Continuing our series of posts to help you prepare for summer, today we turn to health.  

The weather is generally amenable to a variety of outdoor exercise: biking, hiking, swimming, running, and walking. Even regular summer chores like gardening, landscaping, and lawn mowing are good calorie burners. To top that off, the tastiest foods of summer are healthy: huge salads of just picked lettuce, fresh vine-ripened tomatoes, an abundance of veggies, sweet and delicious fresh fruit. Grilling meat allows a lot of the fat to drop away. And fresh fish is even more abundant.

Even though it's easier to be healthy in the summer, you still need to pay attention to some basics:

• When summer reaches its peak, do take advantage of early morning or evening hours for your outdoor exercise. Try to avoid working out when the heat and humidity are at their peak.
• Hydrate. You will lose water faster as you sweat in the heat. Increase the amount of water you drink or eat fruits laden with water (they don't call it watermelon for nothing!). If you are exercising strenuously on hot days, consider drinking some sort of sports drink to replace your electrolytes. But there's likely no need for sports drinks if you just go far a casual walk. You need to be sweating hard for over 30-45 minutes.
• Even though you may not want to eat in the heat, try to have small meals high in nutrients. Salads topped with leftover grilled chicken, hummus and raw veggies, and fruit salad are healthful and filling and don't require cooking.
• Don't forget your sunscreen and your lip balm. Summer sun can do a real number on your skin so do your best to keep it moist and protected. Reapply frequently, especially if you are swimming or sweating a lot.
• Be aware of insects. I'm allergic to bees, so I need to watch out for them. And mosquitos can make you miserable. If you hike along trails, know if there are ticks around. If there are, take care to follow the recommended precautions on clothing, insect repellant, and checking for ticks when you are done.
• And don't forget to watch out for your pets as well! Never leave a pet in a closed car — even for a few minutes. Just don't. If you do and I find you, you'll be buying a new window. If your pet spends a lot of time outside, make sure he or she has constant access to fresh water and talk to your vet about flea and tick repellant.