The steamy & stormy month of July is here! High temperatures, accompanied by thunderstorms in the late afternoon, indicate that summer in Florida has arrived. This month, be sure to stay hydrated, hit your workouts before the heat of the day takes over, and (most importantly) enjoy your 4th of July and any festivities you have planned!
Movement of the Month: Swimming
Did you know that swimming offers comprehensive health benefits that extend far beyond basic fitness? According to the NHS, regular swimming reduces risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and strokes while providing full-body toning and improved stamina.
12 Key Benefits of Swimming:
- Mental health improvement – Reduces stress and anxiety, comparable to yoga for mental wellness
- Increased fitness and muscle mass – Builds definition in arms, upper body, and thighs through consistent resistance
- Lower impact exercise – Reduces joint stress by up to 90% compared to running
- Better sleep quality – Aerobic exercise promotes improved sleep duration and quality
- Pregnancy-safe exercise – Water supports body weight and reduces swelling
- Stroke variety – Multiple techniques (breaststroke, front crawl, backstroke, butterfly) target different muscles
- Targeted muscle definition – Different strokes emphasize various body areas for comprehensive toning
- Skill development satisfaction – Learning new strokes provides motivation and continuous improvement
- Stress reduction – Naturally reduces cortisol and adrenaline while boosting endorphins
- Mobility support – Beneficial for individuals with movement limitations or injuries
- MS symptom relief – 20-week studies show reduced pain levels in MS sufferers
- Cognitive enhancement – Research indicates children who swim develop superior motor skills and academic abilities
This makes swimming an excellent cross-training option for overall fitness improvement (and mental wellbeing!)
Would you like to learn more? Check out this amazing article from Women’s Health!
Fresh Flavors of July
Craving fresh, cooling eats this month? I don’t blame you! Lucky for you, I’ve compiled a few recipes I think you’ll love for your days in the sun, your 4th of July cookout, or a relaxing evening on the patio with your family.
Ingredients
- 2 cups seedless watermelon, cut into cubes
- 8 oz (1 cup) silver tequila
- 2 oz (1/4 cup) fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbsp honey, or agave
- 1 Tbsp warm water
Directions
- Place watermelon chunks in a blender and blend on high for a few seconds until it becomes a juice.
- Strain the blended watermelon in a mesh sieve into a cocktail shaker or pitcher filled with ice.
- To make the honey simple syrup, mix together 1 tablespoon honey (or agave) with 1 tablespoon warm water so that the honey will easily mix into the margarita.
- In the cocktail shaker or pitcher that you strained the watermelon juice into, add tequila, triple sec, lime juice and honey. Mix until well-chilled.
- To salt the rim, add a little lime juice or water on a small plate and add salt to another plate. Dip the rim of each glass in the lime juice or water and then dip that into the salt.
- Fill with ice and pour the shaken margarita into each glass. Serve and enjoy!
Tomato, Cucumber, and Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, sliced
- 2 cups cucumber, diced
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine sliced tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, red onion, green bell pepper and set aside.
- In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and salt, and mix or shake well until dressing is emulsified.
- Pour the dressing on top of the salad, add in the fresh parsley, and toss everything together until all the veggies are nicely coated. Let the salad sit for about 10 minutes (or up to an hour) to allow the veggies to soak up all that delicious flavor! Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed, and enjoy!
If you’re not a chickpea or watermelon person, I’m not judging! (Ok, maybe I’m judging a LITTLE but I’ll still share the link to a full list of healthy and fresh 4th of July recipes!)
Body Safe Mineral Spray on Sunscreen? I Thought That Was IMPOSSIBLE…
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m ALWAYS struggling to find clean & safe sunscreen options for the whole family that don’t contain toxic chemical barriers or leave a nasty white sheen on my skin. Luckily, this incredible new find from doTERRA ticks all my boxes and features an easy spray on application for added convenience!
As if that wasn’t enough to sell me, it smells delicious with notes of frankincense and & carrot seed! Be sure to grab yours the next time you’re at the studio!
Your New Sun Solution for Youthful, Healthy Skin
Let’s face it… I love a good sunscreen, but after swimming and drying off all day it can rub off easily and leave me vulnerable to a nasty burn. Luckily, I don’t have to worry about constant reapplication on beach days or afternoon walks when I have my BloqUV unisex sun sleeves! These nifty sleeves are easy to throw on when you’re wearing clothing that doesn’t protect your skin from the sun but you don’t want to change! Grab yours today!
Your Comprehensive Solution for Aches & Pains
You work hard; treat yourself like a true Athlete with LightForce Medical Laser Therapy! It can help with…
- Sprains and Strains
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Low Back Pain
- Tennis Elbow
- Disc Issues
- Soft Tissue Injuries
- Shoulder & Knee Pain
- Carpal Tunnel
- Neck Pain
- …and Much More!
Local Happenings This Month
4th of July Fireworks: Looking to enjoy fireworks on the holiday weekend? I’m right there with you! I found this comprehensive list of local firework spots so you can choose the most convenient location for your family in advance.
Summer Circus Spectacular: The Circus Arts Conservatory and The Ringling are collaborating to present the Summer Circus Spectacular, a family-friendly show featuring world-class circus performers running from June 14 through August 9 at the Historic Asolo Theater.
Through The Veil Art Exhibit: Join artist Lillian Blades for her first solo museum exhibition exploring themes of memory, connection, self-discovery, and cultural identity.
I hope you found some nuggets of wisdom that will benefit you and your family this month in this newsletter! I hope you have an incredible 4th of July and that all your fitness goals come true… remember, dreams don’t work unless you do, so be sure to put in the work even when you can’t do it “perfectly” in order to achieve lasting results!
Warmly,
Michele