Summer Essentials for Staying Healthy

Photo Sources: krasota-com.ru; kissmyface.com; saltcityoptics.com target.com; www.100percentpure.com; www.naturallyfreshdeoderantcrystal.com

Summer means different things for everyone. In Miami, it means staying out of the sun at peak hours or avoiding scorching your feet on the lava-hot sand as you run to the ocean. In Russia, it means absorbing up every last ray of the sun that is lacking the other 9 months of the year. I've put together a list of my favorite essentials so you can stay healthy and cool under the sun, wherever you may live.

Eating Healthy on the 4th of July

Photo credit: history.com

The sound of children's laughter, music floating through the air, and bursts of color lighting up the sky. The 4th of July has almost arrived again, and these are just a few scenes that come to mind. It is a day of celebration, which unfortunately, like many holidays, has become synonymous with overeating (unhealthy foods) and over-drinking (alcohol).  There are plenty of red, white, and blue foods that don't involve sugar, artificial food coloring, and a host of other murky ingredients, and plenty of refreshing non-alcoholic drinks to cool you off on a hot day.

Vegan in Beijing: Review of Serene Lotus Restaurant

I always try to be honest with my readers about the restaurants I review. If the restaurant is in fact delicious and aligns with my mission of helping others lead healthier lifestyles, I will give it a great review! While I do not agree with the food preparation in all vegan restaurants, I still think they are worth reviewing and showcasing different cultures' takes on vegan food.

In today's blog post, I'm going to take you to the far East to a vegan restaurant in Beijing. The lovely Xinran Wang, a good friend of mine, is from China and stopped in to have lunch at this restaurant recently. She's a student from NYU and is currently studying abroad in Abu Dhabi. I was thrilled when she agreed to write a review for Plant Based Carolina. I always love to keep things international and spicy! Read on for Xinran's review.