Monday, July 19, 2010

Skin the largest organ of the body

You should not put anything on the skin you would not put in your mouth. The skin is a unique organ and provides comfort and detoxification.

This information I pulled off the web for your to discover your skin type.

For specific skin question go to Dr. Steve's web site

Ayurvedic Skin Care - Herbal Skin Treatment and Remedies
The first step in the ayurvedic approach to skin care is identification of ayurvedic skin type.

Vata Skin Type
If vata is predominant the skin of a person is dry, rough, cold, wrinkled and thin with fine pores. Vata skin may age faster, and tends to be dry, rough and flaky when out of balance.
Vata Skin Care and treatment
Vata skin is typically dry and delicate, and tends to lose tone and plumpness prematurely unless nourished on a regular basis. For Vata skin to stay youthful, skin care products used should be very nurturing and should include some essential oils or herbs in combination, which can nourish the skin and rehydrate it. Some treatment approaches to vata skin care includes having sufficient sleep, eating regular meals that will help balance Vata and nourish the skin and avoiding physical and emotional stress.

Pitta Skin Type
If pitta is predominant, the skin is fair, sensitive, soft, warm, and of medium thickness, less tolerant to hot food and burns easily. When out of balance, Pitta skin can flare up in rashes, rosacea, acne, or sunspots.
Pitta Skin Care and treatment
Pitta skin is generally sensitive, especially to the sun, and needs protection to stay in balance.The Pitta skin type needs both cooling and nurturing. Tanning treatments and therapies that expose skin to steam for extended periods of time should be avoided.

Kapha Skin Type
If the constitution is of kapha dosha the skin of a person is oily, cold, heavy, soft, slow, dense, dull, lubricating and thick with a tendency towards large pores and proneness to cystic acne.
Kapha Skin Care and treatment
Toxins are the bane of people with Kapha skin. This is because of its oily nature which attracts impurities. The skin should be cleansed from the inside and the outside, or else the skin breaks out because of toxin build-up. Kapha skin needs to get both internal detoxification and external detoxification on a regular basis.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Remedies for ears

Remedies for the ears:

Ear congestions is a big problem I see in my practice:

I suggest a two fold treatment that is quite easy.

You must open up the channels for the congestion to flow.

1) Sitopladi powder to stimulate flow by opening sinus passages. 1/4 to full tsp. in a small amount of water. You can do this 4-5 times a day.

2)5 drops of an herbalized nasal oil in each nosrils and snuff up into sinus 4-5 times a day.

Next is using a neti pot with saline solution:


Here is some more information I got off the web:

The ear is a very sensitive organ; it is the house of one of the most important senses of the human body - the auditory sense. Due to its delicate nature, there are several problems that can occur with the human ear. One of the most common problems occurs when the ear gets infected. In severe cases, pus formation may occur. Such inflammations of the ear commonly occur in children.

All ear infections and aches are collectively known as Putikarna in Ayurveda. They are generally caused due to vitiation of the kapha dosha, which is the body element that coordinates the earth and water elements of the body. Hence a person with ear problems must take care not to aggravate the kapha dosha further.

The cold season is generally associated with ear problems. In some people, ear aches infections are associated with common colds which are caused at the onset of the winter months. This is seen most commonly in children. But in children, the common colds must be treated soon, or the inflammation could cause permanent damage to the hearing sense.

The formation of pus is mostly associated with children. This is a severe case of ear infection which must be treated promptly. When there is a pus infection, there will be cough and most likely the child will also have fever. This is due to vitiation of the kapha dosha.

Useful Herbs for the Treatment of Ear Infections and Aches

- Bael (Aegle marmelos) The root of the bael tree is used in a unique manner to treat ear problems. A stiff root of the tree is dipped in neem oil and it is lighted. The oil dripping from this root is allowed to fall into the ear. This brings about tremendous relief in ear aches and infections.

- Bishop's Weed (Trachyspermum ammi) Bishop's weed is very effective in treating ear congestions. About a teaspoonful quantity of it is heated in 30 milliliters of milk. The juice of the weed is allowed to permeate into the milk. This is then used as ear drops.

- Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) The holy basil, or tulsi as it is called in Hindi, is beneficial for ear problems. The juice extracted from its leaves must be used as ear drops. It has added benefits in children who are suffering from ear problems.

- Neem (Azadirachta indica) Neem has antiseptic properties due to which it can kill the organisms that produce the infections in the ear. It is effective by itself. In order to enhance its effects, it can be taken with bael root as mentioned earlier.

Dietary Treatments for Ear Infections and Aches

The diet taken by a patient with ear problems should be such that it does not vitiate the kapha dosha, which is responsible for them. The following dietary guidelines must be followed:-

- Sour foods must be avoided as they vitiate the kapha. These include curds and fruits that are sour in taste.

- Bananas, watermelons, oranges, papayas and cucumbers must be avoided. These foods can increase the chances of having common cold. This would aggravate the ear problem. For the same reason, all refrigerated foods must also be avoided.

- Valuable foods during ear problems are onion, ginger and garlic. Turmeric is also very good, and must be used for spicing the meals.

Ayurvedic Treatments for Ear Infections and Aches

Most ear problems are treated with Lakshmi Vilas rasa. This is prescribed for both adults and children. In adults, the dose is one pill thrice daily. It is a bitter pill, so to reduce its bitterness it is taken with honey. In children, the dosage is reduced.

For external use, Nirgundi is prescribed. The extract of the nirgundi oil is boiled with mustard oil. The solution is used as external drops for the ear. The drops are generally prescribed to be used twice daily.

Home Remedies for Ear Infections and Aches

- Make a fine mixture of turmeric and burnt alum (alum that has been allowed to swell). Introduce this mixture slowly into the ear.

- Mixing Indian barberry and honey in mother's milk and putting it in infected ears provides benefits.

- Put a little fenugreek in cow's milk. This can be used to put as drops into the infected ears.

- The paste of the bilwa root is boiled with mustard oil. After filtering, this oil is used as ear drops.

- A single piece of clove is sautéed in sesame oil. Three to four drops of this is put into the ear. This method gives immense relief in ear problems.

- One simple remedy is to use extract of ginger as eardrops. The juice of the onion can also be used in a similar fashion, but it must be warmed.

Ear infections could be itchy or painful. Hence there is a tendency that the child will scratch the ear or put their fingers in the Eustachian tube. This must strictly be avoided as the dirt on the fingers will aggravate the infection further. Also, by doing so, the person is increasing the chances of infection to others.

People with ear problems must take care to keep themselves away from the cold as much as possible. They must avoid having baths till the ear problems are treated. They must wear warm clothes and avoid eating cold foods

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Vit C and Cardiac Health

Vitamin C and Cardiovascular Disease
A Personal Viewpoint by Alan Spencer and Andrew W. Saul

(OMNS, June 22, 2010) Linus Pauling was aware that studies of the animal kingdom showed that most animals have the ability to manufacture vitamin C in their bodies. Humans cannot. Furthermore, on average, mammals make 5,400mg daily when adjusted for body weight, and make more (often considerably more) when under stress or ill. This is about 100 times as much as the 50mg we get from a typical modern diet. It prompts the question, why do animals make so much vitamin C, and what purpose does it serve in the body?

A small number of animals which are known to share our inability to make vitamin C include the apes, the guinea pig, the fruit bat, and some birds, all of which will normally get a lot of vitamin C from their food. If you deprive a guinea pig of vitamin C it soon develops a form of cardiovascular disease (damage to its arteries showing within a few weeks). Similarly, studies of genetically modified mice have shown that if you switch off the gene that enables a mouse to produce vitamin C it will also soon show signs of heart disease. Re-introduction of a high vitamin C diet enables the damage to be reversed. While heart disease is rare in the animal kingdom, it is becoming a problem for apes in zoos where their diets are perhaps not as rich in vitamin C as when they are in the wild.

Collagen

A very important function of vitamin C in the body is its role in the production of collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, and forms into fibres which are stronger than iron wire of comparable size. These fibres provide strength and stability to all body tissues, including the arteries. Vitamin C is absolutely essential for the production and repair of collagen, and is destroyed during the process, so a regular supply of vitamin C is necessary to maintain the strength of body tissues. Severe deficiency of vitamin C causes the total breakdown of body tissue witnessed in scurvy. Linus Pauling believed that whilst humans normally obtain sufficient vitamin C to prevent full-blown scurvy, we do not consume enough to maintain the strength of the walls of the arteries. He suggested that of all the structural tissues in the body, the walls of the arteries around the heart are subject to the greatest continual stress. Every time the heart beats the arteries are flattened and stretched, and this has been likened to standing on a garden hose thousands of times a day. Many tiny cracks and lesions develop and the artery walls become inflamed.

Dr. Pauling believed that in the presence of adequate supplies of vitamin C this damage can be readily repaired and heart disease is avoided. However, in the absence of adequate levels of vitamin C, the body attempts to repair the arteries using alternative materials: cholesterol and other fatty substances, which attach to the artery wall. (1-8)

Cholesterol and Lipoprotein (a), Lp(a)

The most abundant amino acids (protein building blocks) in collagen are lysine and proline, and when collagen strands are damaged lysine and proline become exposed. A special kind of cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), is attracted to lysine and proline and will attach itself to the exposed damaged collagen strands. It is an attempt by the body to repair damage to the collagen of the artery walls in the absence of adequate levels of vitamin C. Unfortunately the repair is not ideal and over many years repeated deposits can cause the artery to become narrow and inflamed. Heart attack or stroke is likely to follow (usually caused by a clot forming at the site of the narrowed artery, or by a piece of plaque breaking off and blocking a smaller vessel downstream). When vitamin C levels are low, the body manufactures more cholesterol, especially Lp(a). Conversely, when vitamin C levels are high the body makes less cholesterol.

If high blood cholesterol were the primary cause of heart disease, all bears and other hibernating animals would have become extinct long ago. They naturally have high cholesterol levels. One reason bears are still with us is simple: they produce large amounts of vitamin C in their bodies, which stabilises the artery walls, and there is therefore no tendency to develop cholesterol deposits or plaque.

Keeping healthy

The low levels of vitamin C that are available through diet are inadequate to prevent many people developing arterial plaques, and over time this may result in cardiovascular disease. Post mortem examinations showed that 77% of young American soldiers killed in the Korean war (average age 22) already had well-advanced atherosclerosis (heart disease), and post mortem studies from the Vietnam war gave similar results. Heart disease is not just a disease of the elderly, although it does not usually become life threatening until later in life.

How can we prevent it? Pauling believed that once we start taking high levels of vitamin C, the disease process is halted, or at least slowed, as Lp(a) cholesterol is no longer needed as a repair material. He also believed that when we take adequate levels of vitamin C, existing arterial plaques may start to be removed from the arteries. He found that the removal of plaques is more rapid if the amino acid lysine is taken along with vitamin C. Lysine appears to attach to the Lp(a) in existing plaque deposits and helps to loosen them. Linus Pauling recommended at least 3000mg of vitamin C per day as a preventive dose, and significantly higher levels of both vitamin C and lysine for the treatment of existing heart disease. Dosage is a key factor: low doses are ineffective.

Retention in the body

Another important point is that a single dose of vitamin C is not retained in the body for very long. This fact has been used for a long time by those who do not support the use of high doses of vitamin C as evidence that the body does not need and cannot use large doses. After a single large dose of vitamin C, the blood level quite soon returns to a low level. A lot is excreted, the high blood level only remaining for a few hours.

The key factor here is that the body is not designed to function with just a single large dose of vitamin C once a day. Animals are able to manufacture vitamin C in their bodies and do so continuously throughout the day. They have an enzyme which converts glucose to vitamin C, and each day they produce on the order of a hundred times more vitamin C than we are able to get from even a good diet. When animals are ill they manufacture even more, perhaps thousands of times more than we can get from our diet.

How much should we take?

For people who are essentially fit and well, the Vitamin C Foundation recommends perhaps 3,000mg of vitamin C per day, taken in divided doses as 500mg every four hours, as a protection against the development of heart disease. The problem with even this protective dose is that taking a tablet every four hours is not something that many people would want to adopt as part of their daily routine. But there is good evidence to suggest that this level of intake will help maintain the strength of the arteries and prevent the build up of cholesterol plaques. If everybody were to do this, perhaps heart disease would become a largely a thing of the past (as might many other chronic diseases).

When treating illness, "bowel tolerance" is the indicator of dosage level that should be used. This means taking just under the level of vitamin C (in divided doses) that results in loose stools. Everyone is different. Note that while a few 1,000mg doses a day might make you loose when you are fit and well, your "bowel tolerance" might increase to ten or even a hundred times this when very ill. So, for illness, the levels suggested by the Vitamin C Foundation are 6,000mg to 18,000mg of vitamin C per day (or up to bowel tolerance) plus 2,000mg to 6,000mg of lysine. These vitamin C levels may seem high, but are perhaps not particularly large when compared with levels seen in the animal kingdom. A substantial amount of lysine may be obtained from diet. For example, one may obtain 3,000 to 4,000 milligrams of lysine from about can and a half of beans. Supplementation reduces the need to consume that much.

Controversy

"Even though some physicians had observed forty or fifty years ago that amounts of vitamin C a hundred to a thousand times larger (than the RDA) have value in controlling various diseases, the medical profession and most scientists ignored this evidence." (Linus Pauling, How to Live Longer and Feel Better)

In medical circles, Pauling's recommendations remain controversial. However, his theory seems reasonable, and the implications are so significant that some major scientific trials should have been undertaken to assess it. This has not happened. Supporters of high-dose vitamin C have had their applications for research funding denied repeatedly, and have had to be content with carrying out small scale research projects and case studies. These have been very positive. Over the past fifteen years, Pauling therapy advocates have received hundreds of reports from heart patients who have self administered the therapy. It is reported that these people typically recover within 30 days, and the majority experience significant relief within as little as a week or two. In 1994, Linus Pauling wrote, "I think we can get almost complete control of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes by the proper use of vitamin C and lysine. It can prevent cardiovascular disease and even cure it. If you are at risk of heart disease, or if there is a history of heart disease in your family, if your father or other members of the family died of a heart attack or stroke or whatever, or if you have a mild heart attack yourself, then you had better be taking vitamin C and lysine."

References:

(1) Rath M, Pauling L. Immunological evidence for the accumulation of lipoprotein(a) in the atherosclerotic lesion of the hypoascorbemic guinea pig. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Dec;87(23):9388-90. PMID: 2147514. Free full text download: http://www.pnas.org/content/87/23/9388.full.pdf

(2) Rath M, Pauling L. Hypothesis: lipoprotein(a) is a surrogate for ascorbate. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Aug;87(16):6204-7. [Erratum in: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1991 Dec 5;88(24):11588.] PMID: 2143582. Free full text download: http://www.pnas.org/content/87/16/6204.full.pdf

(3) Rath M, Pauling L. Solution To the Puzzle of Human Cardiovascular Disease: Its Primary Cause Is Ascorbate Deficiency Leading to the Deposition of Lipoprotein(a) and Fibrinogen/Fibrin in the Vascular Wall. J Orthomolecular Med, Vol 6, 3&4th Quarters, 1991, p 125. Free full text download: http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1991/pdf/1991-v06n03&04-p125.pdf

(4) Pauling L, Rath M. An Orthomolecular Theory of Human Health and Disease. J Orthomolecular Med, Vol 6, 3&4th Quarters, 1991, p 135. Free full text download: http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1991/pdf/1991-v06n03&04-p135.pdf

(5) Rath M, Pauling L. Apoprotein(a) Is An Adhesive Protein. J Orthomolecular Med, Vol 6, 3&4th Quarters, 1991, p 139. Free full text download: http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1991/pdf/1991-v06n03&04-p139.pdf

(6) Rath M, Pauling L. Case Report: Lysine/Ascorbate Related Amelioration of Angina Pectoris. J Orthomolecular Med, Vol 6, 3&4th Quarters, 1991, p 144. Free full text download: http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1991/pdf/1991-v06n03&04-p144.pdf

(7) Rath M, Pauling L. A Unified theory of Human Cardiovascular Disease Leading the Way To the Abolition of This Diseases As A Cause for Human Mortality. J Orthomolecular Med, Vol 7, First Quarter 1992, p 5. Free full text download: http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1992/pdf/1992-v07n01-p005.pdf

(8) Rath M, Pauling L. Plasmin-induced Proteolysis and the Role of Apoprotein(a), Lysine and Synthetic Lysine Analogs. J Orthomolecular Med, Vol 7, First Quarter 1992, p 17. Free full text download: http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1992/pdf/1992-v07n01-p017.pdf

Friday, July 9, 2010

Excercise Fact vs. Fiction

1. FACT/FICTON: Cardio burns more calories than strength training.

Fiction.

Contrary to long-held belief, strength training is—as new studies have shown—superior to steady-state cardio in caloric burn. In one University of Southern Maine study, participants blasted as many calories doing 30 minutes of weight training as they did running at a six-minute-per-mile pace for the same amount of time. Unless you're Lolo Jones, strength is your best bet.

The other huge benefit of weight training? It boosts your metabolism after your workout—and builds muscle that will further increase your fat-burning potential in the long run. "If you do steady-state cardio, when you leave the gym, that's it for your calorie burn," says David Jack, general manager of Competitive Athlete Training Zone in Acton, Massachusetts. "But when you do strength work, you'll continue to burn calories for up to 36 hours."

2. You can reduce cellulite through exercise.

Fact.

Cottage-cheese thighs can affect even the fittest athletes, and though exercise can't prevent cellulite, it can help reduce the appearance of those tell-tale dimples. Cellulite is fat, so calorie-blasting activities and the right nutrition can make your skin look smoother. Likewise, weight gain can make cellulite worse.

"Women lose about five pounds of muscle per decade, and they lose most of it where they don't use their muscles: where they sit. When they lose that muscle in their hips and thighs, the overlying layer of fat doesn't have much of a foundation, so it starts to get pockmarked," explains Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., author of No More Cellulite. "Strength training can play a major role to tone that muscle and get the firm foundation back."

Westcott recommends moves that target your hips, quads, and hamstrings, but says not to ignore your other muscles. "Since all strength exercises boost your metabolic rate, they'll decrease fat too," he says.

3. Crunches are one of the best moves to target your abs.

Fiction.

You probably know crunches are old-school, but you may not know hwy they're not very effective. What's their weakness? Most women initiate crunches with their hip flexors without engaging much of their core. This may get the surface muscles in your abs, but it ignores the ones underneath, which are also essential to a flat stomach.

Plus, crunches mimic the sitting posture we use for much of the day. "We don't want to exacerbate this 'hips flexed/shoulders hunched' position," Jack explains. "The point of training is to fix the gaps and do something different. Crunches repeat a similar movement pattern.

A better bet for flat abs? Focus on moves like the plank and side plan that work often-neglected areas of your core. And don't forget your butt, too. Weak glutes push your stomach out and give you a belly even if you don't have one. (Not fair, we know!)

4. Exercise immediately improves your ability to learn.

Fact.

It sounds unbelievable, but it's true. In a study at the University of Muenster in Germany, participants who ran sprints learned new words 20 percent faster than those who did nothing. Other research has tied physical activity to improve attention and memory as well.

"Exercise is the best thing we can do to ready our brain to learn," says John J. Ratey, M.D., author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. "We know that the cells become more malleable and ready to make connections. And the learner is more focused, calm, and motivated—[she's] ready to learn."

Physical activity has one other major perk too: It increases production of the stem cells that develop new brain cells.

Ratey has found that both aerobic activities and strength training have benefits to the brain, but that more complicated forms of exercise—like tennis and soccer—provide the biggest boost. "You're taxing more parts of the brain in those activities, which helps it grow," he explains.

5. The morning is the best time of the day to exercise.

Fiction.

If you have your pick of any time of the day, the late afternoon would be your ideal workout window. Muscle strength and body temperature both peak somewhere between 4 and 6 p.m., allowing you to work out heard with less effort. And you've eaten breakfast and lunch, meaning you'll have much more fuel in your tank.

"Also, your threshold for pain is at its highest in the afternoon and your mental clarity is still there," says Jack. "Of all the different variables, the most are in place at that time of day."

Studies have show that the body can adapt to peak performance at any time, though, so if you'd rather work out in the morning or evening, go for it. "The best time of day to train is the time that you're able to actually do it. That's most important," notes Jack.

6. Running a marathon increases your risk of a heart attack.

Fact.

A May 2009 study form Winnipeg's St. Boniface Hospital and the University of Manitoba confirmed what other studies had previously said: Marathons do cause short-term injury to the heart, but thankfully, they don't seem to cause lasting damage. In this study, MRIs were used to show abnormalities in the hearts of runners in the Manitoba Marathon. They tracked 14 athletes, and all showed cardiac stress immediately after the race. After a week of rest, however, the runners' hearts showed no long-term effects, and for most, heart function had returned to pre-marathon levels.

The key to staying safe? If you're a newbie, talk to your doc beforehand, and make sure you train enough for the big event. A big stressor to the heart comes when runners attempt to do much more on marathon day than they've done in training. Also, remember that the overall risk is still very low: It's estimated that there are only four to eight deaths per million marathon runners.

7. Lift weights quickly to increase the burn.

Fiction.

Though it may seem counterintuitive, the opposite is actually true. When you blaze though each move, you often use momentum instead of your muscles, and you also increase your risk of injury. "If you go too fast, you'll muscle through areas that are weak," Jack says.

Do the same reps more slowly (try counting to three while you lift up, and another three while you lower) and you'll get more burn for your buck.

Westcott has done two slow-lifting studies published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. In each, on group did 10 reps of each exercise that lasted seven seconds per rep, while the other group did five reps in 14 seconds. At the end of the study, the "slow" group averaged 5o percent stronger than the regular-paced group.

Unfortunately, lifting slow can be torturous, too. Wescott says that in his study, only tow of the 15o people wanted to continue training the slow way. "It was too hard; they just didn't like it. So we use it as one of our tools in our toolbox, but not as our standard technique."

8. Stretch before you run.

Fact.

Stretching is a hot-button issue in running circles, and while "stretch before you run" used to be the conventional wisdom, new research has shifted this opinion. Recently, a review by epidemiologist Ian Shrier, M.D., of six stretching studies in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine found that none of the studies showed that stretching before exercise prevented injury.

Olympian Jeff Galloway has coached more than 250,000 runners and no longer recommends a pre-run stretch. "I used to be a huge advocate of stretching, but over the years, thousands of runners have described how they were injured by stretching." He says what when his runners stopped stretching, the injuries almost always went away.

But this doesn't mean that you should never stretch, or that it's OK to skip a warmup before starting your run. Robert Maschi, a physical therapist at New York's Hospital for Special Surgery and author of RunMetrics, tells his clients to do five to 10 minutes of a slow jog before increasing speed to a normal training pace. After the run, he recommends static stretches held for 30 seconds to a minute. "[Do] a comfortable stretch that's not overly aggressive," he advises.

9. Skinny people are always healthier than overweight people.

Fiction.

Take heart, our slow-metabolism sisters: They key to good health is not just your weight. "We judge each other by how we look," says Jack. "That's like driving by a beautiful house, but when you walk in, the place is a mess. We don't know what our real health markers are." Use measurements like resting heart rate, blood pressure, and cholesterol to monitor your health, not your six-pack or lack thereof.

Though belly fat in particular has been linked adverse health effects, some doctors believe it's the invisible fat around your organs that could cause the most trouble. And this fat is prevalent in people who don't exercise—whether they're thin or chubby. Jimmy Bell, Ph.D., a professor of molecular imaging at Imperial College, has used an MRI scan on nearly 1,000 people to locate where fat is on the body. Bell found that even among those with normal BMI scores (20 to 24.9), as many as 20 percent had excessive levels of internal fat.

Bell feels that physical activity is the key to reducing these inner fat stores, because many of the seemingly thin subjects stayed at a healthy weight through diet but didn't work out. "There are no shortcuts. Exercise has to be a part of everyone's lifestyle," he says.

In short: Overweight-but-active beats thin-but-inactive any day.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Sun Burn Remedies

Ayurvedic Remedy for Sun Burn

Sunburn

Sunburn is caused because of exposure to the excess harmful rays of the sun. Excess sun rays is harmful for the skin as it damages the skin, can cause early aging sign on face, and may also lead to skin cancer. Due to sunburn skin turns blistered, red and dry. You also feel pain and irritation. Extreme or moderate sunburn can cause pigmentation, inflammation, puffiness, and skin breaking. You feel an irritating skin sensation and your skin looks restless. In ayurveda it is know as dagdh.

Symptoms for Sunburn

Skin inflammation, redness, dehydration are some of the symptoms of sunburns.

Severe itching in the eyes and skin, skin rashes, sickness, and vomiting tendency are some other symptoms of sunburns which require a medical need to meet a doctor.


Sunburn Treatment

Sun is a source of Vitamin D which keeps you healthy and active but excess sun exposure and ultraviolet rays are harmful. They can cause wrinkles and many other skin problems.

Develop a practice of daily skin cleansing using natural face wash or mild soaps.

Use natural sun protective cream and sunglasses when you go out in the sun.

Harsh soap, excess outing, swimming can cause sunburn so avoid excess sun exposure.

Never scrub your face excessively and always use natural soaps and lotion.

Never apply milk cream or oily lotions to the sunburn affected area as it lead much pigmentation and damage to the skin.

Drink one-two liter of water everyday as it keeps the skin which is sunburn moisturized and acts as a good substitute of the fluid which you lost by sun exposure.

Never use chemical-based soaps and face wash for washing sunburn face as it cause inflammation and much damage to the skin.

Above given home remedies are cost effective and helpful in the treatment of sunburn. Infants, obese, and elderly people need a good care and protection from sunburn so take good care of them and yourself.

Home remedies for Sunburn Relief

Dip few drops of rose water in a cold water and enjoy the refreshing bath. This will act as a good sunburn reliever in the summer days.

Put a wet, soft and cool piece of cloth on your face and other parts of the body (which is sunburn), whenever you feel itching and burning sensation in the skin.

Using Aloe Vera herb for sunburn relief---Your skin irritation and inflammation because of sunburn is easily recovered using Aloe Vera herb. Herb Aloe Vera (ghrita kumari) is very effective in relieving inflammation and this is easily available in medical stores. Apply few drops of ghrita kumari or oil in the affected sunburn area before going out in the sun. You can also use this 10-15 minutes afterwards of sun exposure. One of the best home remedies for sunburn

Take bath using cold water and few drops of sandalwood oil. This will cool down and relief the sunburn skin and keeps a healthy balance of your body.

Using vinegar as a sunburn treatment---Soak a soft cotton cloth in a bucket of water containing few drops of vinegar and put on face (except on eyes) and other body parts, this act as good sunburn reliever.

Prepare milk and water solution in a ratio of (1:1) and soak a soft cloth in this solution and put on face and other sunburn affected area. This will relieve discomfort caused from sunburn. This is one of the best home remedies for sunburn.

Using cucumber juices as a sunburn treatment---Applying cucumber juice also soften the skin and reduces redness and inflammation of the skin caused because of sunburn. Mix one tablespoon cucumber juice and one tablespoon milk and dab your face using this solution; this relives the burning sensation and puffiness caused because of sunburn.

Using lavender oil as a sunburn treatment---Mix its few drops in a bath tub and enjoy the refreshing bath.

Take a cold water bath using few drops of chamomile and lavender oil. This act as sunburn protective bath and is very refreshing. This relief skin inflammation and irritation.

You can also mix three-four tablespoon of oatmeal in the water and take the refreshing bath. This reduces skin itching and irritation. This is one of the useful home remedies for sunburn

Take 5-6 drops of Chamomile and mix it in a glass of warm water and apply on sunburn affected area using a cotton ball .This relieves skin itching and irritation.

Put 10-15 drops Calendula oil in the bath tub and take the refreshing bath. You will feel relax and fresh. This bath serves to relief pain and skin itching caused from sunburn. This is one of the important home remedies for sunburn.

Using potatoes juices or its slices as a sunburn relief---Make a fresh solution using one raw potato and two tablespoon cold water and use this natural homemade solution on face, neck, and hands which are sunburn.

Using peppermint oil as a sunburn treatment---mix its few drops in a bath tub and enjoy the refreshing bath. This is one of the useful home remedies for sunburn.

Applying onion juice on sunburn affected area also makes the skin cool and reduces inflammation.


Found These on Health 911

Remedies
Folk
Aloe Take as many leaves as necessary from an aloe plant; refrigerate; peel off top layer of leaves; apply the side of the leaf with flesh exposed directly to the sunburn. Other remedies use aloe vera juice: for mild to medium sunburn, keep the affected area moist with aloe vera juice. Repeat frequently. This will reduce the pain and the amount of peeling. Aloe vera ointment works well, too, as it contains oil and will not evaporate. For a severe sunburn, keep the area moist at all times with aloe vera juice. Since aloe vera is an astringent, you may want to use aloe vera ointment or some sort of oil, such as olive or baby. Aloe is very effective in relieving pain and inflammation.

Combine aloe juice with ½ the amount of vitamin E. Dab on the sunburn. Vitamin E is a good moisturizer.
Apple cider vinegar Apply apple cider vinegar to the burn with a cottonball, or make a cooling compress for a large area to relieve the pain. Keep the skin moistened. This remedy will prevent blistering and peeling.

Aspirin Aspirin kills the pain and reduces inflammation and redness of a sunburn. It short-circuits the whole sunburn process. It must be taken within 24 hours of getting sunburned. Aspirin is preferable to ibuprofen or acetaminophen because it is less stressful on the liver and kidneys.

Baking soda Dissolve some baking soda in water and make a compress using a clean cloth. Another remedy is to add 1/2 cup of baking soda to a tepid bath and soak. Instead of drying the affected area with a towel, let it air dry. Baking soda is cooling and will help the skin retain moisture.

Baths Add 20 drops of each of lavender and chamomile essential oils to a tubful of cool water and soak for 10 minutes.

Bergamot Add bergamot oil to cool bathwater.

Calendula Put 20 drops of calendula tincture in four ounces of water and bathe the skin until the pain goes away. Calendula is also available in gels and salves. Calendula will help soften and heal burned skin. It is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, and can be used long after the burn to heal the skin.

Cucumber Rub sunburned area with fresh cucumber slices. They are very cool and will soothe the area.

Epsom salts Dissolve epsom salts in water and make a compress using a clean cloth.

Ice Apply ice or cold water to the burned area. This will stop the burning process and cool the skin.

Lavender Mix 20-25 drops of lavender oil in one cup of water and bathe the sunburned area.

Lemon water Mix the juice of three lemons into two cups of cold water and sponge on the sunburn. The lemon will cool the burn, act as a disinfectant, and will promote healing of the skin.

Milk Make a compress of whole milk (or buttermilk) and apply to the burned area for 20 minutes; repeat every two to four hours. Wash the milk off so you won't smell sour! The fat content of the milk is soothing for burns.

A similar remedy suggests using a cup of skim milk and four cups of water, adding a few ice cubes, and applying as a compress as recommended above.
Oatmeal Put some oatmeal in tepid bath water, soak for a few minutes, then air dry yourself.

Oil Cover the area with cooking oil and sprinkle powdered ginger on the oil. This will promote healing.

Onion Bruise an onion and rub on the burn.

Peppermint Apply peppermint oil to the sunburned skin. You can also make a mild peppermint infusion and use it as a wash to cool the sunburn.

Potato Grate a potato and apply it to the burned area. The starch will cool and soothe the burn.

St. Johns Wort Make an ointment or salve with the essential oil of St. Johns wort for burns that have not broken the skin. It is anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antibacterial. Caution: St. John's wort makes the skin more photosensitive, so stay out of the sun if you have used this remedy or if you are taking another form as an antidepressant. The cauton is courtesy of a reader named Wendi.

Shower Take a warm shower to draw out the heat of your sunburn. The warm water will increase circulation to the area while hydrating it, thereby speeding the healing process.

Tea Make some tea, cool, and apply to the burn. While any tea may be beneficial, mint tea, such as peppermint or spearmint are especially good. The teas have tannins that help the healing process.

Urtica urens Put 20 drops of urtica urens tincture in four ounces of water and bathe the skin. This remedy is good for itchy, prickly skin.

Vinegar See Apple Cider Vinegar remedy above.

Witch hazel Make a decoction of witch hazel and apply with a compress.

Yarrow Native Americans used an infusion of ground yarrow as a wash.

Yogurt Apply plain yogurt with live cultures, let it stand for a few minutes, then rinse off under cool water.

Another remedy using yogurt is to mix equal parts of yogurt and mashed strawberries and apply to the sunburned area for 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water.
Caution! You may have sun poisoning if you experience chills, fever, or get blisters or a rash. See your physician!