Summer is fast-approaching, and the relentless heat, while enjoyable, can cause unwanted health concerns to rear their ugly heads. The most common health conditions brought on by summer weather and activities are dehydration and heatstroke, poison ivy, food-borne illnesses, mosquito bites, swimmer’s ear, and sunburn.  Although all of these occur frequently during the summer months, the following two conditions are most common:

Sunburns

The most common and prevalent health concern people face is over exposure to the sun. Sunburns and tanning do not just change your appearance physically; they cause pain and discomfort, premature aging and wrinkles, and skin cancer.  

If you do get sunburnt, we recommend that the following holistic health remedies:

• use aloe vera gel and white vinegar topically to soothe sunburns and help heal wounds
• soak tea bags in cool water and apply them to decrease pain and swelling if you have sunburnt eyelids
• wrap dry oatmeal in gauze and run water through it for a few minutes before removing the oatmeal, soaking a cloth in the leftover liquid, and applying the cloth to your skin every few hours.

Also, remember to remain hydrated by drinking plenty of water and take cool baths to soothe skin. You can always, however, avoid the trouble and protect yourself by using a sunscreen with a high SPF number.

Food Borne Illness

Bacteria thrives in hot, moist places, so summer weather is a breeding ground for bacteria. To eliminate the illnesses that occur as a result of food preparation or storage, clean your hands before and after handling food, separate raw meat from food that you consume, and store your food in cool places immediately after use.  Not doing so can result in illnesses with unpleasant flu-like symptoms.

Ginger and coconut water are both known to ease the pain of an upset stomach. In case you find yourself with a food borne illness, boil freshly chopped ginger and cinnamon sticks to make a ginger tea, or buy some coconut water at your local health food store to soothe your stomach.

Follow these tips and have a happy and healthy summer.