TO YOUR HEALTH: Keeping it simple in summertime – Herald-Banner

Even with all the world crisis going on, we still have day-to-day worries and annoyances. I love summer, although since Ive been in Texas about the past decade, summers tend to consistently be a lot hotter and run more risk of sun stroke, dehydration and sun burn than in Wisconsin where I came from. Days of 100 degree are rare there, typically an anomaly. So I love being outside.

As many of my readers know, I own a small ranch with goats, bees, pigs and dogs (and chickens before they met their demise by a serial killer named Roxi the guardian dog). I have a lot of things that always need to be done outside.

In Texas, my allergies are severe and year-round. And chiggers! I never ever heard of a chigger until I moved to Texas. Last week I was putting up hot fence for the animals and was under attack. Another thing I deal with is the mosquitos, gnats and ticks. I keep everything in the yard poison-free the best I can and because I have bees, its even more important that whatever products Im using wont harm my bees.

So, how does a hippie like me survive? Well, Im sometimes a hippie and sometimes a bit more bourgeois. So I like modern amenities, like not being eaten alive by insects, not having sunburn, and having a nice looking landscape, finding a balance between being au natural and staying healthy by not having skin damage, allergic reactions and scarred skin.

Here are my tips and Id love to hear what works for you too.

Tea tree oil: kind of stinky but works well if I do get bug bites

Lavender: I spray it around the house, on my bed and on my body to prevent bites

Avon Skin So Soft: a less toxic version of bug repellant. I do, however, use the hardcore stuff if Im going out in the woods.

I wear sunscreen on my face almost every day. I try to find skin friendly versions to use.

I use A LOT of goat milk and beeswax and coconut milk products on my skin to prevent dehydration and heal wounds and smooth skin.

I avoid direct sunlight as much as possible. I hate tan lines and even more I hate the sun damage spots on my skin.

There is a product made of geraniums my mother swears by. I am doing more research on it to see if there is any harm to my bees if I spray it on my snake boots.

Burn citronella.

Im trying to grow lemon grass around the yard. Im really bad about watering things so Ive had to replenish a lot. Im also adding as many herbs around the house as I can, reducing grass in the landscape.

And of course drink a lot of water and if you get hot, get out of the sun.

I try to approach life on my ranch and in my wellness services from a Epicurean philosophy and try to implement things I have to do to align with things I enjoy doing. Such as having a small number of goats enough to clear the brush but not so many I am overwhelmed by caring for them, while running a business and working a full-time job outside of that.

The difference between hedonism, doing things just for pleasure, whereas Epicureanism is finding pleasure in simple living.

Be well!

Liz Jones is the owner of Liz Jones Wellness LLC, in Hunt and Rockwall counties, and is building Jones Wellness Ranch north of Greenville. She can be reached at Liz@LizJones.co or through her website at LizJones.co.

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TO YOUR HEALTH: Keeping it simple in summertime - Herald-Banner