusguacamole030

  • I often make my Pizza Kale Chips a few days before and pack an enormous bag of them. I love to chomp away on chip-like items at the beach, and kale chips are great.. I like them because they don’t make you feel bloated or heavy like regular chips which are filled with vegetables oils and are bad for your skin. It takes a little planning ahead or you can also buy raw kale chips.
  • No beach trip is complete without fruit. I like blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. Berries are high in antioxidants and are low glycemic. Also fun to eat.
  • For my main dish I like Indian Cabbage and Mango Salad or Massaged Kale and Avocado Salad. Cabbage or kale doesn’t wilt while sitting in the cooler. It is filling but doesn’t make you feel heavy. I don’t like feeling heavy at the beach. (who does?)
  • You can also make zucchini hummus or guacamole to have with mixed veggies. I like endive, carrots, and fennel. Or buy some hummus (preservative free) or salsa to have with the veggies. These are good beach foods.
  • If you need something sweet, make up a batch of these gluten-free, grain-free Coconut Cookies.

Beach Tips 

Water at the Beach
The Perfect Cold Drink of Water

I always make sure I bring a big bottle of filtered water, being outside in the heat is dehydrating. Drinking warm water that’s been absorbing the sun’s rays all day just doesn’t do it for me. Here’s my easy solution: fill your water bottle halfway, then place it in the freezer overnight on its side. If you fill it all the way you have to wait for it to thaw before you have a drink. Be sure ice doesn’t totally cover the mouthpiece, so you can fill the remainder of the bottle with water in the morning before you hit the beach. It is important to use only BPA-free bottles or non-leachable bottles, as t sun and heat and inferior plastic are not a great combo. You don’t want to ingest extra chemicals.

Protect Your Skin From Sunburn

Not all sunscreens are created equal. Some sunscreens do not provide enough UVA protection and some contain potentially hazardous chemicals such as oxybenzone, a hormone disruptor, or retinyl palmitate, a form of vitamin A linked to skin damage. The best sunscreens are mineral based. Click here for EWG Guide to Sunscreens

Make sure you use enough sunscreen It is best to apply sunscreen at least half an hour before you head out. Coat yourself with more sunscreen than you think you need. It should be enough to form a thick film on your skin. Don’t worry: by the time you sink your feet into the sand, it’ll be absorbed. Then reapply every 3-4 hours especially if you are swimming or sweating. This is the brand I am using right now.

Stay under an umbrella and wear a hat whenever possible. Use sunglasses to protect your eyes.

beach umbrellaSet Your Umbrella Up Like a Pro

Having refuge from the sun is necessary but it’s not fun to chase your umbrella down the beach. First drive your umbrella into the sand way, way down, around 18 inches deep. You can achieve this by twisting the umbrella as you install it or by using a medium sized rock to hammer the base of the pole into the ground.

Once the pole is in, scoop up a pail of water and pour it around the base. The sand will help steady the pole. Open the umbrella AFTER the pole is all the way in, point the umbrella into the wind.

 Soothe Sunburn

If somehow the sun gets the best of you and you wind up with a red burn soothe it with aloe vera gel or apply cool apple cider vinegar. Pop your vinegar into the refrigerator, it will feel amazing and help reduce the redness. Don’t apply anything frozen to your skin it will feel good in the short term but will actually cause more damage to your already vulnerable skin.

beach ziplockUse a Ziploc bag to make your smartphone waterproof and sand proof.
Protect your hair by rubbing in coconut oil, especially on the ends, to prevent it from drying out.

Hope you have a great time at the beach this summer. You will find me there as much as possible.

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