As of today, summer is officially here in the northern hemisphere. I know, it’s a couple weeks past the solstice, but every year my mom tells me that when it comes to weather, summer starts on July 15th. I’ve stopped arguing with her because she is generally correct. But now it’s here.
With increased outside time, it’s important we have a little heart to heart about preventing and treating uncomfortable things like sunburns and bug bites. (Tweet it!)
Here are some natural first aid remedies to take care of most of summer’s little woe’s.
Sun burns:
My skin type burns pretty quickly if I’m not careful in the sun. And while I know the benefits of sunshine, I still need to take precautions. And you do too.
Prevention:
I’m not a fan of conventional sunscreen for a number of reasons. Here they are in case you’re curious:
- Conventional sunscreens are full of toxic molecules that can cause cancer, disrupt hormones, and make the body gain weight. Check out Skin Deep for more info on this. You can search the database by brand, product or category, and see how the stuff you put on your skin stacks up.
- I’m allergic to the perfumes added, and get a rash. Who wants that?
- They block important goodness that the sun provides
I know this is controversial, but I’m a rebel sometimes. Because of my aversion to sunscreen, I employ different tactics. My summer preparation actually starts in the spring. With sun exposure. Ideally with out tan lines. Hehemm. A little bit every day.
Also, yellow, orange, and red fruits and veggies provide natural sunscreen molecules from the inside out.
Herbal creams can protect you. They are often not SPF rated, so make sure you take other precautions if need be. Lately, I’m really digging this one “Sol Mate Sunshield lotion” made in Tofino, BC.
Treatment:
So say you do get burned. What then?
- We’ve all heard of Aloe vera gel. Here’s a tip, the natural stuff ain’t green. Get the real deal plant and squeeze the goop out.
- Be sure to get lots of water after a sunburn. Drink a combo of 1 litre of water, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and 1 teaspoon of honey to re-hydrate.
- You can mix water, witch hazel and essential oils such as lavender, rose and tea tree, into a spray bottle and spray that on your lobster skin. You can also pour this on to a cloth and rest the cloth on the skin. In botanical medicine we call this a compress.
- At your local health food store you can find homeopathic Cantharis 30CH which is great for burns that feel stingy or are swollen. Take a pellet under the tongue every 1-2 hours.
- Vitamin E oil can also be applied topically and zinc can be taken internally.
- If your sunburn blisters or you feel nauseous, have a fever or chills, you should probably seek medical attention.
Heat Exhaustion:
This is another concern on hot summer days especially when you’ve been really active, and have lost water. Consider dehydration if you’re experiencing headaches, dizziness, or blurred vision. Again, drink lots of water formula I mentioned above.
Anything beyond mild dehydration is considered serious and should be treated medically. Shock might occur and its tell tale signs are cold, clammy skin, shallow breathing, rapid pulse, cramps, dilated pupils, unconsciousness and vomiting. Get out of the heat and elevate the feet above the head to encourage blood flow to the heart and brain.
Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat exhaustion. It happens when the body can no longer regulate its temperature via sweating and heats up very quickly. You can support the body with homeopathic Bryonia alba (the person has a severe headache, nausea and a huge thirst) or Belladonna (throbbing headache, red face, with dilated pupils) until medical attention arrives.
Bugs bites:
Mosquito, spider and black fly bites respond well to natural first aid treatments.
Prevention
- To prevent getting bitten try wearing protective clothing.
- Essential oils such as Tea tree and citronella oils might dissuade bugs from landing and biting. Dilute in a carrier oil such as almond, olive or castor oil, and apply to the skin.
Treatment
- If the area is red and itchy, and there may be a risk for infection. Bug bites may cause allergic reactions and medical attention may be necessary.
- Adequate vitamin C, zinc, and protein are important to proper healing
- If you do get bitten try applying tinctures of Witch Hazel or St. John’s Wort to the area.
- Homeopathic Apis 30CH can be taken if the bite stings, swells and is hot.
- Ice or baking soda in water might help reduce the pain.
These are just a few ideas to stock your natural first aid kit, so you can make the best of this incredible time of year.
Be sure to share this with your peeps, so more people can be healthy, happy and doing what they love this summer.
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Lastly, in the comments below I’d love to hear what you’ve had success with when it comes to natural first aid for summer ailments.
Here’s to your thriving, delightful healthy summer (and life,)
Dr. Tonia
