Help with battling the summer heat!

We have a bad heat wave here right now- the city was 102 degrees Wednesday!! That's extremely unusual since the city is surrounded on three sides by water. But considering it was 102 there, it was nearly 106 here in my town. Now that summer is officially here, I though I would share with everyone some tips I came across in the July edition of Family Circle (FC), as well as a few things I do myself to keep cool.

Sunburn solutions (from FC) :

• For the itchy sunburn- dry oatmeal wrapped in cheesecloth. Run it under cool water, then wring it out and apply to the sunburn.
• Reducing the redness- soak a washcloth in buttermilk, then apply to the spot for 20 minutes. This should be repeated every two hours.
• For your sunburned eyelids (yep it can happen!!)- make yourself some cold black tea or green tea! Use two tea bags, soak them in the water, then squeeze them and place the bags on your eyelids.
• General pain- Draw yourself a lukewarm bath. Pour 1/4 cup baking soda or cornstarch, then get in and soak yourself!

A great solution from me: just three little words- TEA TREE OIL!! This is a product I swear by!! When I spent the day at my husband's soccer game last summer, I unfortunately burned the heck out of my upper back and neck. Luckily I had some tea tree oil on hand. Liberally apply the oil to all affected areas, minimum twice a day. You may want to apply it more than twice a day, but make sure you do apply the oil immediatly after taking a shower. Tea tree oil has some amazing healing powers, and will keep your skin soft, and help reduce the healing time. Not to mention that your skin is less likely to peel!

To keep yourself cool- make sure you drink plenty of liquid, water is the best. When it comes to your kids, the recommendation is that they should be drinking 6 to 8 ounces of water every thirty minutes. I would recommend that for everyone, not just a child.

Most importantly, stay out of the sun during the hottest hours of the day. That is normally between 10am and 3pm, or so I've heard. I take my kids swimming in the early evening, like around 5pm, so that there is not as much sunlight reflecting off the pool. Luckily the pool where we live has a number of trees that create a nice shady area. Make sure that if you do go swimming that you apply a strong sunscreen. I've been told to apply an SPF of 30 at least thirty minutes before going outside, and apply again after one or two hours of swimming. Despite what the label says, no sunscreen is totally waterproof, or sweatproof for that matter. Younger children should have a higher SPF sunscreen, and babies should not be in the direct sunlight at all.

HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!! Stay cool and sunburn free this year, and your body will thank you for it later on!! ;)

Toxic Products in Your Home

The Safe Shopper's Bible
By David Steinman and Samuel S. Epstein M.D, 1995

A Consumer's Guide to Nontoxic Household Products, Cosmetics and Food

Which products are safe and which may be harmful? Many items you buy every day contain ingredients that can cause allergic reaction, breathing difficulty, dizziness, cancer, birth defects, and other problems. Here, at last, is a comprehensive guide to answer all your questions about thousands of brand-name household products, personal care products, foods, and beverages.

According to this book, here is a list of common household products that contain known carcinogens and/or neurotoxins. Carcinogens are chemicals that cause cancer. Neurotoxins are chemicals that adversely affect the nervous system reducing emotional well being, mental alertness, coordination and other functions associated with intelligence.

Lysol disinfectant (all scents), Renuzit Air Deodorizer, Bon Ami Foam Cleaner, Citri-Solv, Fantastik All-Purpose Cleaner, Formula 409, Pine-Sol Multi-Action Spray, Pledge Household Cleaner, Simple Green, Spic & Span Cleaner, Scotts Liquid Gold, Lemon Pledge, Tilex Soap Scum Remover, Glass Plus, Ajax Cleaner, Gillette Foamy Skin Conditioning, Speed Stick Deodorant, Soft Soap, Secret Deodorant ,S.O.S. Ammonia Glass Cleaner, Dawn Sureshot,
S.O.S. Vinegar Cleaner, Joy Dishwashing Liquid, Windex Glass Cleaner, Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid, Shout Aerosol & Stick, Sunlight Dishwashing Liquid, Spray & Wash Stain Remover.

Kleen King Alum.& Copper Clnr, KR2 Spot Lifter, Behold Furniture Wax, Depend-o Blue Toilet Cleaner, Endust, 3M Aerosol Spot Remover, Formby's Lemon & Almond Spray, Most Home & Garden Pesticides, Old English Furniture Spray, Dove Soap Bars, Right Guard Deodorant, Ponds Dry Skin Ba,r Palmolive Skin Bar, Lady Speed Stick, Lever 2000, Irish Spring Deodorant, Lifebouy Soap, Jergens Liquid Soap, English Leather Deodorant, Ban Roll-on, Caress Body Bar, Camay, Ultra Brite Toothpaste, Cepacol Mouthwash, Crest Tartar Control, Listerine Original & Cool Mint, Arm & Hammer Toothpaste, Colgate toothpaste, Scope Mouthwash.


Makes you think twice huh? This awesome book can be found in nearly any bookstore. Amazon.com has the book for a great price! I urge you to get a copy of this book for yourself!