No matter how good your intentions to religiously apply sunscreen, inevitably sunburns occasionally occur. Whether it's you experiencing the discomfort of the burn or someone you live with, it can be a painful experience for all those involved (especially if you're the one who has to hear all of the ensuing whining and complaining). Besides sipping ice water and staying well-hydrated, there are natural ways to soothe sunburn and make the healing (and peeling!) process a little less traumatic.

For starters, forget about store-bought aloe vera gels and lotions; get yourself a real aloe vera plant instead for the most effective relief. If it's too time consuming to use the plant for large burned areas (ie, your legs) and the gel is a simpler option, make sure it is pure aloe vera gel with as few additives as possible.

You can also try making your own soothing lotion using one chopped cucumber, a quarter-cup glycerin and a quarter-cup rosewater. Squeeze the juice from the cucumber with a lemon-squeezer and mix well with the glycerin and rosewater. Or try a relaxing bath using two to four cups of colloidal oatmeal (not regular breakfast oatmeal), a half- to full cup baking soda, one to two cups powdered chammomile flowers and (optional) one cup of buttermilk. Add these to running bath water and soak.

And don't forget to apply that sunscreen next time. If you need refresher course on how to properly do so, check out the video tutorial with instructions!

» Chiff.com

In a perfect world you wouldn't have to worry about sunburn. You could go outside without religiously applying lotion to any and all exposed skin and never have cause for concern. However, this isn't a perfect world and few things in the world compare to the discomfort of a sunburn. Anytime you stretch or move the wrong way, you feel it. If a friend claps you on the back - well, let's just say you would probably be forgiven for clocking him or her.

Unfortunately vacations are ripe with the potential for sunburns. If you're in a warm, sunny climate there's a good chance you're probably spending a great deal of time outdoors, whether you're lying on the beach or doing a lot of walking. If you apply sunscreen properly and frequently, especially after going in water, you should be fine. However there's always the chance your sunscreen application may be neglected and even just one time can leave you with a nasty, painful burn.

If you're far from home, you'll want the most convenient option to treat a sunburn. Watch the video below to see a natural way to do so, and even though it's not covered in this tutorial, be sure to travel with aloe vera gel. The general rule of thumb is you hopefully won't need it if you have it, but as soon as you go away without it, you'll be wishing, praying, crying for the cool relief.

» Video Jug

Unlike many of the products in your local pharmacy or salon, baking soda isn't flashy or sexy.  It can usually be found in a plain utilitarian box and most of us only buy it to put in our refrigerators to remove odour.

But did you know that adding a teaspoon of baking soda to your shampoo can help remove styling product buildup from your hair?  Or that a mixture of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part liquid soap can wash fish, garlic and onion odour off of your hands?  Baking soda can even be used as a natural under arm deodorant: first apply corn starch with a powder puff and then baking soda!

This is only a few of the amazing uses for this handy product.  Hit the jump to read the full article.  After you read it you'll likely feel compelled to go buy a few more boxes of Arm & Hammer to use around the house.

» How Stuff Works

Like it or not, it's bee season. Those little guys (or in some cases, frightfully large) will be out and about conducting regular bee business like pollinating and making honey and producing wax for beeswax candles. No matter your outdoor activity of choice, you'll inevitably encounter them. With all of the news surrounding massive bee deaths last year, you might feel guilty killing one should it land on you. It would of course be preferable to avoid getting stung altogether, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

Thankfully there's a simple and natural process for removing stingers and treating the pain of stings. The bonus is, if you're on vacation and not close to your hotel or a pharmacy, a local restaurant and your wallet should hopefully have what you need to take care of the problem. Intrigued yet? Watch the video below to see how you can easily and effectively treat a bee sting.

» Video Jug

One of the least favorable aspects of winter is the shorter days. Less sunlight can contribute to a whole host of problems. For one thing, it can contribute to depression. Another side effect is feeling a level of tiredness not experienced during the warmer months when the days are longer and unfortunately the effects of this can filter into other areas of your life such as work performance. After all, it's hard to do your best when you're feeling lethargic.

Fortunately there are natural ways to combat exhaustion and help you perk up throughout your day - and hopefully prevent you from feeling like it's time to go to bed at 6:30 p.m.

Exercise
It probably sounds cliche and completely obvious, but physical activity can help you feel more alert. A study released earlier this year showed that sedentary people can increase their energy levels by 20 per cent and reduce fatigue by 65 per cent with consistent, low-intensity exercise.

Take a walk
Fresh air can act as an instant pick-me-up and have you feeling more alert than any cup of coffee will ever. Instead of staying at your desk or in the lunchroom for your entire break, take a few minutes to head outdoors. Alternatively, use your coffee break to spend a few minutes outside if lunchtime doesn't work for you.

...read the rest...

Unless you're fortunate enough to live in a location where mosquitoes aren't plentiful during the summer, being on the receiving end of a bite from one of the pesky little creatures is pretty inevitable - and painful! Maybe pain is the wrong word - irritating, annoying, itchy, well you get the picture. Whatever you choose to call them doesn't make them any more fun or enjoyable.

The only way to truly heal a mosquito bite is to give it time since it usually takes a few days to disappear. However there are still a few natural, at-home remedies you can do to ease the discomfort for yourself or the six-year old you repeatedly try to keep from scratching the affected area.

- A few months ago we wrote about the many uses of baking soda. You can also use it to treat bites by making a paste with baking soda and water. Use just enough water to make the baking soda sticky and apply directly to the bite.

- Get more out of your aloe vera plant or pure aloe gel than just a sunburn treatment. Rub some on a bite to reduce swelling and itching.

- Dilute lime juice with some water and apply to the bite with a cotton ball.

- Use a few drops of an essential oil such as lavender, rosemary or tea tree oil, all of which have anti-inflammatory and/or healing properties.

Above all, don't scratch the area no matter how tempting it is! You'll only increase swelling and irritation and provide a poor example to the aforementioned six-year old who is just waiting for you to prove how difficult ignoring the Big Itch is.

» LoveToKnow.com