The dog days of summer are here and while this means fun in the sun for many, it can also mean painful sunburns for some. Sunburns are no laughing matter. While they are best prevented through the daily use of a high SPF sunscreen, we recognize that they are not always completely avoidable. While food does a great job of nourishing the body from within, food can also treat some minor sunburns when applied topically to the skin. Here are my top 4 go-to foods that help soothe summer sunburn.

Oatmeal

Taking an oatmeal bath is a great way to lessen the pain of sunburn. Don’t have any pre-made oatmeal bath on hand? No worries! It’s easy to make one for yourself! Simply grind up a cup of regular, old-fashioned oatmeal in a food processor, add it to cool bathwater, and soak. It’s soothing to the sunburn and helps it heal faster.

Cucumbers

We consider cucumbers a great remedy for puffy eyes, but they are also wonderful for soothing sunburns, not simply because it’s cool to touch, but its antioxidant and analgesic properties also help promote healing and provide further (and long lasting) relief from discomfort. Slice up a chilled cucumber and place the slices on sunburned skin and simply flip the slices when the first side heats up.

Turmeric

Dermatologically, the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric help heal many skin problems including red pimples, irritated skin, sensitive skin, sunburn, eczema and etc. Turmeric is also an excellent antiseptic that not only keeps the infections away by its anti-bacterial properties, but also helps in healing of sunburns. Make a turmeric paste made with water and turmeric to help with minor sunburns and aid in healing.

Coconut Oil

These days coconut oil is fast becoming the “in” beauty product, more so than being considered as food! It makes sense. It's super moisturizing, fights bacterial acne, prevents wrinkles and smells simply delicious which makes it a great product to use on all type of skin issues, and sunburns are no exception. Coconut oil's saturated fats retain moisture on the skin, while capric, caprylic, and lauric acids have disinfectant and antimicrobial properties that benefit the skin and aid in the skin’s healing from sunburn.

While sunburn prevention is always the goal, sometimes that doesn’t always happen and we are left to soothe and treat pesky sunburns. Food has numerous healing properties and luckily this means external healing properties too!

Whether you are looking for the right meal plan or just interested in more healthy living tips for this summer, Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating has you covered. Contact Us with any questions you may have and check out the rest of blog for more tips!