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Saturday, July 14, 2012

Preventing & Healing Sunburn Naturally

Blaise & Philomena LOVE berry season! Can't you tell?
Berry season is in full swing and thank God for that! We spend hours outside as a family on basically a daily basis and as you very well know, it is HOT and SUNNY! While some people are concerned about getting a good tan, most are concerned about not getting sunburned. One of the best natural ways to prevent sunburn is having a diet rich in beta carotene (carrots & sweet potatoes), lycopene (tomatoes & red bell peppers) and our favorite - flavanoids (berries). Maybe I'm a bit nerdy, but it excites me when I know that the foods I'm eating (and feeding my kids) are doing more than just filling us up!

For us, local blackberries come and go fast, especially with such a dry summer. I am happy to report that Health Foods Unlimited in Dayton, Ohio now has local organically grown blackberries for $2.25 a pint. We buy as much as our budget allows and freeze them for later consumption throughout the remainder of the summer. You can check in your area for local farmers and farmers markets that grow and sell berries in your area here.

We rarely use sunscreen and limit it to occasions where we are out for hours on end at the water park. If you are going to use sunscreen, they are not all created equal. In fact, Dr. Axe reports that 75% of them are toxic! But just in case you do happened to get burnt, here is a natural treatment to help it heal.