Wow it is warm out there! So glad we are having good weather now, but the sun is beating down and I can see some sunburns and heatstroke in the near future.
I spent a lot of hours as a kid watching others have fun in the sun after overheating with heatstroke or sunstroke. I wish I would have had the tools I have now. Back then doTERRA did not exist but I wish they had. Are you heat or sun sensitive? Do you spend time staying out of the sun? Great news. There are natural solutions that help.
The first thing which you already know, is drink lots of water. What you may not know is there are foods that can help you stay hydrated as well. Staying hydrated will help you stave off heat exhaustion. Eat things like:
Cucumbers - comprised of 95% water they also contain lots of vitamin C in the rind so do not peel them.
Cold watermelon - watermelon actually stimulates the release of excess perspiration, so heat stroke will not be a concern as sweating is accounts for 70 to 80% of the body's heat loss.
Pomegranate - Not only are the arils (the small yet plump rubies) loaded with water, they are also rich in special antioxidants called punicalagins. This category of antioxidants is so powerful that it actually triumphs over even red wine and green tea's antioxidant count.
Kiwi - A juicy fruit that not only aids in upping your hydration levels, it also holds 237 mg of
potassium, an important electrolyte that is vital for muscle contraction.
Celery - Hosts a large percentage of water, 96% of this vegetable is purely water. What's even better is just two or three sticks can replenish a realm of vital minerals including sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, and zinc.
and season with peppermint as it has cooling properties. Mint chip is the preferred ice cream flavor during the hot summer months. This is because of menthol which tricks a protein receptor in your brain called TRPM8 into thinking that the food you are eating is cold. Ice cream of course is definitely a cold treat, but what about a cup of mint tea? The same concept applies. A cooling sensation.
The menthol in peppermint is located in the essential oil and you can use Peppermint essential oil directly on your skin for a cooling sensation.
One way to use peppermint for cooling is to put water in a glass spray bottle and add in a few drops of Peppermint essential oil. This creates a cooling spray for an athlete or a person who is over heating.
If you find you are overheating you can also use peppermint essential oil in a basin of cool water and dip a cloth in to lay across the back of the neck or on the arms/legs or chest/abdomen of a person. Do not put on the forehead unless the cloth is very well wrung out as you do not want to get the oils running down into the eyes.
Peppermint essential oil can also be combined with Lavender essential oil to help with heat and burns. Lavender essential oil is very soothing and calming to the skin and also helps people calm and relax. You can use it the ways you use Peppermint above or you can add to the doTERRA Hand & Body cream for extra moisturizing.
There are a few options for both heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
For heat exhaustion use Peppermint, Lime, lemon, petitgrain or eucalyptus topically.
For Heatstroke use peppermint, Petitgrain & Lemon, black pepper, zendocrine, or spearmint topically.
For first-aid; use topically as above and/or the recommendations below.
Place 2-4 drops on Lemon in a glass of water and sip to rehydrate.
Place 1 drop of peppermint in water and sip to cool down.
Combine the two as desired.
Sunburn Spray
1 cup aloe vera juice
1/4 cup carrier oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
8 drops Lavender essential oil
8 drops Tea Tree essential oil
8 drops Roman Chamomile essential oil
Combine ingredients in a 16 oz glass spray bottle. Shake well and spray onto sunburned skin. Repeat as needed.
Cooling Spray
2oz glass spray bottle
1 oz water
1 oz witch hazel
4 drops Peppermint essential oil
4 drops Lavender essential oil
Pour water and witch hazel into bottle, add essential oils. Shake well and spray directly to face and/or back of neck. KEEP YOUR EYES CLOSED.
Sunscreen
8oz bottle
2 tablespoons shea butter
1/3 cup beeswax
2 tablespoons zinc oxide
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup carrier oil
1 tablespoon raspberry seed oil
1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
10 drops helichrysum essential oil
5 drops myrrh essential oil
5 drops Frankincense essential oil
Heat shea butter and beeswax on medium-low until melted. Mix in Zink then remove from heat. add reminder ingredients. Let cool then pour into bottle.
Hope the summer treats you well. Stay cool and remember to add lemon essential oil to your lemon-aid.
Have a recipe that you use to beat the heat? Please share your ideas below in the comments for all to try. Remember I am here to help you on Your Road to ReNew You so ask questions in the comments as well.