Too Sunkissed: Moisturize!

You are going to wonder

• "Why, Ian, are you making these posts out of order? Shouldn't the lifestyle post be going before the supplement post?"

 Well, there is method to my madness. Let's start off by saying that moisturizing is a key step to healing damaged skin by increasing the strength of the cells. This will make the skin more elastic and speed up enzymatic reaction rates for the healing factors in your cells to rejuvenate the body. Wow what a mouthful, but it sure works!

Frederic Layton's Cymon and Iphigenia (date unknown)

"Because I acted as a shade against the sun for my sunburnt sister, I now have the sunburn. Whoop-dee-doo."

 A good aloe vera gel will help soothe the body. Once again, find a nutritionist if you want to ensure you have a good quality aloe vera gel. It should be wiped once or twice a day if possible, and it may also help loosen dead flakes of skin so you don't end up looking like a monster.

Pablo Picasso's Portrait of Woman Dora Maar (1937)

 "It doesn't look that bad, right? I look picture perfect, right?!"

 Yeah, when you're sunburnt, it's probably a bad idea to sit down for a picture or portrait. God forbid you turn out like a Picasso painting.

Too Sunkissed: Aloe Vera

You see aloe vera everywhere nowadays. So much so that the Chinese have caught its influence on their radar and said

• "I know! Since it's so healthy, why don't we sell it at a lower price by skimping on the ingredients so we get more profit."
• "Since everyone's into health fads, let's combine it with lots of sugar and chemicals so everyone will get addicted and think they're being healthy!"

and thus, the modern use of aloe vera is born. The aloe vera products sold will vary by what and how many chemical processes is done to it, how much percentage of it is present as an ingredient, and whether it is mixed in with other chemical fillers.

Sebastian Stoskopff's Still Life with Aloe Vera, a Basket of Apples, and Leeks (date unknown)

This ain't your grandparents' aloe vera anymore!

Applying a good aloe vera cream topically for hydration and following the manufacutrer's labels should do the trick. It contains, similar to the cranberry (see previous UTI post), an abundance of polyphenols and vitamins that heal the damage of the skin.

John Gerard's Aloe Vera (1597)

Always remember to follow the instructions on the manufacturer's labels and contact them if you have any questions. See my Facebook page for information on different product recommendations.

Too Sunkissed: A Naturally Useful Solution

Nature wins again when providing humans for protection against the elements. Fruits are an inexpensive and common remedy when providing relief against the rays of the Sun which melt your skin. The first clue to their hidden secret is to look at what we are consuming them for: their skin.

Lilly Martin Spencer's Still Life with Watermelon, Pears and Grapes (around 1860)

 Fruit, without photoshop. The artist didn't bother to find a nice-looking table either.

The skin of fruits are kept in their ever moist and bountiful state by the amount of phytonutrients or melatonin precursors they have evolved, although they have been sitting under the sun for hours more than we do! But nothing beats the advertising power of photoshop and a bit of wax, so some may look much better than others. The next hint is the reason that nutritionists consume fruits in the first place.

Louise Mouillon's Still-Life with Cherries, Strawberries and Gooseberries (1630)

Fruit, with photoshop to make their skin look glossier. Much more appetizing, isn't it?

The antioxidants found in the fruits are bursting with potential to protect against any damage done to them, including damage done from the Sun! This is why after they have been plucked, some fruits still manage to stay looking beautiful for hours even the fruit is technically 'dead'.

I suggest eating the berries whole since the majority of their nutrients you want are found inside the skin. You don't need to overdo it by going on a semi-fruitarian diet during your healing time; around 7 strawberries or 2 grapefruits should do the trick. 

Too Sunkissed: Sunburns

The temptation of falling asleep outside on the beach is great in the summertime (except in some lucky parts of the world). You peel off all the worries of your day, take off those restrictive clothes, and doze off under the suddenly bountiful rays of the Sun. After all, it's a good source of vitamin D!

Then, you wake up looking like your skin was composed of raw bacon and itching like the sting of a thousand mosquitos.

Herbert Draper's The Lament for Icarus (1898)

 At the end of the day, Frank was so burnt his family had to drive all the way to the beach to pick him up. Literally.

You won't look as handsome as the man in the picture above. And the only women you'll be seeing are nurses if you get a severe sunburn that results in chills or a fever.

Sunburns are quite common during the summertime and can range from a slight peeling and/or redness of the skin ("Time to get me some of that aloe vera gel from Nature's Republic. EXO is sponsoring it!") to a large sac of pus that requires a visit to the nearest hospital ("You look like you have a small jar of honey on your chest.").

Without further ado, let's take a look at how one treats a sunburn and safe sun exposure.

Georges Pierre Seurat's Une Baignage, Asnieres (1884)

The sun is as round as a lemon, and the sky is as blue as a robin. Who'd want to stay indoors?

Ian Demystifies: McDonalds Fries

As a nutritionist, I understand that everyone needs their quick fix once in a while or they'll go insane from attempting to follow a strict healthy regimen. And what is a very popular go-to?

Paolo Veronese's The Wedding at Cana (1563)

The wedding turned lively after Jesus transformed the Happy Meals into banquets

From conversations I've had while I worked at McDonalds with customers who were health buffs, French Fries is the answer. Just don't tell anyone else they were there...

Vincent Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night (1888)

No matter how much they tried to look like a high-end cafe, McDonalds was still McDonalds in the eyes of the French

So in today's demystification, I'll try to list the mystery ingredients of French Fries and give my opinion on whether or not they are a viable snack.

Sodium acid pyrophosphate, aka sodium phosphateThis is an edible phosphate form that encourages leavening of products such as bread in commercial applications. The USDA has set its RDA to 700mg for those over 18 years old but it should be lower, in my opinion. Why? Because in its pure form, sodium acid pyrophosphate has been known to cause inflammation among factory workers.

 Dimethylpolysiloxane, aka silicon
This is used as an antifoaming agent, and is mentioned TWICE in the ingredients of French Fries. No studies have been done on the ingredient itself but a variety of rodent studies have suggested that low rates of acute toxicity can occur. So it's relatively harmless...if only it were found in more healthy food. Also, if you consume too much, heavy metal toxicity can happen. And that's not a fun thing. You won't be lovin' it at all.

A quick glance at the rest of the ingredients show partially hydrogenated oils (mentioned twice as well), potatoes and dextrose and citric acid. Nothing too unexpected there. 

My verdict:

Be wary of McDonalds fries for the sodium phosphate and silicon (yes, I'll call them by their non-sugarcoated names). They have the potential to cause toxicity if ingested too much. I suggest only going to McDonalds for fries when you are invited to, never by your own free will. Just try to keep the invites to a minimum. 

The Red Elephant in the Room: D-mannose

You may have seen these around in the supplements aisle. Or you may have seen the name floating around on TV or in books. But what is it actually?

Claude Rodin's The Thinker (date unknown)

"D-mannose...the man nose? Does it have something to do with your nasal cavities?"

D-mannose is actually a type of sugar that helps stop bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urethra. Thus, it is almost a must for those with a UTI if you want to treat without antibiotics. 

Naturally, the instructions provided by manufacturers should be followed (with exceptions such as if you were permitted by a doctor or prescribing practiciioner). The quality of D-mannose will vary from brand to brand so it will pay off to discuss with a nutritionist to see what brands to buy.

 

The Red Elephant in the Room III: Let it Flow

As adults, we don't wet our pants unless there is something wrong with our nervous system or bladder control. It would be a social disaster. No, not just a social disaster. A social catastrophe.

Alexander Ivanov's King Priam Begging Achilles for the Return of Hector's Body (1824)

"I beg you, please forgive me! It didn't even stain your sandal."

When you have a urinary tract infection, contrary to the social etiquette and convention, it is best to let go of your burden as soon as possible. Not only will holding in your number one allow the toxins to remain in the body, it will also create an environment to generate more inflammation and therefore pain. Sometimes even death (look at Tycho Brahe).

But of course, being the social butterflies and/or workaholics we are, it is not always possible in our modern culture to stay chained to a toilet at all times. 

Edouard Manet's A Bar at the Folies Bergeres (1882)

 "You have no idea how long I've been holding this in for."

In cases like this, the ideal thing to do is carry a small opaque bottle with you. If you're in a place like a park or in an alley and the bathroom seems miles away, discreetly find a dark corner where nobody will see you and do your business. ("Let me go and powder my nose behind that bush there." "That's a nice looking abandoned shed. Wait for me while I go around the corner and take some pictures!")

Otherwise, it is best to let a trusted friend or boss know if you think the situation is awkward enough to raise a few eyebrows. Not that it should. But with this red elephant, you never know...