Sunburns 101

School's out and playing outside is everyone's first choice!  Always, always, always put sun screen on everyone, everywhere!   The sun emits two strong ultraviolet rays called UVA and UVB rays. These harmful rays actually kill your skin cells. Your immune system is designed to get rid of these dead cells, so it increases blood flow to the burned area. This is the reason for the redness and warm sensations. Once the dead skin is removed, you are left with a darker color designed to prevent further sun damage. Though a tan is desirable to many people, the skin damage is not.

In spite of those facts, it's likely that you or your child may experience a sunburn sometime this summer.  If you do, here are some alternative health remedies that can help!


Herbal Trim is a skin treatment containing aloe vera and other herbal remedies that usually stops pain immediately and nourishes the damaged skin.


Combination Potassium and some form of vitamin C (like Citrus Bioflavenoids or Vitamin C Ascorbate)  are important to take internally, especially with severe burns.  These are usually depleted in the body after time spent in the heat and direct sun.


Raw apple cider vinegar, directly on the burn or 2 cups mixed with 1 box of baking soda in a bath, is helpful for severe pain relief.


Sunburns are not things to play around with so remember: Always wear sunscreen and always remedy and nourish sunburns!

Who Are You Really Under All That Garbage?

In our first hand experiences, the body, especially the immune system,  behaves differently under varying circumstances.   When your insides are fed lots of stress, very little sleep, not enough real food, toxins (aluminum, bleach, BPA, lawn chemicals, etc.) no exercise or a combination of all, the result is usually far different than a healthy, clean body with a well-fed immune system.

If you suffer from chronic allergies or seem to be attacked by every bacteria or bug on the block, it's likely that you are suffering from a combination of these conditions in the body.  If you've never experienced what it's like to be fed well, sleep enough, be relatively free of toxins, then you don't know what you're missing!  More energy, less illness and often the decrease or elimination of smaller ailments like acne, body odor, weight gain and joint pain are some things you can begin to experience.

As summer is fast approaching, make a commitment with yourself to try cleaning up house, so to speak.

-Eat more real food (whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, locally raised meats) and cut out the white flour, sugar and fake processed foods.

-Get enough sleep.  Sleep is a cheap attitude adjustment!

-Find ways to eliminate or cope with stress.  Keep a journal.  Make a weekly date with yourself.

-Look for alternatives to aluminum, BPA and bleach in your cooking at home.

-Exercise!! Do anything that gets your heart rate up, blood pumping and starts you sweating!  This makes EVERYTHING work better.

How much better would your life be with these few adjustments?