According to a nutrition specialist from VCA clinics, it is essential to eat a variety of foods at any time of the year, as this is a mandatory guarantee of health! In summer, it is important to include as much greenery, vegetables, and fruits in the diet as possible, especially local Baltic ones. "At the same time, one should not forget about lean meats, fish, and seafood," emphasizes the doctor. "Whole grain bread and dairy products should not be ignored." "Despite the summer, some people continue to eat enough and do not monitor their diet," agrees pharmacist Irina Korchagina from Mēness aptieka. "Some pharmacy visitors report feeling inexplicable fatigue and lack of energy in the middle of summer. In such a situation, I recommend visiting a doctor who can prescribe a series of tests to check for sufficient vitamins and trace elements. Often after such tests, we see a deficiency of vitamin D and, especially often in young women, iron and folic acid." According to specialists, some gastrointestinal diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome or celiac disease, can also reduce the body's ability to absorb vitamins from food. Anastasia Evstushkina clarifies: "Testing in summer is also advisable in cases of digestive disorders and possible nutrient absorption issues or when there is a risk of dehydration. A set of tests will also be useful for vegans and vegetarians, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. Monitoring vitamin and mineral levels is also recommended for elderly people, athletes, and those engaged in physical labor – consult your family doctor or nutrition specialist! For example, at Centrālā laboratorija, you can get tested for many vitamins – separately or as part of comprehensive panels. You will be surprised, but often after such tests, I find deficiencies of folic acid, B vitamins, and iron in my patients." ### Berry Season: Finding Antioxidants! The nutrition specialist points out that the influence of ultraviolet rays on the skin increases in summer, and free radicals (which cause inflammation, premature aging, and chronic diseases) increase this burden from within. "Therefore, we need antioxidants now more than ever," explains the doctor. "Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and currants will provide them. They contain particularly important summer vitamins C and K, as well as beta-carotene – which the body then converts into vitamin A, while there is very little vitamin E in berries (it is found in nuts and oils), as well as anthocyanins – natural plant pigments that are considered some of the most powerful natural antioxidants. Common gooseberries, which grow in many gardens, are rich in fiber, contain B and C vitamins, and a multitude of phytonutrients – natural substances that protect cells." The nutrition specialist emphasizes that leafy greens should be included more often in the diet: spinach, kale, Swiss chard, watercress, as well as bok choy and mustard greens. They are rich in vitamins C, B9 (folic acid), K, and carotenoids, which also perform antioxidant functions. "Vitamin C, as recent studies show, is particularly valuable because it participates in the production of collagen and ceramides (the main 'bricks' of the skin's protective barrier), thereby protecting against aggressive ultraviolet radiation. In this regard, I want to remind everyone about sea buckthorn, which has a significantly high concentration of vitamin C. Additionally, sea buckthorn oil contains necessary vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. The orange berries are rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids essential for the normal functioning of the heart and the entire body," recommends Anastasia Evstushkina. "Sea buckthorn is present in dietary supplements. Consult with pharmacists – we will advise you on how to take the supplement and whether you have any contraindications," suggests Irina Korchagina. ### The Sun Will Not Fill Anyone with Vitamin D The nutrition specialist from VCA clinics emphasizes that the Baltic summer does not provide us with sufficient vitamin D, as our grandmothers once thought. Moreover, understanding the harmfulness of excessive sun exposure, we increasingly use protective products, which is completely correct. Vitamin D should be sought in fish – salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, herring, cod liver, as well as egg yolk. But the catch is that to ensure the minimum necessary daily dose of this vitamin, one would need to eat, for example, 250 grams of fresh salmon or 40 eggs or drink 10 cups of milk daily – a quantity that is not feasible without negative consequences," smiles Anastasia Evstushkina. "The optimal level of vitamin D 25(OH) in the body is 40–70 ng/ml, while insufficient levels are 10–30 ng/ml. Get tested to understand your situation: if the vitamin level in your blood is within the norm – that’s great, then your further task in summer is to maintain that level by regularly taking the dose of vitamin D discussed with your doctor or pharmacist. It is also important to strictly adhere to the specified dose." "Since the human body cannot synthesize omega-3 fatty acids, it is important to obtain them, as the doctor said, from red fish, tuna, caviar, cod liver, flaxseed and rapeseed oil, chia seeds, and walnuts in your diet or from dietary supplements (if it is not possible to eat fatty fish 1-2 times a week)," the pharmacist joins the conversation. "I recommend fish oil for adults and children – in my opinion, it is better in liquid form, flavored with lemon, candy, apple, or other flavors, made from pure cod liver oil. Such products are pleasant to taste and are also enriched with vitamins A, D, and E. Fish oil, containing omega-3 fatty acids, can be beneficial for many reasons at any age – discuss this with your doctor and us, the pharmacists." ### Why Is There a Deficiency of Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium? Nutrition specialist from VCA clinics Anastasia Evstushkina explains that in the heat, we sweat, and this is normal. But along with sweat, the body actively loses sodium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as other trace elements. "It is important for the body to receive all three substances, as these minerals are closely interconnected. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are responsible for conducting nerve impulses, maintaining water-salt balance, and the proper functioning of muscles, including heart rhythm and blood pressure maintenance. These elements interact closely with each other, but each performs its own functions: potassium is responsible for the formation and conduction of electrical impulses, while magnesium regulates muscle relaxation. Their deficiency leads to cramps, muscle weakness, fatigue, arrhythmias, and in some cases – fluctuations in blood pressure," explains the doctor. "If magnesium in the body becomes critically low, the cell physically cannot retain potassium, and it simply 'leaks' out..." The doctor notes that bananas, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, dried apricots, avocados, and spinach are rich in potassium. Sources of magnesium include pumpkin seeds, almonds, sesame seeds, and buckwheat. "A common situation is when a person takes diuretics and comes to the pharmacy in the heat with complaints of poor health (cramps, finger tremors, eyelid twitching, etc.)," emphasizes pharmacist Irina Korchagina. "In such a situation, we can advise urgently consulting a doctor and starting to take dietary supplements containing potassium and magnesium: strictly according to the instructions, considering individual characteristics of the body." "Potassium is necessary not only for skeletal muscles but also for smooth muscles, which make up the internal organs. In hypokalemia, the walls of the intestines lose tone, leading to abdominal discomfort and, as an option, persistent constipation," adds the doctor. (!) Don’t forget to drink water! To calculate your daily fluid intake, multiply the coefficient 30 or 35 by your weight (only if your body mass index is normal; if overweight/obesity, calculate based on ideal weight), of which 70% should be pure water. "August and September are the best times when we can and should indulge ourselves with live vitamins, diversifying our table with seasonal greens, vegetables, berries, and fruits," says VCA nutrition specialist Anastasia Evstushkina. "But we are all different, and therefore in cases of chronic diseases, obesity, and other situations, it is advisable to consult a nutrition specialist at least once, to undergo the necessary tests as per their recommendations, and always communicate with the pharmacist when choosing any dietary supplements."