Treat Sun- and Chlo rine-Damaged

healthy oxygen transportation in your blood, and potassium for healthy blood pressure.

You should also consider the health benefits of coconut water, the clear liquid that’s found inside coconuts before they ripen. (Don’t confuse this with coconut milk, which is an emulsion of this clear liquid with grated coconut flesh.) Think of coconut water as nature’s sports drink—it has the electrolytes you need for fluid balance, including potassium, sodium, and manganese, while being naturally low in sugar and calories. It’s a refreshing choice for sipping after a workout in hot weather!

Ready to find healthy ways of incorporating coconut into your diet? Here are a few suggestions:

2 cups brown rice 2 cups pineapple chunks 1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes 1 tablespoon curry powder 2 teaspoons garlic 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 lime 1 cup cashews (roasted and salted)

Crush the pineapple with a fork or potato masher. Whisk in the coconut milk, then transfer to a saucepan and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Add the brown rice and reduce the heat to low. Cover the saucepan, allowing the rice to cook for approximately 45 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if necessary. When the rice is cooked, stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, and coconut flakes. Fluff with a fork. Finish with a squeeze of lime and cashews on top.

By Dylan Roche

Summer has been a lot of fun—but by the time August rolls around, all of that heat, humidity, sun exposure, and chlorinated pool water have probably taken a toll on your hair. What gives? There has to be a way to enjoy your favorite parts of summer without resigning yourself to dried-out, damaged, difficult-to-style hair for the rest of the season!

What you’re seeing with your hair could be the result of several factors, so it’s important to consider what activities you’ve been doing this summer that cause your hair damage in order to figure out how to fix it.

time in the sun, it’s likely that UVA and UVB rays have damaged your cuticles, the outside covering of each individual hair strand. This causes damage that can result in everything from dryness to discoloration. And once this damage starts, sun and heat have a much easier time penetrating the hair strands, so the damage will get worse with even less exposure.

time in the pool, then you might be looking at chlorine damage. The same chemicals that kill bacteria in the water will also strip natural oils from your hair. This won’t cause long-term damage, but it’s enough for your hair to look unhealthy and feel unmanageable. In some cases, the chlorine will oxidize the copper in your hair and turn it green—something that’s much more noticeable with blond and light-colored hair.

There are some ways to avoid sun-damaged or chlorine-damaged hair in the first place if you’re proactive. • Avoid letting your hair get too much sun exposure by wearing a hat and sticking to the shade. Making a trip to the beach? Bring an umbrella you can set up in the sand. If you find that a hat is too heavy in the hot weather, opt for a lightweight headscarf instead.

• Remember that protecting your skin from sunburn often means going out early in the morning or late in the afternoon so you avoid the hottest, brightest times of the day—the same rule applies with your hair. UVA and UVB rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. • Artificial heat is just as bad as heat from the sun. Styling your hair with heat from items like curling irons and blow dryers can exacerbate the problems the sun is causing. • Minimize the amount of chlorinated water your hair absorbs by getting it wet before you get in the pool. You can achieve an even greater effect by using a leave-in hair moisturizer or serum before swimming. • Wash your hair as soon as possible after swimming, and look for shampoos that are designed to clarify your hair. Clarifying ingredients are intended to remove chemicals from your hair and will help strip away any buildup that has accumulated. A great natural option is apple cider vinegar, which you can use to rinse your hair after you’ve washed it the way you normally would. For hair that’s especially dry, look for conditioners made with nourishing oils like coconut, jojoba, and argan.

Try this Easy Home Remedy—Want to replenish the proteins in your hair, restore moisture, and re-achieve the luster to your hair you had before summer? A few simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen at home can help your treat the damage. Try this: 1. Mash up an avocado until it’s nice and smooth. Slowly add a tablespoon of olive oil or melted butter until it’s slightly thinned. Whisk in an egg, both the white and the yolk. 2. Generously apply the mixture to your hair and comb it through. If you have especially long hair, you may need to double the recipe 3. Allow your homemade serum to sit for approximately 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with cold water.