Cure the Burn

Summer time and sunburns do go hand-in-hand.  We dug around a bit and found these foods that will help soothe the burn.

 1.  Lettuce:  Boil lettuce leaves in water. Strain,
then let the liquid cool for several hours in the refrigerator. 
Dip cotton balls into the chilled lettuce water and wipe over irritated
skin.

 2.  Aloe: The old stand-by.  If you have a living
plant at home, break off a stalk and apply the juice to your sunburned skin.  If you don't have a plant, you can buy pure aloe vera gel at a pharmacy. Chill it in the fridge and then apply.

3.  Tomatoes: These tasty red gems help protect your skin. 
Indulge in fresh tomatoes and add organic ketchup to meals for a lycopene infusion.

4.  White vinegar:  It seems like vinegar can fix just about anything.  Dab a bit of distilled white vinegar onto your sunburn (make sure you are not blistered).  This will give you at least a 20 minute relief from the burning sensation.

5.  Guavas: One delicious
guava contains about five times the amount of vitamin C as an medium -sized orange.  An excellent skin-healing antioxidant.  Other good vitamin C sources are bell peppers, strawberries and
broccoli.

6.  Cucumber: If you are already burned, mash a cucumber and apply it to your skin.  Better yet, prior to going in the sun, grab an organic cucumber, peel and chop, and then squeeze the juice. 
Mix it with glycerin and rosewater for protection against the sun.

7.  Strawberries:  Mash a few ripe strawberries and rub on sunburns for natural relief.  Rinse off after a few minutes.  

8.  Pomegranate:  Indulge in pomegranates during the summer. 
The fruit's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties could help add an additional layer of sun protection to your routine.

9.  Milk: Apply cool, not cold, milk to your skin using a clean cloth.  Apply compresses for 15 to 20 minutes and repeat every 2 to 4 hours.

10.  Oatmeal: Grind up a cup of oatmeal in a food processor, add it to cool bathwater, and soak.  
 
11.  Potatoes: Cut up a raw potato into slices and rub a piece on your most painful sunburned areas. 
 
As we all know, it is best to prevent rather than cure a sunburn, but it is always nice to use natural remedies if possible. 



Info provided from Prevention Magazine.