Eight home remedies to soothe sunburn

Summer provides the opportunity for vitamin D3 and sunbathing and tanning for many who have been confined to the indoors for several months. It is also a time for more outdoor activities under the sun. But overdoing it, especially at first, leads to sunburn for most. Knowing how to sooth and heal sunburns naturally is to your advantage. Here are eight natural sunburn remedy tips: (1) Aloe vera gel may be the best sunburn solution. Try to purchase a tube or jar of gel with the least amount of fillers or preservatives. Even better, simply use the gooey stuff inside a freshly cut aloe vera leaf. You can purchase an indoor plant or plant one outdoors. Cut off a section of leaf, peal off the outer skin and wipe the gooey pulp onto your sunburned skin. Don't wipe it off. Instantly, you'll feel refreshed and the healing will occur more rapidly without blistering or peeling. You can store the remaining leaf in the fridge for a while. Apply commercially sold gels the same way. (2) Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is handy for a lot of things, even cleaning or absorbing odors. You should have a box or two available and not just in your refrigerator for absorbing odors. It can be taken orally for many health issues, from indigestion to cancer. (http://www.naturalnews.com/029099_baking_soda_household.html) For sunburn, simply mix four tablespoons of baking soda (not baking powder) in a good sized bowl of cool water. Soak a clean cloth or cotton balls in the bowl and dab onto your sunburned area. (3) Hydrate amply with pure or purified water. Heavy sun exposure often causes dehydration. So drinking more water is a good idea. Sitting in cool, non-chlorinated water for a while helps too. (4) Skim milk for sunburn? One source claims mixing one cup of skim milk with four cups of cold water, creating a compress and applying to your sunburn for a half hour every four hours until the pain and irritation subside. (5) Vitamin E gel or fluid is appropriate for a sunburn that went untreated early and is getting out of hand with blistering and peeling. You can simply put holes in vitamin E gel capsules and apply directly to the affected area, or purchase a vitamin E gel or oil directly. Make sure you use natural vitamin E, not a synthetic version. (6) Oatmeal essence is as unusual a choice as skim milk, but many swear by it. There are three methods: * Infuse lukewarm bath water by swishing a clean sock filled with one cup of uncooked oatmeal in the water until it turns milky, then get into the tub and soak * You can convert a cup of rolled oats into powder with a blender, food processor or coffee grinder. Dissolve the oats under the faucet as the water fills the tub, then soak for 30 minutes. Rinse off with cool water after soaking with either preparation. * Make a paste using the oatmeal powder and rub it onto the skin. This helps your skin retain its natural oils. (7) Green tea has been used by some to relieve sunburn pain and boost healing. You can sit in cool bathwater with six or more green teabags floating around, or simply put cool, wet green tea bags onto the affected area. (8) Apple cider vinegar, unpasteurized and unfiltered, can be used to relieve the pain of sunburn and speed up healing, even if the sunburn gets to peeling or blistery phase. It may sting at first, but it is effective (ACV System details, source below). Sources for this article include: ACV System details http://www.scribd.com http://www.angieslist.com http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/aloe-vera.shtml http://www.naturalnews.com