Healthy Summer Secrets

Allergy Relief - Your grass and weed pollen allergies shouldn't preclude you from lazing about at a summer picnic. Seek out a natural antihistamine such as quercetin, a type of antioxidant found in onions and citrus fruits. Available in supplement form, 1,000 mg of quercetin taken three times daily throughout the season should help you stay symptom-free, according to naturopath and "Prescription for Natural Cures" coauthor Mark Stengler. And in a 2000 study from "Alternative Medicine Review," researchers found that quercetin was even more effective against allergies when paired with bromelain (enzymes found in pineapples). Other ideas: Pack a thermos of nettle tea (another natural antihistamine), says ethnobotanist Chris Kilham. Cutting back on dairy may also help reduce congestion and sinus pressure headaches, he says. Sun Safeguards - Don't skimp on the sunscreen. "To get protection for a variety of reasons, including skin-cancer prevention, use an SPF of 30 or over on your entire body and face, including your lips," says naturopath Koren Barrett. Slather on enough lotion to fill a shot glass, reapplying every couple of hours that you spend outside. And when purchasing sunscreen, check the ingredients list for zinc oxide, a shield against both UVA and UVB rays. Once you're out of the sun, rub in some borage oil, a rich source of gamma-linoleic fatty acid, to help protect against sun-related aging. "Borage oil should not be used as a substitute for sunscreen," says aromatherapist Constance Hart, "but it may help reverse damage from UV rays." Anti-woozy Wonders - For those prone to motion sickness, traveling can feel more like torture than leisure. But ginger, shown to ease nausea in a number of studies on pregnant women, can keep you from turning green while on the road or the high seas. Mark Stengler, N.D., recommends sipping ginger tea throughout your trip; herbalist Chris Kilham notes that ginger candies work, too. And for a quick aromatherapy treatment, Constance Hart suggests rubbing pure ginger oil on your lower belly and inhaling orange essential oil. Wearing an acupressure wristband may also make for a drug-free alternative to medications. The band stimulates the Nei-Kuan acupressure point, an action found to relieve nausea in many studies on post-op patients. Summer Sniffles- Eucalyptus is "all powerful" in breaking up the congestion that accompanies summer colds, says essential-oil educator Andrea Butje. Three times a day, fill a bowl with steamy-hot water and add one drop of essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus. Cover your head with a towel, lean in, and breathe deeply for one minute. Keep your eyes closed for the whole treatment, says Butje. For cold relief, herbalist Chris Kilham recommends the immune-boosting herb andrographis. "A few 300 mg capsules at the first sign of a cold can usually knock it out." More to come... Visit HERE for more.