Home Remedies
Summer Remedies
As much as we all love summer – the warmth, the extended light, the festivals, the beach…there are things that we don’t like – the sunburn, the bugs, the grumpy overtired children. So here are some ideas to overcome these:
The sunburn
There are many chemical-free sun blocks now available from health stores. Be sure to check they contain only herbal ingredients and zinc oxide. Some vegetable oils such as shea butter, avocado do have some UV blocking abilities, but depending on skin sensitivity shouldn’t be relied upon solely to protect from the sun. If you would like to research making your own natural sun block at home, check out http://www.howtodothings.com/fashion-personal-care/how-to-make-organic-sunblock
Protecting your skin can also happen from the inside-out. Antioxidants found in many fresh foods help to neutralize the free radicals caused from the heat of the sun. One such antioxidant is lycopene, which is found in red-pigment foods such as tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and guava; cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts; berries, ancient grains such as quinoa, millet, amaranth, and seaweeds.
The bugs
Bug bites can be itchy and annoying. the active ingredient used to repel mosquitoes and other biting insects in many insect repellents is DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide). DEET has been associated with irritation to mucous membranes, CNS disturbances, and other symptoms. For more information in DEET, go to http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC33407 Fortunately there are many natural ingredients which can be used to repel mosquitoes. The following is a recipe for making insect repellent at home, modified from one presented on www.ehow.com This would make a great Christmas gift. You’ll need:
- 80ml grain alcohol
- 20ml carrier oil
- Essential oils (Up to 50 drops)
- A 100ml spray bottle
Pur 80ml of grain alcohol (190 proof) into the spray bottle. This can be purchased from many liquor stores, but ensure you do not use rubbing alcohol as this is drying to the skin. Next add up to 50 drops of essential oils to the spray bottle (use only 25 drops if it going to be used on children predominantly). Any combination of the following essential oils can be used:
- Basil
- Cedarwood
- Citronella
- Eucalyptus
- Fennel
- Juniper
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Myrrh
- Palmarosa
- Pine
- Rosemary
- Rose geranium
- Sage
- Thyme.
Add 20ml carrier oil such as safflower or coconut oil. Shake the ingredients vigorously until they appear well mixed (you may also need to do this before use as the ingredients may separate in the bottle). Before first use, spray on a small are of skin and leave for 15 minutes to ensure it does not irritate you. Once you have done this you are ready to use your spray. Reapply every few hours.
The grumpy overtired children
Too much sugar = grumpy children!
It can be all too easy to make ice blocks a habit rather than a treat during summer when the weather is hot. Make your own at home using lemons, limes or lemonades that are ripe and in abundance. Add a bit of water to dilute the sour and some orange juice or apple juice to sweeten. This ice block is super refreshing! As an alternative, try blending strawberries with unsweetened yogurt, banana and spirulina. Freeze overnight in ice block trays. Enjoy.
