Oh, honey! You add it to your tea. You cook and bake with it. You may even keep a fresh jar in the medicine cabinet to use on minor burns and other wounds.

People have relied on honey’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties for millennia, and twenty-first century scientific research backs up the traditional uses. You’ll now also find honey on the ingredients list of many skin care products.

Why Manuka?

Although pure honey of any kind may have some healing properties, quality and concentration vary. The blossoms of the manuka shrub (Leptospermum scoparium), plentiful in New Zealand and Australia, produce a superior antibacterial honey.

How It Works

In addition to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and healing properties, manuka honey is a humectant, which means it helps the skin retain moisture. It also acts as an antioxidant, taming free radicals to protect the skin from premature aging.

The enzymes in raw manuka honey make it a natural exfoliant. You don’t need grit to remove dead skin cells and reveal smooth skin.

Alone or in a Combo

Use pure, raw manuka honey by itself as a cleanser or face mask. Health coach and beauty blogger Elizabeth Rider suggests spreading honey on clean skin and letting it work for 20 minutes before rinsing off. 

Or try manuka honey in combination with other ingredients in facial and body cleansers, masks, serums, and moisturizers. You’ll find manuka honey paired with fruit enzymes such as apricot and papaya or with skin favorites aloe vera, vitamin E, shea butter, and even cannabidiol (CBD).

Cautions

If you have an allergy to bee stings or to pollen, consult your dermatologist or healthcare provider before trying manuka honey skin preparations.

Until the age of 12 months, little ones may be susceptible to developing infant botulism from ingesting honey. To be safe, avoid using manuka or any honey on an infant’s skin.  

After a long day of walking or standing, a foot bath may be just what you need. But foot soaks offer more than relief for sore or tired feet. They also offer benefits for mental health.

Warm Up to Calm Down

Certified Ayurvedic practitioner Veena Haasl-Blilie, MA, says that studies have shown that “blood flow can increase by up to 50 percent when feet are warmed.” The increased circulation reduces stress, eases tension, and warms “not only your feet, but all of you.” Soaking your feet for a half-hour before bed “calms the nervous system,” thereby improving the quality of your sleep, she says.

“The warmth from the footbath can stimulate the release of endorphins, uplifting your mood,” says Haasl-Blilie, citing a study that found reduced anxiety from 20 minutes of a warm foot soak.

Add Epsom Salt and Herbs

Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, is a welcome addition to a foot bath. Magnesium appears to enhance mental and neurological well-being, relieving the symptoms of depression.

A study of stroke patients found better mood, reduced stress, and a higher level of sleep satisfaction with a combination of foot soaks and aromatherapy. The study authors cited their use of juniper, lavender, orange, patchouli, and rosemary, all of which “alleviate the mental fatigue of the nervous system,” they said.

Another foot-bath study found that essential oil of Lindera umbellata, also called Lu, increased the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system and released negative mood states. The authors recommend this intervention as a “useful nursing care therapy.”

How to Enhance Relaxation

Soaking your feet is a good time to avoid looking at a screen: Enjoy a cup of calming herbal tea instead. Cleveland Clinic Health names chamomile, lavender, and valerian root as the top three teas for relaxation and sleep.

Other good tea choices for rest and relaxation include passionflower, magnolia, and lemon balm, “especially if they get you into the routine habit of winding down before bed,” according to Cleveland Clinic staff.

All Hallows’ Eve is supposed to be fun—and scary. But not because of all the artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives found in typical Halloween treats.

For decades, one of the scariest things about Halloween was all the scarily unhealthy candies out there. Why? Too much sugar can make a trick-or-treater more susceptible to colds and the flu due to compromised immune systems. 

What’s a self-respecting trick-or-treater to do in the face of such temptation? Since the goal of most kids is to get the maximum amount of candy they can, help them to enjoy the holiday without it being all about the sugary loot.

Easy Tricks for Halloween Nutrition

• Eat a Real Meal First

  Serve a healthy and filling meal before trick-or-treating begins. Kids will be less likely to binge on candy with a full stomach. Serve a warm, comforting food such as chili, soup, or stew before heading out for the evening.

• Put a Limit on the Haul

  To cut down on excess amounts of candy, limit the number of houses your child visits. Consider reducing the size of the bag your child can use for trick-or-treating. Once it’s full, put it out of reach at home.

• Munch in Moderation

  Set a limit to how many treats the kids can enjoy, and always make sure they eat only a small amount along with something healthy—like an apple. Have them eat the fruit first, so they’ll be less hungry for the treat.

• Offer Healthy Options

  If you’re hosting a Halloween party, don’t put out bowls of candy—that’s too tempting. Instead fill decorative trays with these healthier options: individually wrapped packages of granola bars, dried fruit, fruit leather, fruit ropes, string cheese, whole-grain pretzels, baked chips, and nuts. Roasted pumpkin seeds offer something crunchy to nibble on, and popcorn balls made with nut butter and sweetened with honey, maple syrup, or raisins are a tasty—and still sweet—offering. For something to drink, serve individual-sized boxes of fruit juice with no added sugar.

• Get Creative

  When trick-or-treaters come knocking, offer them non-food items. Fun suggestions include sparkly pencils and erasers, Halloween-themed bookmarks, sugar-free gum sweetened with Stevia, inexpensive costume jewelry, stickers, funny glasses, pages from coloring books, mini magnifying glasses, toothbrushes, jump ropes, temporary tattoos, and balls.

• Consider Transmission-Free Meals

  If you’re worried about transmitting viruses, germs, or allergens to guests, the CDC recommends avoiding a buffet-like meal and asking guests to bring their own holiday snack instead. This limits sharing, enables you to cook only what you want, and also prevents the spread of harmful bacteria or ingredients.

• Remember the ABCs for a Healthy Halloween

  With all the busy-ness of Halloween, it can be hard to remember all the nutritional and safety tips on this list. To make it easier, here are three ways to keep your wits about you.

  • Avoid Sugar-Filled Candy

    Offer non-candy treats, such as Halloween-themed pencils and eras-ers. Give trick-or-treaters a reason to be physically active by handing out sidewalk chalk, jump ropes or hacky sacks.

  • Believe in All-Natural Treats

    If you must deliver the goodies, buy all-natural treats, such as organic lollipops, squeezable yogurt tubes, unsweetened gum, or pre-packed fruits and veggies. Clementines are another good option. Your local organic or natural food store has plenty of choices. If it is chocolate you crave, consider organic dark chocolates. After all, dark chocolate has many health benefits.

  • Cultivate Mindfulness

    Use the occasion to cultivate a healthier and more mindful attitude. While mindfulness will allow you to think more about what your family is eating, it will also help you think more consciously about preventing germ transmission.

Some 44 million have low bone density, or osteopenia, which puts them at an increased risk of fractures.

Things you can do to protect yourself include ensuring that your diet includes enough protein, calcium, and vitamin D; avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol intake; keeping your weight at a body mass index above 19; and staying active.

Weight-bearing activities

Strengthening bones can be as easy as walking, dancing, climbing hills or stairs, hiking, or jogging, all of which require no equipment. More vigorous activities, including tennis, pickleball, basketball, and volleyball, which involve running, stops and starts, and direction changes, strengthen the bones.

Yoga and t’ai chi, although they don’t involve high impact, are both weight-bearing and lower the risk of falls because they improve balance.

Plain old jumping, which goes by the fancy name plyometrics, increases benefits to bones. The American Journal of Health Promotion published a study that showed increased hip density after only four months of jumping 10 times twice a day and a significant increase with upping the jumps to 20 times. Those in the study rested 30 seconds between each jump.

Resistance- and strength-training

In addition to weight-bearing exercises, strength-training (using as resistance either your body weight or dumbbells) makes your muscles stronger, which protects and strengthens the bones.

Aim for two to three sessions per week, with 48 hours of rest between sessions. Try squats, lunges, side leg lifts, modified pushups, and planks, and then move on to strength-training with dumbbells, performing bench presses, squats, deadlifts, rows, biceps curls, and overhead presses.

Try the biceps curl

Stand up tall, with your chest lifted, abdominals tight, and shoulders down and back. Hold weights down at your sides, palms facing forward. Slowly bending your elbows, lift the weights to your shoulders to a count of four. Hold for two. Lower the weights slowly, to a count of four, back to starting position.

Do 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, resting for 60 seconds between sets.

A few words of caution

Consult with your healthcare practitioner before starting any exercise program, especially if you have osteoporosis or osteopenia.

Begin every workout with a warm-up session (e.g., walking, marching in place, swinging your arms) and end with a cooldown like walking.

Stay hydrated.

Ah, when the days of summer are lazy, hazy, and making people crazy—with hay fever. Ragweed allergies hit hard this at this time of year. The unfortunates are easy to spot—their coughing, watery eyes, sneezing, and fatigue give them away. Among the sufferers are a growing number of middle-aged people who’ve never had hay fever before. Why the sudden uptick of seasonal allergies in the middle aged?

Why Allergies Develop During Middle Age

Allergy experts posit several reasons. Air pollution has been found to work synergistically with allergens to create more hay fever symptoms. There have also been increasing levels of pollen counts—both in terms of daily averages and “number of days when pollen exceeds a certain limit,” said Harsan Arshad, professor of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Southampton, in an interview with the Telegraph. In the past, an allergic response may not have been triggered because pollen levels were lower.

Climate change is also causing an increase in allergies. The Union of Concerned Scientists reported that “[c]arbon dioxide, the heat-trapping gas that is the primary cause of our warming planet, increases the growth rate of many plants and increases the amount and potency of pollen. Rising temperatures extend the growing season and the duration of allergy season.”

Fortunately, there are many ways to fight hay fever naturally.

Natural Remedies for Hay Fever

• Butterbur & Nettles as an Antihistamine

  Extracts of the herbs stinging nettle and butterbur help relieve seasonal allergy symptoms. Nettle decreases inflammation and acts as an antihistamine. Butterbur also works as an antihistamine, and research shows it can be as effective as Zyrtec and Allegra—without as much drowsiness or fatigue.

  If you want to try butterbur, look for Petadolex; this is a special extract of the herb that removes the liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids from its roots.

• Garlic for Sinus Congestion

  This common kitchen herb helps treat allergy-related sinus congestion and coughs. With more than 70 active ingredients, garlic can also help reduce inflammation and boost the immune system.

  Other remedies for seasonal allergies include Pycnogenol, a pine bark extract rich in antioxidants, and bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple that can reduce nasal swelling and inflammation.

• Medicinal Mushrooms for Immunity

  “Allergies occur when the immune system is irritated and malfunctioning, eliciting an immune response to otherwise harmless substances,” said herbalist Maria Noël Groves. “Over time, you may be able to decrease incendiary inflammation and retrain the immune system so that you’re less reactive to pollen.”

  To do so, Groves recommends medicinal mushrooms including reishi, chaga, and shiitake, as well as astragalus root. All appear to strengthen the immune system, she said.

Homeopathy v. Hay Fever

Researchers have found certain homeopathic treatments help with hay fever. One study showed that hay fever symptoms were better reduced by a homeopathic remedy compared to placebo. In another study of patients with hay fever, the authors found that “the homeopathy group had a significant objective improvement in nasal airflow compared with placebo group.”

Several homeopathic medicines, including those manufactured by Boiron, can target specific allergy symptoms. Here are a few to consider.

Nasal congestion: Apis mellifica relieves nasal congestion with stinging pain and swollen nasal mucosa caused by allergies.

Sneezing: Reach for Galphimia glauca, which helps with itchy nose and sneezing fits associated with hay fever.

Eye allergies: Euphrasia officinalis relieves abundant and irritating eye discharge.

General allergy symptoms: Histaminum hydrochloricum is well-known and widely used to ease a variety of allergy symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, and itching.

Burning nasal discharge: Kali iodatum alleviates burning discharge, especially when accompanied by with pain at the base of the nose.

Runny nose: Natrum muriaticum targets a runny nose from allergies with clear, watery discharge that is worse in the morning.

Post-nasal drip: Try Hydrastis canadensis.

Ragweed allergy: Try Ambrosia artemisiaefolia.

Lifestyle Hacks for Hay Fever

In the battle of human versus ragweed, more than herbs are needed. Saline sprays or xylitol sprays help unclog the nose, reduce inflammation, decrease postnasal drip, and flush away allergens. A neti pot works similarly.

Wraparound sunglasses can protect eyes from pollen as can eye drops. During a high pollen day, take a shower when you get home and change your clothing. Keep windows shut as much as possible. Avoid doing yard work.

Certain foods fight allergies by boosting immunity and triggering allergy-easing processes in your body. In addition to garlic, eat broccoli, citrus fruits, onion, and leafy greens like collards and kale.

Communication is crucial to so much in life. Even the human body requires constant conversations between the organs, muscles, and cells for effective functioning and optimal performance. 

Meet GABA

The body’s neurotransmitters are responsible for sending this continuous information between the brain and other parts of the nervous system. The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter to do this is gamma-aminobutyric acid or GABA, for short. 

GABA’s crucial role is to maintain a balance between the brain’s excitatory and inhibitory signals. When this process works as it should, the brain is able to function at its best, creating a sense of well-being and resilience.

This is why GABA has been nicknamed the calm chemical and is increasingly being explored for help with our modern levels of excessive stress and anxiety.

GABA Deficiency

The body produces GABA through metabolizing dietary protein. Normally, the body produces all that it needs.

However with factors like aging, not enough protein in the diet, and certain medication interactions, GABA’s production can be interrupted.

Symptoms and Conditions

Without GABA to help reduce excessive neural activity, the brain’s cells begin to fire both too easily and too often.

This can lead to a host of issues:

• convulsions
• seizures
• tremors
• cell death

Serious degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases have been linked with GABA deficits and excessive brain activity as well.

Those with epilepsy, insomnia, and anxiety do not produce enough high levels of GABA naturally.

What Causes Low Levels?

When individuals are dealing with chronic stress or depression, GABA transmission throughout the brain can become dysregulated. High-fat diets can be culprit of low GABA activity and reduce levels, as can vitamin B6 deficiencies. 

How Can You Tell If You Have Low GABA?

Most of GABA is in the brain, not the blood. So blood tests can be ineffectual. Spinal taps and biomarker testing can be used, but these are extreme or indirect diagnostic tools.

There are online questionnaires that can identify whether you may have low levels of GABA. Symptoms of low GABA include feeling stressed, burnt out, fearful, or worried; experiencing panic attacks or stiff muscles; or craving carbs, drugs, or alcohol for relaxation and calming.

Benefits of Boosting GABA

Besides promoting a relaxed state and improved well-being, there are other positive effects that can occur from increasing low GABA amounts.

Here are some of them:

• decreased anxiety
• improved long-term memory
• better sleep
• reduced hypertension
• lowered inflammation
• limited effects from histamines
• enhanced mood

How to Increase GABA

Fortunately, there are natural ways to boost this neurotransmitter.

• Exercise

  Exercise can increase concentrations of GABA. 

• Meditation

  Meditation helps too. In a 2021 study, long-time practitioners of Integrated Amrita Meditation (IAM) were shown to have higher levels of GABA in their blood when compared to those who did not practice the technique.

• Diet and Nutrition

  Consuming certain foods and beverages can help GABA levels or enhance their activity. Some items to consider include:

  • spinach
  • tomatoes
  • potatoes
  • beans
  • green tea
  • nuts
  • seeds
  • whole grains
  • halibut
  • citrus fruits
  • oats
  • broccoli
  • bananas
  • pineapples
  • guavas

• Supplements

  Generally advertised as a natural tranquilizer, supplemental GABA is available in powder, capsule, tablet, or liposomal spray form.

  If you consider these products, know that some may be combined with vitamin B6, lemon balm, ashwagandha, or L-theanine to increase beneficial effects and absorption.

Grilling can be a healthy way to enjoy food. Just look at our favorite summer grilling recipes!

But when meat, poultry, or fish are grilled at high temperatures, chemicals known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are produced. Research shows that these may pose a cancer risk.

But there’s no need to put away the grill! Follow these easy tips to help minimize risk.

Safe Grilling Tips

• Clean Before and After

  Burn off any residue on the grill grates both before and after grilling by scrubbing it away with a stiff-bristled grill brush.

• Skip The Fat and Cook Slowly

  Choose lean meat cuts and trim excess fat. Cook large cuts slowly and at a lower temperature.

• Use Marinades on Your Meat

  Marinades can decrease HCA formation by more than 90 percent. Some of the ingredients in marinades even act as protective antioxidants.

How to Tell When Grilled Foods are Ready

Before removing food from the grill, measure its temperature:

1. Insert a food thermometer into the thickest part of the cut.
2. Make sure the thermometer’s not touching any bone, fat, or gristle.

FDA Safe Temperature Minimums

Here is a listing of minimum safe temperatures, as determined by the FDA.

Playing outdoors is one of the joys of childhood. It’s so much fun, in fact, that kids often can’t be bothered to stop for a drink of water.

Keeping water handy, and encouraging kids to drink regularly, can help keep them hydrated and feeling their best.

Dehydration in Children

Children’s bodies don’t adjust as well to high temperatures as they will later in life, so the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke is greater for children.

The younger the child, the greater the risk. Very young children may not have the language skills to explain what’s causing them discomfort when they’re thirsty, and at that age they are not usually in control of whether they stay outside or go in.

Even older children and teens may become so involved in a game that they don’t realize how thirsty they have become.

Hot or humid weather and vigorous activity increase fluid needs, making regular water breaks particularly important.

Signs of Dehydration

Children aren’t likely to recognize the warning signs of dehydration—they’re too busy having fun. So it’s up to parents, coaches, and caregivers to monitor them and watch for the warning signs before trouble occurs.

Keep an eye out for:

• dry lips or a dry, sticky mouth
• thirst
• fewer bathroom breaks or wet diapers
• dark-colored urine
• fewer tears when crying
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• headache
• tiredness or unusual sleepiness
• muscle cramps
• irritability

Confusion, fainting, or severe weakness can signal a more serious heat-related illness and require prompt medical attention.

Treating Dehydration

• Take Shelter

  If you notice any symptoms of dehydration, take the child out of the sun and into a cool place as soon as possible.

• Rehydrate

  Encourage the child to sip cool water. For most everyday activity and play, water is the best hydration choice.

  Dehydration caused by vomiting or diarrhea calls for a commercial oral rehydration solutions that can replace both fluids and electrolytes. 

• Skip Soda

  Water is a better hydration choice than soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages. Avoid sugary drinks as well as beverages containing caffeine or other stimulants.

How Much Water Do Kids Need?

New expert recommendations for children and teens ages 5 to 18 suggest these daily ranges for plain drinking water:

• Ages 5-8: 16-40 ounces (2-5 cups)
• Ages 9-13: 22-61 ounces (roughly 2.75 - 7.5 cups)
• Ages 14-18: 29-88 ounces (3.5 to 11 cups)

When to Hydrate, and How Much to Drink

Heat-induced illness is preventable, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Children should drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after playing or exercising.

• For most periods of time under an hour, water is usually sufficient.
• If children are playing or exercising for longer, especially in hot and humid weather, try an electrolyte drink like a low-sugar sports drink or electrolyte tablet added to water.

One DIY electrolyte option is a chilled serving of coconut water. 

Other Tips for Staying Cool

• Beat the Sun and Heat

  Have children practice sports early in the day, before the heat builds, or later, when it’s cooler.

• Dress Lightly

  Dress them in lightweight, light-colored clothing.

• Get Acclimated

  Young athletes should acclimate to the heat over the course of two weeks by engaging in workouts that slowly increase in intensity and duration.

  For sports that require bulky equipment, children should practice in light clothing for several days to get acclimated, and avoid heavy gear on hot days.

• Drink Up!

  On hot days, children engaged in sports need a drink about every 20 minutes.

  The AAP recommends at least 5 ounces for those under 90 pounds and 9 ounces for those weighing more than 130 pounds. (One ounce equals approximately two kid-size gulps.)

Summer is finally here, and chances are your skin is going to be on display — no more hiding under bulky sweaters.

Here are some tips to keep your skin looking its best for the beach, the barbeque, and beyond!

How to Keep Skin Hydrated

• Be Careful Cleaning

  It may seem counter-intuitive, but water can rob skin of moisture. Even frequent dips in the pool can cause dryness.

  • Limit Baths and Showers

    This is especially true of very hot water or long showers and baths. It’s best to limit daily shower and bath times to 5 or 10 minutes and use warm — not hot— water.

  • Choose Soap Wisely

    Choose soaps and body washes carefully, as some ingredients can make dry skin worse. Look for gentle, fragrance-free formulas, and avoid products that contain alcohol.

  • Consider an Oat Bath

    One tried-and-true remedy to consider is oats, which contain chemicals called avenanthramides that ease inflammation and redness.

    A great way to maximize oats’ itch-relieving properties is to grind or blend old-fashioned oats and then add to running water as the tub fills. A 15-minute soak should provide relief.

    Commercially prepared oat bath products are also available.

• Moisturize and Repeat

  Slathering moisturizer on dry skin may be an obvious solution, but most of us don’t moisturize enough for the products we use to be effective—once a day isn’t enough.

  Experts suggest up to six applications a day for true protection, which means keeping moisturizer handy or investing in duplicates to stash around the house, office, and anywhere else you might need them.

  Always apply moisturizer immediately after washing.

  Choosing a Moisturizer

  Not just any moisturizer will do, and there are two vocabulary words to learn in order to choose the right product for your needs: emollient and humectant.

  • Emollients

    As cells age, crevices form between them. Emollients help these cells hold together better, and give skin a “slippery” feeling. Jojoba oil is an example of an emollient that is commonly found in moisturizers.

  • Humectants

    Humectants pull moisture from the air onto the surface of your skin, increasing hydration. Hyaluronic acid is one of nature’s best humectants, so look for it in the ingredients list.

  • Thick Soothers

    If your skin is very dry or damaged, look for thicker ingredients such as cocoa or shea butter and beeswax.

• Nourish From the Inside Out

  • Fluid Intake

    Dehydration can be an issue in the summer, so it’s important to be mindful of fluid intake.

    Aim to drink eight cups of water each day to keep your skin looking and feeling its best. It also helps the body clear toxins.

  • Essential Fatty Acids

    Essential fatty acids — commonly found in fish, nuts, and seeds — can help ensure skin stays soft and smooth by protecting it from environmental damage.

    Research suggests that regular supplementation with flaxseed or borage oil can boost skin moisture and soothe rough, scaly patches.

The omega oils are a great dietary or supplemental choice for many reasons, for many people. It's especially true for people who want to keep their skin youthful looking.

But did you know that they also may alleviate some chronic or occasional skin conditions?

How Do Fatty Acids Help Your Skin?

Just how essential to skin health are the so-called essential fatty acids?

Initial Studies on Omega Oils

Nearly 100 years ago, researchers put rats on a no-fat diet. Among other health problems, the rats developed skin abnormalities and transepidermal water loss.

Reintroducing saturated fats did not reverse the skin damage, but when the rats were fed polyunsaturated fatty acids—omega 3s and 6s—the skin issues completely cleared up.

How Omegas Can Help Your Skin

We know now that both 3s and 6s are critical to keeping your skin healthy and looking its best.

• Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to immune function.
• Omega-6 fatty acids contribute to the skin’s structural integrity and to its barrier function.

For Inflammation

Both omegas 3 and 6 can also control inflammatory skin responses.

Most Americans do not get enough gamma linolenic acid (GLA), a powerful anti-inflammatory from the omega-6 family.

Omegas as a Remedy for Skin Flare-ups

If you or a family member deals with a skin condition, consider omegas, especially omega 3s.

In addition to playing a role in the overall health of your skin, they can improve a variety of skin disorders.

Consider the research:

• Acne

  Researchers divided 45 people with mild to moderate acne into three groups:

  • an omega 3 group who received 2,000 milligrams (mg) of eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA
  • a borage oil (omega 6) group who received 400 mg of borage oil
  • a control group

  After 10 weeks of supplementation, they found a significant reduction in lesions in both omega groups.

• Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

  A 2014 meta-analysis of research on atopic dermatitis (known as eczema) suggested that evening primrose oil (an omega 6) and the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may help some sufferers.

  Later, a 2015 German study found omega 3s may help prevent atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema.

• Psoriasis

  Scientists reviewed studies of different dietary supplements used by psoriasis patients, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium, and the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils.

  They found that the fish oils provided the most benefits.

• Rosacea

  In a 2016 randomized, controlled study of people with dry-eye symptoms stemming from rosacea, people were given either omega-3 fatty acids or a placebo twice a day for six months.

  The researchers found the symptoms of those who received the omega 3s significantly improved.

Sources of Omega 3s and Omega 6s

The essential fatty acids can’t be made in the body, so we need to get them through food or supplements.

You can get omegas through the food you eat, as dietary supplements, and even as topical supplements that you apply directly to your skin.

• Omega 3s

  The standard American diet is typically too low in omega 3s.

  Omegas can be found in many foods, but great sources include:

  • dark greens
  • walnuts
  • canola oil
  • flaxseed
  • fatty fish
    • salmon
    • tuna

• Omega 6s

  Most Americans actually consume too much omega-6 fatty acid!

  That's due to its presence in commercially processed vegetable oils and grains.

  Omega 6s can be found in a variety of sources:

  • some high-protein foods, like:
    • meat
    • eggs
    • tofu
  • certain oils, including:
    • safflower oil
    • evening primrose oil
    • borage oil

• Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA)

  Good sources of GLA include:

  • borage oil
  • evening primrose oil
  • black currant seed oil