Plenty of foods contain plenty of water—and that counts toward the fluids you need to stay hydrated this summer. Add some of these to your diet:
| Food | Water Content |
|---|---|
| Cucumber | 96.0% |
| Celery | 95.4% |
| Radishes | 95.3% |
| Tomatoes | 94.5% |
| Green peppers | 93.9% |
| Cauliflower | 92.1% |
| Watermelon | 91.5% |
| Spinach | 91.4% |
| Strawberries | 91.0% |
| Broccoli | 90.7% |
| Grapefruit | 90.5% |
| Baby Carrots | 90.4% |
| Cantaloupe | 90.2% |
“15 Foods That Help You Stay Hydrated” by Amanda MacMillan, www.health.com
Watch this space!
Cold foods should be kept at 40°F or lower, while hot foods need to be at 140°F or above. Those temperatures in between constitute the “Danger Zone,” where bacteria can multiply rapidly.
Use plenty of ice or cold packs in your coolers. Store drinks in a separate cooler so that the food cooler isn’t opened and closed repeatedly. Carry coolers in the air-conditioned interior of your car rather than in the trunk, and place them in the shade when you reach your destination. Be sure to thoroughly chill foods you’ve cooked, such as fried chicken, before they go into a cooler.
The cleaner the better! Be scrupulous about clean hands and utensils. If there's no safe drinking water at your destination, pack your own.
Bring disposable, moist towelettes, paper towels, and hand sanitizer for cleaning up. And don’t skimp on utensils—plenty of plasticware for eating and serving foods is essential. Use fresh plates when serving seconds or different foods, like desserts.
Remember the 2-hour rule. Carry only what you plan to eat. Two hours is the maximum amount of time food should be left unrefrigerated. Discard leftovers, and if you still have hungry picnickers, stop at your favorite ice cream stand on the way home for the ultimate summertime treat.
Watch this space!
Photo 31350972 © Racorn | Dreamstime.com
Your “healthy” sunscreen is packed. CHECK! Your wide brimmed hat is in the bag. CHECK! Even healthy snacks are now part of your travel accompaniments. But there’s one thing I bet will be forgotten on far too many of the approximately 1.7 billion trips taken this year.
No matter where your travels may lead you (even here in the USA) you need to be proactive when it comes to uninvited guests—parasites, that is! These can lurk in the most pristine water, in ice cubes (absolutely none in drinks, please), fresh water lakes, and on those white silver sands.
How exactly do they make their way into your body? I hate to tell you that it’s easier than you’d think. I bet you’re quite aware that it’s imperative to be cautious of your diet during international travel. Parasites can lurk in all sorts of food and drink. Plus, the local population might not even be aware because they’ve developed an immunity—but you have not.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re safe in certain places because you can be anywhere and come in contact with parasites—such as dining at a trendy sushi restaurant, consuming undercooked meat at a steak house, or a drinking out of a glass that wasn’t properly washed.
But it doesn’t end at dietary. You can pick up parasites simply by taking a dip in a local body of water or even unwittingly walking through scat of some sort. I recently became privy to the story of a man who had what his doctor originally thought was a varicose vein in his foot. Upon noticing that the location of this vein was moving, they discovered that it was actually a parasite living inside his foot that he’d picked up during a recent trip!
Whether you’re in a remote jungle or you’re walking along the beach, ensure that you’re wearing the proper footwear to prevent coming in direct contact with sneaky parasites.
Along these lines, a recent study of the brain tissue of deceased patients who’d suffered from neurological conditions found that 19 of those studies contained three Borrelia pathogens—including the one known to cause Lyme disease. This is another discovery in the growing body of research showing a strong connection between untreated parasitic infections and Lyme disease. Many believe that they picked up this frustrating and debilitating illness from horseback riding, time spent in the woods, and most certainly, excursions while on vacation.
To make matters worse, symptoms often don’t immediately appear, so you could be settled in back home before while the parasites have been silently multiplying and preparing for attack, unbeknown to you.
If a selection of these symptoms has recently popped up (or have been plaguing you for some time), there might be an issue.
So, what can you do?
While you’re on your trip, you can—and should—be very aware of what you eat. Research restaurants, stay away from street vendors, be cautious of pre-cut fruits and veggies that could have been washed in contaminated water, and avoid undercooked meat, fish, dairy, and cold topping and condiments.
You can take it a big step further by prepping your body prior to your travels. My mentor Dr. Hazel Parcells (who lived to be 106!) was a huge believer in detox baths—and so am I. The idea behind these baths is that they supercharge your immunity by balancing your cellular pH level, creating an undesirable environment for parasitic invaders.
Please do try this bath once or twice a week during the time leading up to your trip, as well as after your return.
