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Eat This Healthy Watermelon Salad All Summer Long
This easy, AND, healthy watermelon salad delivers the juicy, cooling hydration that my body craves when the temperature rises. One of the great things about this salad is that it’s soooo versatile. Eat it as a side, as a snack, an appetizer or as a main (just add in more protein). Make it vegetarian—or vegan—throw in your leftovers and call it a day! Shop All Apothekari This is a healthy watermelon salad too! Watermelon is packed with antioxidants and amino acids and also low in calories—1 cup has only 40. The pumpkin seeds (if you use) and olive oil deliver healthy fats and if you throw in some greens and a bit of protein, you’ve got a delicious full meal. Want to get our 5 top tips to help you look your best as you ride the waves of your body’s changes? Click here to get your FREE GUIDE. Healthy Watermelon Salad Ingredients (for 4 servings) 5 tsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2/3 teaspoon kosher salt 3-4 cups watermelon chunks (1 1/2-inch) 2-3 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves Optional & Substitutions (*faves) *2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese *pumpkin seeds *olives (as much as you like) ? sub basil for mint cucumbers bed of greens finely chopped jalapenos, as hot as you want *Tajin seasoning (a Mexican seasoning made with chili peppers, lime and salt. You may need to adjust seasonings above if you use this so be mindful. (I ? this over any fruit – great with mangos too!) I tend to keep this salad vegetarian but see if you like it with chicken or tuna. Let me know if you try! Directions Whisk the oil, lemon juice, salt. Drizzle dressing over the watermelon and mint. (If you’re using greens, I like to add it in this step) Top with feta, olives and any other toppings. Adjust seasoning if needed. Tip: Put the watermelon in the fridge before cubing. I find it enhances its flavor. Enjoy!
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4 Ways to Shake the Winter Blues
In this post, a slight deviation from skin care to focus on 4 ways to shake the winter blues. Something that can affect many of us during this time of year, the winter blues is often accompanied by sadness, sluggishness and food cravings. It’s estimated that the gloom caused by Mother Nature during the cold season is biologically felt to some degree by an estimated one in four of us. Although the majority of us experience milder cases, some individuals experience a more severe form of the winter blues known as seasonal affective disorder (aptly shortened to SAD). SAD involves more serious symptoms including significant weight gain, a lack of interest in normal activities and depression. Shop All Apothekari I grew up on the Canadian Prairies where summers were short and winters were long. And cold. The silver lining? Lots of sunshine. Still, as one with low blood pressure, warm weather genes and perpetually cold feet, below freezing temperatures, often hovering in the -20 to -30 degree Celsius temperature range, were not my cup of tea! So, as an adult, I packed up my bags leaving Edmonton, Alberta for more temperate climes in Vancouver, BC. The joy of ditching the winter boots, the down parka and plugging in the car lasted for a couple of winters until I became as jaded as Vancouverites by the perpetual drizzle and grey clouds that hovered over the city from November till February or March each year. It’s no wonder that people seem happier in the summer – the lack of sunshine in Pacific Northwest winters really can do a number on you! This year has been particularly brutal, I have to say. The cause of the winter blues is the lack of sunlight from winter’s shorter days. In Vancouver, this is compounded by the constant grey skies we experience through much of the winter disrupting our circadian rhythm, or internal body clock, resulting in winter ‘depression’. Geography, genetics, and individual brain chemistry all have an impact on the severity of symptoms you may experience. The farther north from the equator you live, the greater the risk you’ll have some degree of winter depression. For example, only about 1% of Florida residents have some winter-specific discomfort or depression, compared to about half of those living in uppermost parts of the U.S. or in southern Canada. Fixing the Winter Blues The best, and permanent, solution would be to move to a sunnier place. It’s something I definitely consider around this time of year! However, that’s not terribly practical for most people. If the winter blues are something you struggle with, here are 4 tips to help you cope: 1. Up Your Sunlight Exposure If moving isn’t a viable option, then a warm weather vacation may do the trick. If that’s not possible, consider light therapy. A device such as a lightbox is specially designed to mimic the sun’s beneficial rays. About 30 minutes of exposure first thing in the morning can help keep your body clock on its springtime cycle during the winter, and has been shown to help lift depressive symptoms. 2. Consider Ion Therapy Not as widely known as sunlight exposure, one study has suggested that ions (invisible particles) in the air – also affect one’s mood. When SAD patients were exposed to high levels of negative ions for 30 minutes, their depression eased after just a few weeks. Commercial negative ionizers are available and they may help some people. 3. Supplement With Vitamin D Experts have suggested that the feeling of sadness associated with the winter blues is partially due to a lack of Vitamin D, which is produced by exposure to natural light. Consider supplementing and check with your health care provider if you’re not sure what is best for you. 4. Get Moving Exercise releases endorphins that can be a great stress-buster and help to elevate your mood. If none of the above strategies work and you still find yourself blue and sad, it may be time to seek out the help of your physician. The winter blues may actually be more serious – depression – and if this the case, you may require medication. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance if you need it. Personally, out of all these strategies, I’m all for the winter getaway. Florida is looking mighty fine right now. Who’s in?
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5 Holiday Skin Care Tips
Here we are, almost at mid-December and for most of us, the festive season is in full swing. While we may love the lights, the gatherings and the abundance of good food, they can all come with a price. We’re probably eating too much (and maybe not that well), imbibing in alcohol more frequently and also not getting enough sleep. Shop All Apothekari Your skin may be showing its displeasure with your lack of care and indulgences but thankfully, there are ways to disguise what we’ve been up to. Here are 5 holiday skin care tips to help you and your skin survive: 1. Keep Clean Yes, I know. After a late night out, possibly wearing gorgeous but deathly uncomfortable heels, all you want to do is fall into bed. Yet, if you don’t take the time to remove your makeup and wash your face, problems will arise. A dirty face, especially combined with too much alcohol, poor food choices and not enough sleep will lead to breakouts and blemishes. And this is just the time of year when you don’t need them. 2. Sleep While there tend to be many late nights during the holiday season, strive for early nights when you aren’t going out. This one little thing will impact not only how your skin looks but also your overall wellness. 3. Add Some Shimmer Now may be a good time to seek out a good highlighter or shimmer powder. There are many options to choose from and a shimmer powder will add some sparkle to your face. Often infused with light-reflecting particles, you’ll be left with a luminous, radiant look that hides what you did last night! 4. Put On a Concealer If you’ve been out too much or up too late, an under eye concealer can help to hide the dark circles that accumulate from lack of sleep. This little trick can brighten up and awaken the eye area, making it seem that you had enough shut eye. 5. Try Going Make-up Free Hard when you’re a social butterfly, but on days at home, give your skin a break to give it a chance to breathe and recover. This busy and hectic time is also one of my favourite times of the year. While it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, it’s important also to take care of yourself and I hope that these 5 holiday skin care tips are useful. Slow down, take a deep breath and enjoy. It’ll get you to the New Year looking bright and beautiful and ready to take on the world!
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