How to stay healthy this summer

Ah, summer — picture it, and you likely picture the very image of health: Sun-kissed bodies swimming in a pool; athletic types whiling away an afternoon chasing around a ball; you and the kids riding bikes somewhere, on your way to a healthy meal of citrus and grilled chicken, without a care in the world.

The reality, of course, can be quite the opposite. All that vacation time? For many of us, it requires working extra both before and after taking time off.

Not to mention that if you’re traveling with kids, is it really a vacation? Or will you be doing all the same work you do at home, just somewhere else?

And sure, it makes sense in theory to eat fresh fruit and lean protein, the reality is backyard barbecues and road-trip fast food, beers and burgers and repeat. As for exercise … eh, it’s hot out, right?

But the summer months, much like human existence itself, are more fun if you’re healthy. You can do more stuff (or really enjoy doing no stuff) if you’re in reasonable shape and can stay that way. Here are our tips for staying healthy as the mercury rises — including some involving Haven Life Plus, a bonus rider for eligible Haven Term policyholders.

Get up to date on vaccines for you and the kids

If you’re planning on traveling or being active close to home, you don’t want a preventable illness to prevent your fun. (Sorry.)

If you or your kids are going to be climbing things and running around (i.e., risking bumps and scrapes), make sure your tetanus booster is up to date. And while you’re at it, see what else you might want to top up, from Covid boosters for the immunocompromised to a shingles vaccine for those over 50.

CVSMinuteClinic is a convenient place to get your jabs with no appointment needed, and eligible Haven Term policyholders enjoy an annual 15% discount on a single service through Haven Life Plus.

Check your meds, check your sunscreen

While you’re at the pharmacy, make sure you have all the meds you’ll need for the season ahead. And while you’re doing that, grab sunscreen (because skin cancer) if the stuff you have at home is out of date, and some bug spray (because bugs).

Know how to deal with ticks

On that note, there’s a lot of great stuff in the woods. And sometimes there are ticks. This website gives an overview of where the ticks that humans need to care about are found, and this one tells you how to deal with them if you get bitten. It’s not difficult to do, but it’s the kind of knowledge you want to have before you need to use it.

Get some sleep

Sleep deprivation can lead to an alarming list of health problems: even if (or perhaps especially if) you plan on having an active summer, it’s important to get rest. TimeShifter, an anti-jet lag app, can help, especially if you’re traveling (though it’s also good at helping you maximize your sleep at home). Bonus: Eligible Haven Term policyholders enjoy a no-cost subscription through Haven Life Plus.

Get some exercise

Frankly, it’s always the right season for exercise, and the health benefits of a regular workout are well known and impossible to argue with. But summer is still one of the best times to be physically active.

Whatever your workout routine, doing it outside in the summer sun surrounded by fresh air makes it a whole lot more enjoyable than it is in the gym. And summer also provides opportunities for fitness that is straight-up fun — you can go rock climbing, or play basketball, soccer, tennis and numerous other sports, either with friends or your kids. (And you can also, blissfully, just chase your kids around the park with no real purpose in mind, inadvertently getting exercise at the same time.)

To find summer-friendly ways to stay active, from the intense to the borderline tranquil, try Aaptiv, the encyclopedic fitness app. Eligible Haven Term policyholders enjoy a no-cost subscription via Haven Life Plus, and it has multiple fitness options for you, whatever you’re into.

Just be sure to stay safe — wear sunscreen, stay cool, and stay hydrated, and encourage your family to do so, too.

Eat well

Although we just said “whatever you’re into,” note that flipping burgers on your grill does not count as exercise.

And while summer should mean some good-times dining, it’s worth making that as healthy as you can. The good news is, it’s not hard. From stone fruit in Georgia to tomatoes in New Jersey, the US is awash with delicious, seasonal fruits and vegetables from May to October, which makes healthy summer meals (and healthy summer recipes) a treat, not a chore. From warm weather dinners to tasty, seasonal salads, summer is the easiest time of year to eat well and be well.

If you’re traveling, bring healthy but tasty snacks for yourself and the kids, and try to research dining options before you arrive. That way you’re more likely to eat something healthy and interesting, rather than making a child-hunger-driven dash for a familiar fast food chain.

Reduce your stress

When we talk about being healthy, we’re referring to mental as well as physical health. If you have any lingering stress over Big Life Stuff that you haven’t dealt with but know you should have, now is the time to take care of it so you can truly relax this summer. And Haven Life Plus can help.

To organize documents, from photos to house deeds, use LifeSite (another service available at no cost via Haven Life Plus). It’s an easy-to-use digital vault with military grade security.

To make a will (or trust) in less time than it takes to get the charcoal grill ready for action, try Trust & Will, where you can do it all online. (Again, available at no cost through Haven Life Plus.)

And to document all your end-of-life wishes, from who should deal with your social media to what kind of jazz you want at your New Orelans-stye jazz funeral, go with Lantern, whose services are available at no cost for eligible Haven Term policyholders.

Finally, if you find yourself worrying about what would happen to your family if you or your partner passed away, may we recommend getting life insurance? It offers financial protection to your loved ones in case the worst should happen to you, and it’s kind of a specialty of ours.

Get peace of mind this summer (and beyond) by getting a free online life insurance quote today.