SUMMER is a time to vacation and do a lot outdoors. But while you enjoy sunbathing on the beach, swimming in the sea, trekking in the mountains, or picnicking with friends in the woods, there are the nuisances of extra UV, heat, humidity and mosquitoes. Here are some natural remedies for some common summer hazards.

    Sun safeguards

    Don’t skimp on the sunscreen. “To get protection for a variety of reasons, including skin-cancer prevention, use an SPF of 30 or over on your entire body and face, including your lips,” says naturopath Koren Barrett. Slather on enough lotion to fill a shot glass, reapplying every couple of hours that you spend outside. Once you’re out of the sun, rub in some borage oil, a rich source of gamma-linoleic fatty acid, to help protect against sun-related aging.

    Anti-woozy wonders

    For those prone to motion sickness, traveling can feel more like torture than leisure. But ginger, shown to ease nausea in a number of studies on pregnant women, can keep you from turning green while on the road or the high seas. You can sip ginger tea throughout your trip. Ginger candies work too. And for a quick aromatherapy treatment, you can rub pure ginger oil on your lower belly and inhale orange essential oil.

    Summer sniffles

    Eucalyptus is all powerful in breaking up the congestion that accompanies summer colds, says essential-oil educator Andrea Butje. Three times a day, fill a bowl with steamy-hot water and add one drop of essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus. Cover your head with a towel, lean in, and breathe deeply for one minute.

    Herbal first-aid

    Keep a calendula-based salve or cream in your backpack to prevent infection of cuts and scrapes suffered out on the trails. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, bee propolis spray or tincture also staves off infection when applied four times daily. To treat bee stings and mosquito bites, apply a paste made from baking soda and water. The combo can neutralize the bug’s venom. And a drop of lavender essential oil applied to the bite can take out the itch and sting almost right away.(SD-Agencies)