All Natural Summertime Bite, Scratch and Itch Fixes that Work

The woes of summers can change an excellent outing into the worse day of your life. Poison ivy infection, a heat rash, insect bites and any number of other infirmities can turn your great time into a nightmare. You can prevent this from happening with some forethought and planning. When you are aware of what is to come you can prepare by taking various precautions. Here are a few suggestions that can help you prevent an attack of the summer woes;

Altitude sickness occurs when you transition from lower altitudes to higher levels in the 8,000 feet and higher range to rapidly. You will generally become nauseous, experience shortness of breath, develop a headache, and have trouble sleeping. The best remedy for altitude sickness is to travel back down to a lower level. The best preparation is to acclimate yourself gradually by transitioning up to your final destination slowly, converting a one day ascent into a two or three day ascent. If you do become nauseous drink plenty of fluids to remain hydrated.

Food poisoning occurs so easily during the summer. Food stuff left out to long or stored for a period of time in a vehicle can easily become affected and infect you. The symptoms are undeniable, vomiting, diarrhea, and the most uncomfortable stomach imaginable. It is important that you replace the electrolytes you are losing when you vomit, so drink sports type drink. Taking an anti-diarrheal medicine is not recommended. It is best to let the diarrhea run its course to flush the toxins from your system. Introduction to solid food should not be rushed. Dine on clear juices, broths, and soups and drink plenty of water until you feel better. This is one of those situations that you can not do too much to prepare for. Keeping all perishable foods refrigerated as long as possible helps but even after observing that rule something still can go wrong.

The prickly red bumps or tiny fluid filled blisters that accompany heat rash, also known as prickly heat are actually plugged sweat glands. The areas mostly affect by heat rash are between folds of skins, under your breast, behind the knees, in front of the elbows, and around the neck. This thousand needle prickly sensation is best relieved with a cool shower and loose fitting clothing until it passes. Try to avoid applying greasy ointment because they will only reclog your pores. An antihistamine lotion may offer some relief.

That itchy-scratchy-creepy crawly feeling associated with bug and insects is the biggest irritation summer has to offer. Mosquitoes and ants, bees and wasp, and every other flying and crawling insect and bug in the area always seem to be able to find their way to where you are. Applying spray repellents on your clothing, skin, netting, and tent is a great preventative but if you have already been bitten relieving the affects of the insect bite becomes the battle. A paste of 3 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of water is a good topical remedy. Another source is to take a oatmeal bath and soak (be sure to put the oatmeal in a water soluble container ie a nylon stocking, a sock, a lace bag, etc before placing it in the bathtub). A cup of oatmeal in a full bathtub should do the trick. Try to avoid scratching the affected areas. You could potential set off an infection.

Exploring the great outdoors is what summer is about. While you are out there, if something decides to explore you also, strike back, apply some of these suggestions and you'll fix them.

Resource: Health Magazine - June 2007, www.health.com