Summer guide safe fun in the sun: as you enjoy barefoot strolls along the beach and family camping trips, keep this summer handbook nearby for treating sunburn travel sickness and other summer-related conditions

Summer is in full bloom. The warm weather and sunny skies might lure you outdoors for swimming, boating, playing sports or simply enjoying a backyard barbecue. But along with the fun comes increased risk of sunburns, seasonal allergies and travel-related illnesses. These tips and quick remedies for common summer problems will help keep you feeling your best for maximum fun in the sun.

FRESH FACE FORWARD

For healthy skin today, and especially in future years, make sure to safeguard your skin against sun damage with dedicated daily application of a broad-spectrum natural sunscreen (e.g., titanium and zinc oxides). In addition, an antioxidant-rich diet and supplement plan can provide further skin protection, says Ronald Stram, MD, director and founder of the Center for Integrative Health and Healing in Delmar, NY. He recommends the antioxidants beta-carotene, lycopene, green tea and selenium to counteract the free radicals generated by the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays; UV damage sets the stage for everything from sunburn and wrinkles to skin cancer.

If it's too late to protect your skin, and you're feeling the sting of sunburn, turn to some soothing herbs. Stram finds the topical application of aloe vera, chamomile, bee propolis or Rescue Cream (containing Bach flower essences and made by Nelson Bach) to promote the healing of sun-irritated or -damaged skin. Any of these can be applied several times daily. (For more on sun care, see "Sunrise-to-Sunset Skin Protection" on p. 34.)

Buzzing and stinging insects patrol the yard in full force during summer months. These annoyances can turn serious if West Nile virus or Lyme disease rear their heads. Insect repellents containing citronella or citrus essential oils (applied to either skin or clothing) help dissuade insects from getting near. For comfort after a sting, slather on soothing calendula cream or apply a drop or two of tea tree oil.

ON THE GO

Summer is the time to hit the road and enjoy a vacation. If you tend to feel sick traveling by car, plane, train or boat, plan ahead by bringing some natural remedies for motion sickness. Roberta Lee, MD, medical director of the Continuum Center for Health and Healing in New York, advises ginger tea for travel-related nausea. Another option: Dried ginger powder (500mg, in capsule form, about an hour before travel and another 500mg every few hours) fits the bill when it's inconvenient to brew a cup of tea Traveler's diarrhea, due to contaminated food or drink or simply the anxiety and changes associated with a journey, puts a damper on any trip. "Acidophilus taken every day on an empty stomach can really help prevent travel-related diarrhea," says Lee. And if you do get a case of diarrhea, probiotic bacteria may help shorten the duration. Travelers should take 1-10 billion "live" organisms daily of acidophilus or other probiotic bacteria, and it's a good idea to choose a probiotic product that doesn't need to be refrigerated.

RECOVERING FROM TOO MUCH FUN

Active fun goes hand in hand with summer, with the longer days and sunny skies beckoning us out to play. The downside? All this outdoor recreation comes with a higher risk for scrapes, bruises, sprains and strains. Stocking your first aid kit with a few natural healing products can get you back to the fun faster. For cuts and abrasions Stram is a fan of calendula ointment with a beeswax or olive oil base, as well as arnica for sprains and bruises. He says it's also nice to have Rescue Remedy on hand to help reduce emotional stress associated with injury and trauma. Made by the same company as Rescue Cream (mentioned above), Rescue Remedy spray contains Bach flower essences that can be spritzed in the air or even on your skin or tongue.

For garden-variety scrapes, you have many herbal options. Gotu kola extract applied to a wound facilitates healing, and can prevent and treat scars. Other topical herbs to stock for summer boo-boos include tea tree oil, chamomile, comfrey, arnica and echinacea. A cream containing hyaluronic acid can also be handy in a first aid kit because this compound improves healing when used to dress a wound. If you don't have any herbs on hand, grab a jar of honey from the kitchen and start spreading (a light layer inhibits the growth of bacteria and speeds healing) or tear off a leaf from an aloe plant and squeeze out the gel from inside to ease inflammation and encourage healing.

Been on the losing end of a run-in with a hot barbecue? A great option for minor burns, says Lee, is "two drops of lavender oil added to 1 tsp. of a carrier oil (either almond or sesame oil), and then applied to a burn." If great weather inspired you to start a sport, but you've overdone it, turn to the enzymes bromelain and papain to reduce inflammation and aid the repair of injured tissues.

For more information on bromelain, see "Pineapple Power" on p. 20. Another option: Drinking tart cherry juice lessens postexercise pains and muscle soreness, and curtails recovery time after a strenuous bout of exercise.