Not all Aloe Vera is Good For You

 

Looking at the ingredient list in most store bought aloe vera gels, and you’ll find things like drying alcohols, numbing drugs like lidocaine, and synthetic preservatives that can wreak havoc on your body.

Aloe is not necessarily a ‘bad’ culprit. However, with so many options that market ‘pure aloe vera’ it is important to read the labels for accuracy.  See where aloe vera falls on the ingredient listing; if it is not the first or second ingredient, it is probably not that high in pure aloe vera.  Applying an aloe vera gel may feel good; it is the drying alcohol as a coolant (and harmful for our skin), and a drug to numb the pain.  This type of aloe vera gel does not heal the skin; it just covers up the pain from the sunburn.

 

What is the answer?  If you have an aloe vera plant, you are already on your way to skin healing benefits.  The gel in the leaf of the aloe plant is high in antioxidant benefits, thus helping to heal the skin from the free radicals affecting it from a sunburn.

The best answer?  Sunscreen!  You may not feel or know you are sunburned until hours after sun exposure.  Be proactive, wear sunscreen, and reapply.

Write-Up is From Daisy Blue Naturals

 

Why keep aspirin by your bedside?

About Heart Attacks

There are other symptoms of an heart attack besides the pain on the left arm.  One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin , as well as nausea and lots of sweating , however these symptoms may also occur less frequently.

Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack.

The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep, did not wake up.

However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.

If that happens,immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water.

Afterwards: CALL 911
– say “heart attack!”
– say that you have taken 2 aspirins..
– phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by
– take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival and…

DO NOT lie down   

Why You Should Skip Spray Sunscreens

Article by Sara Bliss

There are safer options than spraying. 

Especially if you have kids, sunscreen sprays seem like a very good idea in theory. You can get squirmy little ones protected from the sun STAT, and they are so simple to apply that even little kids can do it themselves. With a faster and easier application than lotions it’s no wonder that they make up a big portion of the sunscreen market. Except, there’s a problem—spray sunscreens may not be safe.

“We don’t recommend that consumers use these products,” explains Environmental Working Group’s Senior Scientist Dave Andrews. “There are inhalation concerns as you are breathing in these sunscreen ingredients when you apply them, and it’s difficult to get an adequate coating on your skin to even verify that people are applying an adequate amount.” Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas agrees with the concerns: “[These types of sunscreens] are manufactured with phthalates, which is worrisome. They can get into your lungs.”

 Read The Full Article

Can Foods Work as SPF?

Foods that can keep sunburns at bay.

Certain foods have been proven to benefit your skin, but can they act as a substantial source of SPF? And do supplements dubbed “edible sunscreen” really work? As a pale person always on the quest for maximum sun protection, I reached out to Dr. Ava Shamban, a Beverly Hills dermatologist and author of Heal Your Skin, to find out if my produce-heavy diet can keep sunburns at bay.

“Some foods have been shown to protect against UV rays and the more of these foods you eat, the better,” says Shamban. “These foods are loaded with antioxidants so they protect you internally as well.” But don’t toss your sunscreen! Foods do not work as well as a topical lotion. “Eating different types of food is not a substitute for sunscreen, but it is a nice supplement,” says Shamban.“Some foods have been shown to improve the repair aspect of the skin and the prevention of damage to the skin, and they also have nutritional benefits and are useful for all of your organs.” Shamban says regular intake can increase your SPF factor up to a 4 or 5. If you’re game, here are the tasty foods to chow down on.

Tomatoes are one such food. “They have lycopene, which can protect the skin against the sun,” she says. “Go to farmers market — the redder you get those are the ones you want to eat.” She says tomato paste has been shown to have high levels of lycopene too, because each jar contains so many concentrated tomatoes.

Another skin saver is dark chocolate. “It contains flavonoids, which have been shown to protect against UV rays and sunburns,” says Shamban. She says studies have shown that if you eat it regularly (done and done) you’ll build up protection in your skin. Just make sure to get the strong stuff — anything that says 80% dark chocolate should do the trick.

Apples also contain protective flavonoids called procyanidins. “Studies have shown it helps reduce skin cancer when exposed to UV rays,” says Shamban. “Quercetin is another potent antioxidant found in apples that protects DNA.”

Lastly, green tea may help you combat the sun. “Polyclonal is a green tea extract that’s very potent at preventing cancer growth internally and externally — and good for the skin, too,” says Shamban. “For summer swap your regular iced tea for an iced green tea.”

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