Summer Solutions | Teladoc tips for nutrition and fitness

With the summer on the horizon, it could be time to make positive changes to your lifestyle. With a new range of fruit and vegetables in season, increased daylight, and warmer weather to move in, summer is an optimal time to take care of your body and mind.

What your body needs and wants constantly alters. Nutritional requirements differ in every season, so it’s imperative to listen to your body and respond to queues for overall health. In the summer, it’s key to stay hydrated and maintain optimal levels of energy.

Health resolutions for the summer months

Resolutions don’t have to just be for the new year. Summer is the perfect time to take a step in the right direction with your health.

Our nutrition and physiotherapy experts are always on-hand to support your members or employees with their consumption and movement objectives. And below, we highlight some top-line tips for day-to-day improvements we can all make to support good health in the summer months.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has found that optimal nourishment can raise national productivity levels by 20%. Our nutritionists provide clarity and advice to empower your members to achieve their dietary-related goals. All of our advice is practical, easy to understand, and evidence-based. Making dietary changes for life requires an understanding of healthy diets, behaviour change, balance, and embracing progress as a key – not perfection.

Improving your eating habits

Following the balanced plate method is a simple way of eating mindfully. Our experts recommend a guide of 50% non-starchy vegetables, 25% whole grains, starchy vegetables, fruit, or dairy, and 25% lean protein to make up the perfect plate.

• On your plate:  Enjoy the flavours of in-season produce from your local market or garden.
• In your cup:  Opt to add frozen fruits, mint and other herbs to your water to help you sip all day long.

Outdoor activities in summer

With warmer weather and longer daylight hours, summer is an optimal time to switch up your routine with outdoor activities.

Our wellness experts recommend getting moving before 10am, or after 3pm – avoiding the hottest time of the day.

Top physical activities for warm weather:

• Swimming
• Walking
• Tennis
• Yoga in the park

Stuck for time? You can easily incorporate movement into your daily routine, by:

• Taking the stairs
• Going for a walk with friends
• Park further away than you would normally

Staying Well

When the weather’s hot, it can be easy to forget simple actions that’ll keep you well. When we are busy, it can be easy to tune out what our body needs, or forget small details that can make a big impact on our overall health and wellbeing. Here are a few actions to remember:

• Wear sunscreen – Apply a shot-glass size amount to your face and body 15-30 minutes before you head outside.
• Take a break – if you feel nauseous or tired outside, assess if you need water, food or rest.
• Reduce foodborne illness – Throw away any perishable foods that have been left out for more than two hours.

Our evidence-based nutritionists and trained physiotherapists are committed to always staying on top of the latest research in the field of nutrition, movement and health, which is the basis for all of our health and wellbeing work. Furthermore, we take great care to find exactly what every member needs and wants and tailor our advice for each individual.

Help your employees and members keep healthy this summer

Use the links below to find out more about our various support programmes, which can be added to your wellbeing policy:

• Nutrition Support
• Healthy Diet Support
• Get Fit Programme
• Virtual Physiotherapy