As the days roll on, the weather is improving – although maybe not as much as we would like. Of course, many of us are already chasing the sun by heading off to somewhere warmer, while those staying home seem to be focussing on getting outside as much as possible.

This is great! A bit of sun on the skin makes us happy, it tops up our vitamin D levels and generally improves our state of mind. If you are heading abroad, you already know to ease carefully into soaking up the rays. The sun can be tough on our skin, especially after a winter like the last when we have seen so little. 

If you’re not off to sunnier places, then all those lovely outdoor activities that we haven’t been routinely doing, need to be slid in gradually. Start gently with gardening, the wander along the local beaches or sitting outside to read – fifteen minutes is a good starting point. Build up to longer periods – it’s thought that just 30 minutes can help with sleep patterns, topping up our immune systems and even keeping our bones strong.

 

If you are staying home, foods are often a great reminder of past lovely summer holidays.Use the right ingredients to keep up all sorts of vitamin levels. Two of the best are oily fish and dark green veg. For a super- simple summer salad, take up a selection of spinach, beans, rocket and some spring onions. Mix up a light vinaigrette of virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, adding salt and pepper. Pan fry some salmon fillets, slice into strips and assemble your salad. All done.

Lastly, a reminder, for those of you making appointments, Estelle will be away at the beginning of May as she introduces Luna to the joys of Provence! Jo will be holding the fort, so do get in touch.

At the practice ––>

Images:Estelle Zauner Maughan