As host of Ask The Good Doctor on SiriusXM Urban View, we cover everything from parasites to alkaline water from how to deal with high blood pressure to ways to reverse Type II diabetes. In this space, I will answer questions that I receive on social media and through my email.
Because we are in the middle of summer, I thought it would be great to respond to questions about summer safety, sun screen, swimming and shopping.
@teenyweeny on Instagram asks:
I am a brown-skinned woman. I love the sun and I do get sunburned. What is a good natural sunscreen I can use?
Answer:
It is a fallacy that dark-skinned people do not burn! It is important for you to protect your skin as well. I only agree with using sunscreens ONLY after you have filled your Vitamin D receptors (spending time in the sun) after about 20-40 minutes and about 45-60 minutes for darker skinned people. When using sunscreens please choose natural options as many commercial sunscreens contain known contaminants. Re-apply after sweating and swimming.
Here are some natural options:
- Red Raspberry Seed Oil – SPF between 30 and 50 (seriously!)
- Carrot Seed Oil – SPF 30
- Wheat Germ Oil – SPF 20
- Hazelnut Oil – SPF 15
- Coconut Oil – SPF 10
- Soybean Oil – SPF 10
- Shea Butter – SPF 6-10
- Macadamia Oil – SPF 6
- Jojoba Oil – SPF 4
- Rice Bran Oil – SPF 4
@MissMarion from Twitter asks:
I love to party on the deck but the flying bugs and ticks run me in the house. What is something natural I can use?
Answer:
It is important to keep yourself from being bitten by bugs while enjoying the outdoors. Citronella candles are awesome to use on the deck. If you have an umbrella over the table spray down the cloth with a Bug Repellent you have mixed with water and an Essential Oil like lavender, neem, peppermint or eucalyptus. Bugs hate the smell of essential oils.
- Spray yourself with the home-made bug repellent instead of traditional ones that contain DEET. Do not use products that contain this ingredient!! It is a known carcinogen.
- If bitten by a bug and it itches, make a baking soda paste with water and put it on the bite. This scratches the bite with minimal irritation and draws out the itchiness, too.
- If a tick is found embedded in the skin or hair, use tweezers to pluck out the tick and ensure there are no tentacles left in the skin. Wash the area with soap like a Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap and dab with tea tree oil or open a golden seal capsule to draw out toxins. Do NOT burn a tick off of skin… this is an urban myth!
Derrick B from Facebook asks:
My family and I love to swim. We hit the pool in our yard every day it is hot enough to get in the pool. What are some safety tips?
Answer:
- Never Swim Alone! Even experienced or strong swimmers might cramp and need help.
- Children should ALWAYS BE SUPERVISED!
- Avoid drinking alcohol before or during swimming or while supervising children.
- Re-apply homemade sunscreen every two hours
Avoid sunglasses because the sun needs to penetrate through your eyes. The only TRUE Vitamin D is the sun and…it cannot penetrate, contacts or sunglasses, nor the car window. We should all enjoy being outside during the day light. Vitamin D deficiency is higher than ever in the United States largely in part because of fear of skin cancer and an indoor, sedentary lifestyle, which is generally under florescent lighting. Florescent lights suck the Vitamin D from the body. So, while there is plenty of sun high in the sky with warm temperatures, I congratulate you and your family for getting out and enjoying your pool together.
Theresa S from FaceBook asks:
I love to shop at street fairs in the summer but I don’t like to buy food items there because it is too much work to clean everything.
Answer:
You should DEFINITELY buy food from the fresh food stands. Support your local farmer. No farms, no food! I cannot emphasize this enough. The farmers job is to pick the food that morning to bring you the freshest selection possible. It is your job to clean it. A little dirt won’t hurt.
The Farmers’ Market will also have the local foods in-season. The strawberries did not have to come from across the world, receive irradiation, and be picked before they were ripe… they were grown in your area. This is priceless! If you are not growing your own food. Please, support your local farmer.
Dr. LaJoyce Brookshire is a Classical Naturopath with Wellness Centers in NJ and The Poconos and is host of “Ask The Good Doctor” on SiriusXM UrbanView airing Sundays at 8 a.m, and 1 p.m. ET.
To submit a Health & Wellness question send an email to AskTheGoodDoctor@msn.com and visit AskTheGoodDoctor.org or follow on social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube.
