As I write this blog post there is a song in my head “Here comes the sun, doo doo doo doo, here comes the sun and I say, it’s alright” by the Beatles and although summer is officially here and temperature are rising to record highs across the US, I’m not sure if I’m alright with so much heat but we make do with what we have, right?!? Right!
In fact, the best time to work on your health is the summer as it’s a great opportunity to boost your Vitamin D levels which uplifts your mood, helps reduce inflammation, supports healthy immune function and promotes a healthy liver.
And so as temperatures rise, so does the strain on your nervous system, gut function, and emotional balance. Summer may seem like a season of energy and fun, but for many, it brings brain fog, fatigue, irritability, and gut disruptions. What if the heat outside is also inflaming your internal environment?
Let’s dive into how heat and hydration directly affect the gut-brain connection—and what you can do to stay clear, calm, and aligned during the summer months.
🔥 The Heat-Stress Connection
Summer heat activates your sympathetic nervous system—your body’s fight-or-flight mode. Chronic exposure to heat without proper cooling can cause:
- Mood swings & anxiety
- Brain fog & low energy
- Constipation or loose stools
- Loss of appetite or cravings
- Electrolyte depletion
Heat is a stressor. And like any stressor, it taxes the gut-brain-immune axis, leaving your body in survival mode rather than healing mode.
💧 Hydration: More Than Just Water
Hydration isn’t just about drinking water—it’s about the physiological functions that occur when your body is well hydrated, such as cellular hydration, regulation of blood pressure, body temperature, electrolyte balance, and gut fluidity. For some, people might think that drinking water is all you need for hydration, however it doesn’t just come from sipping water - but from quality water that comes from a variety of fruits and vegetables that have a naturally high water content to replenish the electrolytes in the scorching summer.
When you're dehydrated:
- Your gut lining dries out, leading to poor nutrient absorption.
- Your brain shrinks slightly, impairing memory and mood.
- You produce less stomach acid, impacting digestion and microbial balance.
- You’re more likely to experience inflammation and bloating.
🔑 Hydration & Detoxification Tip:
- Add a pinch of sea salt or mineral drops to your water
- Eat local, fresh, organic hydrating foods like cucumbers, watermelon, aloe, and coconut water.
- Herbal teas like peppermint and hibiscus are also cooling to the system.
- For colon cleansing and detoxification, blending pineapple and cucumber creates a juice that will detoxify the colon and remove excess waste from the intestines, plus it’s refreshing during the summer
🧠 The Gut-Brain Link in Summer
When your brain is functioning on a full reserve of water, you will be able to think faster, be more focused and experience clarity and creativity. Your gut is responsible for producing over 90% of serotonin, your "feel-good" neurotransmitter.
In summer, the gut may become inflamed from:
- Excess sugar or alcohol
- Food poisoning or parasite exposure
- Overheating or dehydration
- Stress from travel or disrupted routines
This inflammation can trigger mental health symptoms—anxiety, irritability, indecision, and emotional exhaustion. Making hydration that important during the summer.
🌿 Natural Ways to Support Your Gut-Brain Health This Summer
- Balance your minerals
- Focus on magnesium, potassium, and sodium-rich foods (leafy greens, bananas, avocados, sea salt).
- Eat cooling, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant foods
- Cucumber, watermelon, salads, blueberries, cherries, natural juices like pineapple, celery juice, etc.
- Avoid heating foods like spicy peppers and fried foods.
- Support gut lining and digestion
- Try aloe vera juice, marshmallow root tea, mimosa pudica, Oxypowderâ, a magnesium supplement for your colon or slippery elm for gut soothing.
- Ground your nervous system
- Practice barefoot grounding in the morning, red-light therapy, breathwork, and evening stillness.
- Hydrate consistently, not just when thirsty
- Sip throughout the day, especially in the morning and before bed.
- Consider juicing or adding lemon / lime to your water or baking soda to your water to keep you hydrated.
- Detox and Cleansing
- Keep cleansing the colon and gut with detox programs or natural foods like papaya seeds, etc.
- Liver and gallbladder detox and cleanses are great in the summer, especially that the liver is one of the most powerful and hardworking organs, and the heat takes a toll on your body- you want to make sure the liver is at optimum.
- Activated Charcoal – helps bind toxins and heavy metals and pulls them out of the body.
✝️ A Devotional Thought
"It stores its provisions throughout the summer and gathers its food at the time of harvest."
— Proverbs 6:8
So, during the summer, let this be your invitation: to slow down, hydrate not only your body but your soul, and receive healing from the inside out. God designed our bodies to self-regulate, but we must partner with Him—nourishing the body, stewarding the mind, and quieting the heart.
✅ Final Reflection
If you're feeling off this summer—mentally, emotionally, or physically—don't brush it off. It could be your body's way of crying out for hydration, rest, or detox. Your gut and brain are listening to the environment. What messages are you sending them?
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