Welcome to the heart of summer here in the Chicago area - Letter from the Publisher

Welcome to the heart of summer here in the Chicago area! We’ve journeyed past the Summer Solstice, the season is still fresh, days are long and evenings stretch slowly into night. There’s something about midsummer that invigorates yet soothes us—the sun sits higher in the northwestern sky and lingers over the horizon each evening, inviting us to spend “just a few more minutes” outdoors at dusk before heading back inside.

Summer brings a lively yet relaxed and casual feel, perfect for enjoying the flavors and abundance of fresh fruits and veggies that our local markets and gardens offer. Our bodies crave a different nourishment with the heat, and there’s a natural shift toward eating lighter, cooler meals that reflect the season’s harvest and help keep us energized and refreshed.

In this month’s edition of Natural Awakenings, we’ve focused on helping you thrive in this month’s heat. You’ll find tips on the best seasonal foods for helping to stay cool, advice on summer skincare, water sport tips for you and your pets, and suggestions for nearby natural hikes to maximize your outdoor adventures this month.

Our feature story looks at “Ayurvedic Seasonal Eating: How to Balance Doshas With the Right Foods” Each season brings its unique bounty of fresh food to sustain and nourish us. Whether it’s Michigan blueberries in summer, fresh greens in the spring, a hearty squash stew in autumn or root veggies in the winter, these seasonal traditions highlight what grows at this time of year in our area. Seasonal eating is a rhythmic, cyclical approach that’s more sustainable (and soul satisfying) than relying on processed, seasonless grocery-store staples and connects us to local small farmers and food producers. Combine this with the Ayurvedic concept of balancing our doshas and you’ll find a way to eat in nearly perfect harmony with nature.

This summer, don’t overlook the health of your skin—the largest organ in the human body. We invite you to explore articles from local experts on how the right foods and skincare techniques can maintain your skin’s wellness, helping to keep it cool and glowing throughout the season.

A study from Stanford University highlighted the benefits of educating young children about the nutrients in foods and the importance of diversity in their diet—and take note—it even prompted them to voluntarily eat more veggies at snack time. We review this and more in our inspiring article, “Planting Seeds of Knowledge: Teaching Kids About the Origin of Foods.”

As always, I encourage you to savor every moment of the month. Attend a local farmers market, explore one of the natural areas in our region, watch a striped swallowtail caterpillar on a parsley leaf in the garden, or seek out monarch eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. Check your garden regularly to observe the subtle daily growth of veggies and  plants. Watch a beautiful sunset or moonrise, listen for crickets and savor the 31 days of July.

Here’s to a vibrant and nourishing summer!