THERE IS an upside and a downside to summer. While summer brings fun and delight, the season call also take its toll on you, inside and out. Here are some of your answered questions.

My big question is, why do I experience hair loss each time I go on a diet?

Everyone experiences hair loss each day—anywhere from 50-150 strands. However, whether you have new hairs growing to replace the lost ones or not really depends a lot on your genes. This is called male/female pattern baldness.

But new research has shown that there are specific nutrients determining hair regrowth, especially in women. Iron loss contributes to hair loss due to menstruation, poor diet and trauma. With a low level of iron, the body stops producing hair.

Consider a supplementation of 18 mg of iron and 500 mg of vitamin C (for better iron absorption). Remember that what you eat can affect your hair health.

A main culprit of hair loss is crash dieting. Gradual weight loss of 1 lb a week is best—not 20 pounds in 3 months. Go slow. Natural iron sources are moringa (malunggay), red meat and broccoli.

Medical alert: Avoid iron overload by sticking to the daily value of 18 mg. A hair tonic called Novuhair contains hair-strengthening combinations of aloe vera, biotin, peppermint, virgin coconut oil and rosemary is an effective treatment for hair loss.

I am a sun worshipper. In spite of the sunscreen, I have serious sunburn. What do I do?

If you still intend to bake yourself under the sun, try to stick to the following rules:

o Avoid the extremely hot hours where ultraviolet rays are strongest—11-3 pm.

o Wear sunblock and reapply on your skin after every dip in the sea.

o Despite these measures, you cannot possibly block off 100 percent of damaging ultraviolet rays. Maybe if you used an umbrella and covered yourself with a towel, this could work. Experts say you can start by limiting your time in the sun. Trim down your sun exposure by one to two hours each day. The midday sun is the cruelest punishment on your skin.

o Try oral supplements like vitamin E, C and selenium, which can improve the efficiency of sunscreen. These antioxidants neutralize free radicals caused by sun exposure. Constant exposure to the sun depletes your skin’s supply of these vitamins and minerals.

o Avoid certain foods that make your skin more sensitive to the sun, like carrots, limes, celery and parsley, which contain psoralen chemicals that contribute to skin sun sensitivity. While you may be tempted to rub an orange on your skin so that you get a vitamin C fruit shield on your skin, this is not going to work. Vitamin C is very unstable and must be inside a special preparation. Natural sources of C, like citrus, can help with your vitamin intake, either eaten as a fruit or juice.

o Zinc oxide, the white stuff worn by surfers and life guards, is a strong sun protectant. It acts as a physical blocker of ultraviolet rays. Most sun blocks already carry zinc oxide.

o If your sunburn hurts, try splashing your skin with a solution of native vinegar and water (2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp water) or apply a piece of peeled fresh aloe vera directly on the skin. If you like, chill several slices of its fleshy meat in the ref and rub onto your skin after your tanning session. An instant skin saver is olive oil. After your shower, lightly rub a film of this rich moisturizing oil on your skin. It will rehydrate your skin and speed up healing.

After attending summer parties, I experienced joint pain and swelling in my knees. What could it be?

It is called the disease of indulgence. This means that a little excess may be fun, but you end up paying the price. Gout, a form of arthritis, occurs when crystals of uric acid form in the fluid surrounding a joint—a toe, foot, wrist, or knee. The attack happens more often at night. And if you will observe your habits, swelling occurs after a bout of drinking alcohol or over eating of red meat, which are rich in purines, protein components that are converted to uric acid. The purin-rich foods are shellfish, liver, veal, lamb, anchovies, sardines and mackerel. However, beware of low-calorie diets. Starving yourself also increases blood levels of uric acid as your body begins breaking down tissues.

o Dietary treatment: go vegetarian for a while.

o Stay away from alcohol and red meats.

o Drink lots of water to prevent your kidney from forming uric acid crystals.

o If you are overweight, go on a gradual weight loss program.

o When suffering a bout of gout, avoid vitamin C and niacin. which increase uric acid levels.

Affirm today: “The sun shines radiantly in my heart.”

Love and light!

Reference: Prevention’s Healing with Vitamins