One of the most joyous, simple, and healing-on-all-levels-of your-being activities of summer is beach days.

Often the simplest things in life can bring us the greatest health benefits.

When is the last time you really felt connected to the earth? When you go to the beach, it can be called “prakruti sukra”, which loosely translates from Sanskrit to “the happiness found from being in nature.” We are made up of the same elements that are in nature, including fire (sun), earth, water, wind/air, and being at the beach helps us feel exhilarated and more balanced.

Here are 6 easy ways to incorporate to make the most out of your beach day:

1. Touch down: More and more research shows that “earthing” or “grounding”, which means to walk barefoot on the earth’s surface, can help reduce inflammation, improve sleep and even improve circulation, leading to more glowing skin. So be sure to take a barefoot beach walk right near the water’s surface, as water is a conductor and is said to help amplify the benefits of earthing even further.

2. Warm up: It’s important to get a few moments of sunlight exposure on bare skin to get the benefits of vitamin D production. I recommend only doing this on your limbs (avoiding your delicate facial skin), and depending on your skin type, it could only be for a very few minutes before covering up. After that, you want to be sure to diligently protect yourself from extended exposure with a big hat, an umbrella and a chemical-free sunscreen. Try to get to the beach earlier or later in the day, and avoid the very intense middle.

3. The Right Kind of Hydration: Being dehydrated is a sure way to diminish your beauty. I always make sure I bring a big bottle of filtered water, as being outside in the heat can be dehydrating. I also bring coconut water sometimes- and if I’m in a place like Mexico, Southeast Asia or the Caribbean where I can get fresh young coconuts, I’ll drink 2-3 of ‘em! Be sure to use only stainless steel, BPA-free or non-leachable bottles, as the sun and heat + inferior plastic is not a great combo. Don’t want to be ingesting extra chemicals at the beach! Glass is heavier, but that is an option too (be careful though!).

4. The Crunchies: I love to chomp away on chip-like items at the beach, and I don’t think I'm alone. It’s so fun to eat with our hands! Kale chips are a great option, and you can try making my delish Cheesy Calcutta Kale Chips. Not only are they yummy, but they won’t make you feel overly bloated or heavy from eating chips laden with tons of vegetable oils (which are not good for your skin), such as soybean oil, safflower oil and the like. Takes a little planning ahead…but try to make a big, huge batch whenever you get around to it! Or get an organic kale chip brand at the market. Veggie sticks and hummus are a great go-to beach snack. I make Zucchini Hummus, or look for non-oil or sprouted hummus as better options, as too much regular hummus can be a bit on the heavy side.

5. Easy to Pack Fruit: No beach trip is complete without bananas. The natural potassium, other minerals and B vitamins are great for replenishing your energy from a sweaty beach day. If you are a Blossoming Beauty (Phase 1 of The Beauty Detox Solution program) and have Candida and need to avoid sweet fruit, you can always pack some green apples instead.

6. Green it up: Try packing up my Dharma’s Kale Salad, which includes avocado, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and hemp seeds. Kale is hearty and won’t get soggy. I actually usually crumble a bunch of the kale chips over this salad. Kale two ways! Perfectly filling, but packed with protein, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and loads of fiber. And not so filling that you won’t want to play around with some yoga moves on the sand come sunset. I do not like feeling heavy at the beach (duh, who does?!).

So there you have it. I hope you incorporate some of these easy tips into your next beach day and have an even better more beautiful experience!

Enjoy this magical, joyful time of the year. With love, Kimberly