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Top 5 All Natural Summer Time Remedies

 

The following suggestions and remedies are key for relieving common summer time ailments to keep your summer fun at an all time high!

 

acupuncturist_portland_or1.)    Sunburns:  The best cure is prevention. Cardinal rule: always wear sunscreen. I recommend a chemical free, mineral based sun block.  However, if you find yourself or a loved one suffering from the sun’s scorching… Your very first step is good hydration.  Be sure to drink plenty of water or hydrating beverages like coconut water. You can also add a slice of lemon to your water to keep your electrolytes up, quenching your tender skin from the inside out.  Also consider adding a high quality Vitamin E or Evening Primrose Oil supplement to boost your inner hydration.

Both Vitamin E and Evening Primrose oil are known for their skin healing properties. Topically, you can apply a compress made from green or black tea bags, the tannins from the tea help remove the pain of the burn. You can also mist sunburn with a mixture of lavender and cooling peppermint essential oils to really cool down the heat.

To do this you will need:

40 drops of lavender essential oil

10 drops of peppermint oil

1/4 cup of witch hazel

 

Mix all of the ingredients into a spray bottle and spritz over sunburn for pain relief and healing benefits.  Calendula cream is also a fabulous remedy for any kind of burns, and can be found at most health food stores.  (Always test the essential oil mix and ointments on a small area of skin before application to larger areas.)

 

2.)    Bruises and Bumps, Sprains and Strains: While you’re at the health food store picking up your Calendula cream, be sure to grab a tube of Arnica cream or gel for your medicine cabinet!  Arnica is the number one remedy for any kind of bruise, strained muscles or sprains.  Apply Arnica to the site of trauma as soon as possible and your hard knocks will heal much more quickly.

 

3.)    Beat the Heat:  Be sure to eat lots of cooling foods, such a melons, salads, and cucumbers. Keep the hydration levels high, and consider adding some fresh mint leaves to your sun tea.  The recipe listed above for sunburn relief can also cool you down during other hot days.

 

4.)    Keep the Bugs at Bay:  Make an all-natural bug repellant using a combination of essential oils.  You can mix essential oils into a base of witch hazel and spray on, or blend with a carrier oil such as jojoba or grape seed oil and apply a few drops to elbows, knees, neck, chest, etc.  Recommended bug banishing essential oils include:  citronella, lemongrass, rosemary, thyme, lavender, and patchouli.  Mix at least 3 of these oils into witch hazel (approximately 50 drops per ¼ cup) with an emphasis on the citronella and/or lemongrass.  The ratio of these two oils should be about double the amounts of the other oils listed.  Alternatively, mix the same ratio of oils into a base of your chosen carrier oil.

 

5.)    Critter Bites and Stings:  Should you or your loved one suffer from the bite of a mosquito, a painful sting, or fall victim to another obnoxious bug, mix 15 drops of essential oil into 1 tablespoon of coconut, jojoba, or grape seed oil.  Essential oils that are soothing for bites and stings are:  lavender, eucalyptus, chamomile, patchouli, lemon, and thyme.

Top 5 All Natural Summer Time Remedies