As the Nat King Cole song says, it’s the lazy, hazy,
crazy days of summer! Which means it’s the season for family vacations,
lounging by the pool, visiting amusement parks, and walking barefoot on the
beach. Being outside in the sun feels great, especially after the polar vortex
winter of 2013 – 2014. But there are precautions that should be taken when
spending time outside in the heat. Topical BioMedics offers tips for staying
safe and healthy while catching some rays and waves.
Beach Bag Essentials
Whether you’re spending the day by the shore, lake, or pool, there are
several must-have items for toting in your beach bag:
-Lip balm: Lip protection is important to keep lips
from getting chapped by the breeze or burned by the sun.
-Water
shoes or flip-flops: Choose shoes that can get wet and rinse off
easily. If you are heading to a public pool that has rough cement, fresh water
swimming with a rocky bottom or ocean it would be safer to opt for water shoes
with rubber soles with a mesh covering to protect feet and toes. Shoes also
help protect delicate feet from hot sand and asphalt, which can cause severe
burns. Just remember, flip flops do not offer any support whatsoever and should
not be worn when you’ll be walking around for any length of time.
-Water bottle: Even though your family is spending the
day at the beach, it is very important that you rehydrate throughout the day and
having water handy will encourage your kids to replenish their fluids. Avoid
alcoholic beverages, caffeine, soda, and other carbonated drinks, which are
dehydrating.
-Head protection: Whether you choose a
floppy straw hat or a baseball cap, be sure to include hats for every member of
your family in your beach bag. Remember that ears get sunburned too so choosing
a wide-brimmed hat is extremely useful for keeping the sun off ears, face and
head.
-Eye protection: Sunglasses help shield the eyes
from the harmful effects of the sun and also keep you from squinting, which can
contribute to premature wrinkling. Be sure to choose sunglasses that have good
UV protection.
Summer first aid kit for active families
Be prepared by keeping a first aid kit on hand for any incident that could
put a damper on summer fun. One ideal one: Topricin’s “Boo Boos Happen” kit
featuring a convenient zippered pouch with a tube of Topricin for Children—the
doctor-recommended safe, natural alternative to chemical-based pills, ointment,
and liquids, as well as a great all ‘round first aid cream for treating bug
bites, sunburns, and other aches and pains—plus “Ouchies” design-your-own
self-adhesive bandages with their own coloring markers, and handy travel-size
packets of original Topricin and Topricin Foot Therapy Cream.
Other essentials to tuck into your vacation first aid kit:
-Ear plugs to keep water out of the ear to avoid discomfort and prevent
bacterial from causing an infection
-Goggles to protect eyes and
natural/homeopathic eye drops to relieve any irritation
-A vial of vinegar to treat jellyfish stings if you’re at the
ocean
-Tweezers.
-Alcohol wipes to disinfect or cleanse
-Extra bandages and gauze
-Antibiotic ointment to treat open
wounds
-An antihistamine, just in case of an unexpected allergic reaction
The Great Sun Debate
To sunbathe or not to sunbathe—THAT is the hot topic of the season!
For years now we’ve been advised to stay out of the sun, and slather on
sunscreen with ever-higher levels of SPF before we even think about setting a
foot outside our air conditioned doors.
But the tide is changing, so to speak, and the sun is no longer seen as
Public Enemy Number One. In fact, the decades-long moratorium on sunbathing has
not done a thing to curb skin cancer rates, which are skyrocketing.
Numerous new reports and studies have experts recommending that we all need,
and benefit, from the sun’s rays. It seems that regular, moderate,
unprotected—yes that’s right unprotected—sun exposure, when thoughtfully
managed, is essential. It’s also the way our bodies generate vitamin D, an
important ingredient for optimizing health and preventing disease. It’s high
time we embraced the sun, as in the USA vitamin D deficiency is now at epidemic
levels.
It’s come to light that the best way to optimize vitamin D levels is with
limited sunscreen-free exposure to the sun. Safe, smart, strategic bouts of
sunshine help the skin produce the Vitamin D our bodies need to build bones,
curb inflammation, and boost the immune system. Moreover, research indicates
that vitamin D and may help prevent as some types of cancer, including
pancreatic, lung, breast, ovarian, skin, prostate, and colon. Ironically, a
2011 study published in
Cancer Prevention Research suggests that
optimal levels of vitamin D offer protection against sunburn and skin
cancer.
Other benefits of the BIG D: it can help protect the body from diseases like
multiple sclerosis, rickets (in the young), tuberculosis, inflammatory bowel
disease, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and
systemic lupus erythematosus. And, according to the Vitamin D Council,
researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have reported that “lack
of sun exposure may lead to cognitive decline over time.”
Along with vitamin D benefits, UVB exposure has a number of positive health
effects, including easing mild depression, enhancing energy levels, regulating
melatonin, suppressing MS symptoms, and treating skin diseases. It also has
been shown that 20 minutes of sun exposure can lower blood pressure.
Sun Savvy
According to Frank Lipman, MD, physician, author, and health
advocate, “Sunburns are the enemy—not the sun. Some sun
exposure is good, but get too much and you’re playing with fire.”
When it comes to skin issues and concerns, apparently sunshine is good—it’s
the sunburns that create problems and are hazardous to our health. Here are
some tips for getting healthy doses of sunshine and vitamin D with minimal
risk:
--Short, regular exposures have been found to be much more effective and
safer than the occasional long one.
--Control your exposure and build up your tolerance slowly. To maximize your
body’s natural Vitamin D production, start with 5 minutes of mid-morning sun
without sun block, and work your way up to 20 - 30 minutes. (The sun is
strongest midday so avoid being outside sans protection from high noon until a
few hours beyond.)
--Don’t overdo do it. After 30 minutes in the sun without skin protection,
apply a safe, natural sunscreen.
-- You also need to protect skin if you’re in and out of the water, on a
boat/doing any activity when the breezes can make you less aware that you’re
getting sun burned.
-- Don’t get fooled by cloudy days — they can burn you just
as easily as sunny ones.
PLEASE NOTE: If you are extremely fair skinned, have had skin
cancer, or have any other concerns regarding sun safety, check with your doc
first regarding appropriate levels of exposure to the sun and proper
protection.
Rethink sunscreen
It’s time to rethink your sunscreen as many readily available commercial
brands contain toxins. Because your skin is your largest “organ,” these
chemicals are readily absorbed directly into your body.
Some of the most common toxic chemicals typically found in sunscreen
include:
- Oxybenzone (linked to hormone disruption and cell damage that may lead to
skin cancer)
- Retinyl palmitate (a carcinogen)
- Octyl-methoxycinnamate (causes oxidation damage to skin, which ages the
face)
- Butyl-Methdiebenzoylmethane (releases free radicals into the body)
- Benzophenone 2 (BP2) (decreases the function of the thyroid)
Elizabeth Plourde, PhD, is a scientist whose book
Sunscreens – Biohazard:
Treat as Hazardous Waste, documents the serious and even life-threatening
dangers sunscreens pose not only to people but to our planet. Dr. Plourde
emphasizes that many sunscreens contain chemicals that are known carcinogens and
endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and offers proof that malignant melanoma and all
other skin cancers increased significantly with sunscreen use over a 30-year
period. As far as the environmental impact, Dr. Plourde notes that, “in areas
where there has been much exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, coral and
other sea populations have died off and the prevalence of dual-sexed fish has
risen.”
According to the Environmental Working Group, the best sunscreen is a hat and
a shirt because there are no chemicals for the skin to absorb, no questions
about whether the product works, and no bogus claims like “sunblock.” But
fortunately, there are safe options to choose from to protect yourself and your
family. Before you buy a sunscreen, first check out the Environmental Working
Group for information on product ingredients and a list of safe sunscreens:
http://www.ewg.org/2014sunscreen/
Now let’s all think sunny thoughts!
ABOUT TOPICAL BIOMEDICS
20 years in business and a Certified B Corporation, Topical BioMedics is a
research and development leader in topical patented natural biomedicines for
pain relief. The company’s flagship product, Topricin® Pain Relief and Healing
Cream, was introduced in 1994 and is now a leading natural therapeutic brand. A
combination biomedicine formula, Topricin has been awarded a patent for the
treatment of pain associated with fibromyalgia and neuropathy, and was listed
among the Top 100 Green Products of 2012 by Healthy Holistic Living.
The Topricin family of natural healing products also includes Topricin Foot
Therapy Cream, specially formulated to treat painful foot and ankle issues and
conditions, and Topricin for Children, which received the Parent Tested Parent
Approved Seal of Approval (with 5% of sales donated to pediatric cancer
foundations). Made in the U.S.A., all Topricin products are federally-regulated
over-the-counter medicines with no known side effects, no parabens, petroleum,
or other harsh chemicals, no grease, and no odor.
Topical BioMedics now offers TopTrack, a new app for on-the-go pain tracking
and monitoring. TopTrack is available free of charge for iPad via the App
Store, and will roll out on additional devices in the coming months.
http://bit.ly/1rIQD89
Topricin is available in independent pharmacies, natural food and co-op
stores nationwide, including Whole Foods, Sprouts, Pharmaca, The Vitamin Shoppe,
Fred Meyer, Wegmans, CVS (Foot Care Section), Walgreens (Diabetic Section), and
other fine retailers, as well as directly from the company.
For more information visit
http://www.topricin.com
THE TOPICAL BIOMEDICS “GET RELIEF, GIVE RELIEF” MISSION
For over 20 years, the Topricin project has assisted hundreds of thousands of
people suffering with pain and those addicted to painkillers to achieve fully
restored and robust healthy living. Unfortunately, millions of people continue
to suffer in pain, with many experiencing the hazardous side effects of OTC
chemical pain pills or negative effects of narcotic Rx painkillers—an epidemic
that turns the lives of American families upside down and is undermining the
very fabric of our country.
Because of the company’s experience in addressing these challenges, it has
launched its “Get Relief, Give Relief” initiative: for every purchase of
Topricin, Topricin Foot Therapy, or Topricin for Children ordered directly from
the company, it will donate a tube of Topricin to a credible pain clinic on the
customer’s behalf…Free.
The company invites the public to join its army of pain relief warriors
determined to help those in need by ending suffering and painkiller addiction
and restoring hope and the joy of living life to the fullest. To “Get Relief,
Give Relief,” order from
www.topricin.com
or call 1-800-LES-PAIN (537-7246).
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at local barbecues and parties, Butler started hiring out of work veterans with woodworking skills to craft the game, providing them with jobs when many were unemployed due to the recession. Since then the business has surpassed his at-home workshops, but he continues to consult with veterans on how to effectively manage their inventions and become entrepreneurs themselves.
![The 30 Minute Homemade Jam
This homemade jam is so quick to make, and is great to partner up with your fruits or snacks! No need to purchase one at the grocery stores, make your own healthy stuff, you can choose your own fruit or berries!
SHARE this to your family and friends
Ingredients: 1&1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters, 2&1/2 cup blackberries, 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice or water, 1/2 - 3/4 cup raw honey (depending on the sweetness you want).
Direction: Wash fruit and drain well. Pulse fruit in a blender or food processor until it is mashed into small chunks. Pour fruit into a medium saucepan and add apple juice or water. Gradually stir and mix well. Heat, stirring constantly, over medium high heat until it reaches a full rolling boil that can't be stirred down. Add honey all at once and stir well. Store in refrigerator overnight, then freeze. Enjoy!
@[172567162798498:274:Juicing Vegetables]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1/s403x403/1798434_624092747645935_349411899_n.jpg)
