Why Should Your Doctor Treat Back Pain Differently in Women?

They say that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, so why do doctors treat their back pain Journal of Pain study release in January 2012, women reported pain levels that were 20% higher on average than men with almost every condition.

the same? Women and men visit the doctor at approximately the same rate when it comes to back pain however new research suggests that women feel pain more intensely than men do. In a

In addition, women’s gait pattern differs from men’s in the fact we swing our hips while walking to add a “sashay” to our walk while men’s hips primarily move up and down. This additional hip movement in women puts a higher demand on our joints and muscles which can cause more complex pain that is harder to treat. Back pain in women is more about the delicate balance of joint motion and muscle stability during motion which, when out of balance, can cause increased pain, muscle spasms, and sciatica (pain into the buttocks or leg). To make matters even more complex, women’s fluctuating hormone levels can also cause joint laxity and increased swelling in joints that aren’t moving properly.

At AlignLife, we customize our treatments to target your specific problem and we pride ourselves on educating you so that you can set health goals and partner with us to meet those goals. I am always excited to see the results of our integrative treatment and love when patients are able to return to an activity they have been missing. My goal is always to reduce your pain and get your body stable so you don’t have the same condition occurring over and over again.

When you have back pain, it can interfere not only with your work and recreational activities but it can affect your relationship with your kids and your husband as well. I’ve seen many women in my office who suffer with pain at work and then come home with such exhaustion from dealing with the chronic pain that they can’t play with their kids or even hold a conversation with their husband. This is no way to live!

I had a patient who was a mother of two and a stay at home mom who had such severe back pain she wasn’t able to pick up her 18 month old daughter or play with her 6 year old son. Her health goal was to not only get rid of her back pain but to play in the backyard with her kids. With a treatment combination of chiropractic care for pain relief, home exercises to strengthen muscles, and nutrition enhancement to improve healing, we were able to get her pain free in 2 weeks and playing soccer with her son in just 6 weeks!

If you’re suffering from back pain, even if it comes and goes, or dealing with pelvic floor issues such as pain during intercourse, incontinence, or even organ prolapse, then you need to call AlignLife to setup a consultation to find out what you can start doing today to get your body back in order.

Resources:
1) Smith et al. "Gender Differences in Pelvic Motions and Center of Mass Displacement During Walking: sterotypes quantified." Journal of Women's Health Gender Based Medicine. June 2002 11(5):453-8
2) Hunt et al. "Do Women Consult more than men? A review of gender and consultation for back pain and headache." Journal of Health Services Res & Policy. April 2011 16 (2): 108-117
3) Maserejian et al. "Disparities in physicians interpretations of heart disease symptoms by patient gender: results of a video vignette factorial experiment." Journal of Women's Health Oct 2009 18(10): 1661-7

Andrea Schnowske, D.C. is a local chiropractor at AlignLife that specializes in family wellness with a specific interest in women. AlignLife is a chiropractic and natural health center that has been serving the community since 2007 and has locations in seven states. They are located at the corner of Glen Ave and Sheridan Rd in Peoria IL and are open six days a week including Saturdays. 

Plastic is Poisoning Your Kids

There have been whispers about the harms of plastic and BPA for children for years but a recent study published in Pediatrics journal shows the direct harm to children specifically. Many families have already switched to bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalate free products and are avoiding plastic wraps like the plague but you need to take more steps than just that! Read on to learn how to protect your family and reduce your risk for many health problems they create.

BPA and phthalates such as Di-2-ethylphthalate (DEHP) are chemicals used in most plastics products and can also be found at high levels in processed foods. They are responsible for that "plastic-like" smell of new car, new carpet, new toys, new bottle, and even new pacifiers. Many of the plastic wraps or tupperware containers that you place on your food can also pass these chemicals on. These chemicals are endocrine disrupting chemicals that can alter your hormones and even be stored inside the body to cause long lasting toxic effects. It is very important to reduce your family's exposure so that these chemicals don't permanently alter hormone levels or effect development for children.

The study I mentioned above in Pediatrics has linked phthalates to insulin resistance which is a sugar balance disorder that causes blood sugar to be unstable. This can cause issues with mood, hormones, and can also lead to diabetes and heart problems in ALL family members, not just kids. The study also found a link between BPA and obesity where body fat and waistlines were larger in children with higher BPA exposure levels.

So how can you protect your family?

1.  Don't heat your food while it is in plastic containers or covered with plastic wrap. Switch it over to a microwave safe plate or use a paper towel to protect from spatter.

2.  Switch to glass tupperware or look for containers that are labeled BPA and melamine-free.

3. Pack your lunch and your childrens in a traditional paper bag or stainless steel lunch box. Make sure you also look for those reusable BPA-free sandwich and snack wrappers.

4. Avoid buying highly processed foods as they will increase your family's exposure. Try to encourage the whole family to eat fresh foods that grow from the ground as a snack instead of those chips and candy.

5. Check your children's pacifiers and toys for warnings (most toys are required to be labeled with a phthalate warning in California) about phthalate exposure especially if they are toys for children under 3 who are more likely to put them in their mouth. I also recommend airing out and washing plastic toys after they've been removed from their plastic so you can decrease the amount of phthalates that will pass onto your kids. (You can also avoid plastic toys all together by switching to great wooden products from companies such as Melissa & Doug. These are a favorite at my house.)

Resource:
Trasande et al. "Urinary Phthalates and Increased Insulin Resistance in Adolescents" Pediatrics. August 19 2013

How To Reduce Your Risk of Induction and C-section Without Medication

I meet soon-to-be-mothers all the time and they are always worried about one thing, delivering their baby

safely. With the rates of Caesarean section (C-section) on the rise over the past 15 years, they have every right to be concerned with reducing their risk factors. According to a study from the  World Health Organization, when a country's rate of C-section rises over 15% so does the maternal death rate. This means that our current C-section rate in the US (32%) is causing unnecessary death in women and it can be calculated that 45% of all maternal death is associated with C-section.

So what can you do to prevent C-section for your delivery? It's very important that you stay informed on ways to prevent pelvic misalignment that can cause delivery issues, the risks of induction, and natural methods to keep your labor progressing to prevent the need for an epidural. For natural methods of labor progression, talk to your provider about labor and breathing techniques, stretching, herbs and essential oils, and massage or setup a consultation in my office to discuss techniques you may not be familiar with. I can also help refer you to a great doula near you that can help make your birth experience amazing.

Pelvic misalignment can cause serious issues for the progression of labor because the uterus is attached to the bones of the lumbar spine, the ilium (hip bones), and the sacrum (tail bone); this means that if there is any misalignment of the pelvis or the lumbar vertebra the uterus can twist which can cause intrauterine constriction and make it hard for mom to push baby in the right direction. It is HIGHLY important for all soon-to-be-mothers to get their spine and pelvis checked by a chiropractor who is trained to treat pregnant women and to engage in regular pelvic and hip stretching exercises to keep the pelvis open. To the left find a picture detailing the small spaces in the pelvis outlet, as you can see the smallest misalignment of these bones can cause the pelvic opening to become oval shape which can cause issues with baby exiting the pelvis during delivery. If you'd like a handout of some great pelvic stretches to keep your pelvis open and aligned, shoot me an email at aschnowske@alignlife.com and I can make some recommendations and help you keep things moving in the right direction.

 The second prevention step I mentioned above is knowing risks of induction. In many cases today I see pregnant women coerced and forced into having an induction to speed things up for two reasons:
1) baby may be too big to fit through the pelvis
2) they are overdue and doctor is worried the placenta is aging
This makes me so angry, because in most cases these women don't need an induction and inducing labor when baby and mom aren't ready can increase risk of injury to mom and baby and can also increase risk of C-section.

To address the first we have to refer back to the pelvic picture above, see that little pink colored tissue between the bones at the top of the pelvis? This is called your pubis symphysis, it's a piece of cartilage which loosens with delivery hormones and allows the pelvis opening to expand a minimum of 3mm to allow for bigger babies to pass. Your body is designed to expand to allow baby to pass through! However if a women's pelvis is misaligned and does not allow for this tissue to expand as needed or in the case of induction when those hormones may not be at the right levels to allow this tissue to stretch, then there may be issues with baby getting hung up in the pelvis and causing baby's heart rate to drop. THIS is a case when C-section may be indicated so no injury is caused to baby, however I've also seen laboring women be adjusted by a chiropractor to realign these bones and get labor progressing along naturally again. Another issue that I find with telling mom that baby will be too big is the fact that ultrasound CAN NOT, I will repeat CAN NOT estimate your baby's weight and can be off by 2 lbs or MORE. So I empower you to be informed and talk to you provider about your concerns of induction if this is the reason they cite

To address the second, let's talk about the placenta. The placenta is designed to nourish baby throughout the pregnancy and keep the fluids inside at the correct level so baby can move around. Your due date is an estimate that can be off about 2 weeks, so in fact your placenta may have 2 weeks left of life after you reach your due date! One really great way to find out if your placenta is still on track, is to look at fluid levels on the ultrasound. If the fluid levels are in the normal range before or after your due date, changes are high that baby is still getting everything they need and still waiting to time their appearance for when they are good and ready. In rare cases there are some genetic factors that cause the placenta to deteriorate sooner than it is supposed to, but in these times not only will fluid levels be out of range but usually baby's growth with slow and your provider will let you know of the risks. This is a time when induction (provided baby's heart rate is ok) or C-section can be a viable option to keep baby safe.

So what is induction and what should you expect? When labor is induced, either the placental fluids are forcefully broken and/or a medication is given to force strong contractions to begin. When the placental fluids are broken, bacteria can be introduced into the womb which can increase risk of infection for baby and also take away the fluid cushion that can prevent head trauma to baby if they get stuck in the pelvis during labor. If medication is used, this causes abnormally strong contractions that first of all don't allow for mom's tissues to expand naturally and can increase the risk of pain and tearing for mom and these contractions can also occur so quickly that it doesn't allow baby to get into the right position to pass safely through the pelvis which can increase the risk for head trauma for baby.

These factors together can severely increase the risk of the need for C-section after labor induction. In fact a study from the women's health research unit at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, found that out of 281 pregnancies of 36 weeks or greater that had labor induced, 83% of these mothers received an epidural (this numbs the body from the waist down and if given too much medication can make it impossible for women to feel when to push or push effectively). They found that the C-section rate for these 223 women that received an epidural was 30% compared to 8% for the 48 that didn't receive an epidural. In addition, they found that the timing of the epidural, early (before 4 cm dilation) or late (after 4 cm dilation) was also a great indicator if mom would need a C-section. According to Ms. Rincon, a senior research assistant involved in the study, after adjusting effects of age, race, BMI, parity, and Bishop score, the risk for C-section was DOUBLED with early vs late epidural.

So what can we take from all this information? Well first of all, I am not trying to scare you into not getting an induction or having an epidural or avoiding C-section like a plague and putting yourself or your baby at risk. I am merely trying to give you information to understand when an induction or C-section may be indicated and ways you can get involved in INFORMED DECISION when it comes to your birth. If you aren't sure or don't understand explanations or procedures your provider is recommending, you need to ask questions until you feel comfortable to tell your provider if you want to proceed with this procedures. If your provider isn't willing to answer your questions or gets angry that you aren't following their recommendation, then you may need to question if you need to find a different provider that is willing to support you through your pregnancy and guide you to make the best and most informed decisions for your family. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me by email aschnowke@alignlife.com or call 309-689-6200 to setup a consultation (phone consultations are also an option) to discuss your concerns.

Have a great and healthy day!!

Roundup Pesticide Causing Harm to Cows and Our Health

Monsanto's Roundup pesticide, or glyphosate, has been known to cause harm to the environment, to our family's health, and now to dairy cows!

A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology studied 30 dairy cows in Denmark and found that 100% of all cow urine samples showed cell toxicity, organ damage, and mineral depletion. They found that every cow involved in the study had some level of Roundup in their system and determined that Roundup consumption for these cows is toxic to their health.

So how did these cows get Roundup in their system? Roundup that is sprayed on crops will seep into the ground and bind to important minerals like cobalamin (B12) and manganese as well as being taken up into the plants roots. This means that the mineral content of our soil and crops will be depleted and the pesticide residing in the plant can be fed to humans and other animals that may act as a food source for people around the world. Typically dairy cows in the US get exposed to this from breathing air that is active with pesticide overspray, eating contaminated grass when out to pasture, and from their feed which is typically made from pesticide laden GMO crops. The Danish cows involved in the study however were fed with imported GMO crops from the US since Denmark does not allow farmers to grow GMO crops from Monsanto.

What does this mean for your family's health? Well let's look at the cycle.... Pesticides are being sprayed, soil quality declines, crops grown in this soil are deficient in essential nutrients, cows are getting chronic disease from pesticide exposure and mineral deficiency, and your family is consuming the tainted milk, mineral deficient crops, and eating beef from cow's ridden with chronic diseases.

Can you see where you can run into a problem here?? Well I've got some suggestions for you and your family to help avoid pesticides and improve your health.

1) Buy organic fruits and vegetables when possible or grow your own from organic seeds. Buying organic is a more expensive but the more you can decrease your family's exposure to toxic pesticides, the better able your body will be to detoxify and remove those chemicals from your body. Growing your own is definitely no walk in the park and it does take work to plant, tend, and harvest but the payoff is great because you'll know exactly what goes in to growing them and cooking them too! A great tip would be to team up with local family, friends, and neighbors to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables and trading or to join a local co-op to team up and grow fresh goodies at a discount price.

2) Find a local farm that upholds high standards in the treatment and food of their livestock. Check out Local Harvest to find a farm near you. I'd recommend finding an organic farm (that doesn't use pesticides on their crops/grass) that allows their livestock room to graze on grass and possibly even allow you to buy a bulk package of some type that includes cuts of chickens, beef, pork, etc. Some may even have fruits and vegetables shares for purchase too so you can get organic meats and greens!

3) Cleanse your body at least once a year. This can help your body get rid of the toxins and pesticides that have been stored in your body over the past year and allow your energy production, hormones, and metabolism to get back on track! I personally recommend the 10 day AlignLife Ultimate Body Cleanse. There is only one fasting day but the included supplements can get your insulin and blood sugar stable while correcting your gut and getting rid of cravings.

If you've never done a cleanse before I'd highly recommend attending an Ultimate Body Cleanse Workshop in our office which takes place on the second Monday of every month. We will discuss why you'd want to do a cleanse, what the benefits are, and what the Ultimate Body Cleanse entails!

Natural Depression Management without the Dangerous Antidepressant Wellbutrin

Women are twice as likely to suffer from depression than men during their lifetime and about 20% of women are usually formally diagnosed. Some of these mood changes and depressed feelings can be attributed to hormone changes but many women may be prescribed an antidepressant medication that can set them up for a lifetime of dependence and harmful side effects.

In addition, about 15% of mothers suffer from postpartum depression or the baby blues during the first month after they welcome baby home. For most women small changes in mood after baby can be normal and caused by shifts in hormones due to the fact we no longer have a little one's placenta leaking hormones in our bodies. Many women may turn to their doctor for advice on ways they can ditch the depression and jump back into being a "normal" parent. Depression can be very troublesome and leave mothers feeling frustrated that they may be neglecting their child and even worse that they may be a bad parent.

Well just to set your mind at ease, there is no "right way" to be a parent. I always tell my newly pregnant friends and family members that they'll get tons of advice on how to be a parent and the "right way" to do this or that but ultimately all the advice you get will never work for your child! Every child is different and every family dynamic as well so I usually say that learning how to be a parent is more of a crash course type of experience that you can't explain or really prepare for. Those little ones will flip your life upside down and then grind what's left into the carpet but you'll always have a laugh at a particular thing they did that day or a question that caught you by surprise (and in most cases off guard without any discernable form of an acceptable answer).

But anyways back to the point.... for those women and mothers that are dealing with depression, your doctor may recommend an antidepressant to help get your mood back on track. I highly caution you to do your research on the medication before you begin any regiment especially if you are breastfeeding as many of these medications can pass into breast milk. One popular medication recommended by doctors today is called Wellbutrin.

Wellbutrin is an antidepressant that was first approved for use in the United States by the FDA in December 1985. Wellbutrin manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline promised that it would make patients "happy, horny and skinny" and even claimed it could help quit smoking. However due to the large number of seizures that were reported the drug was quickly taken off the market in 1986. It was reintroduced in 1989 and since then has been climbing the charts as the go to antidepressant that acts on increasing brain activity.  Nowadays, Wellbutrin is recommended for not just depression but also Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), abnormal moods, difficulty focusing, and off-label uses such as getting high, weight loss, bipolar depression, Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), pathological gambling, and even sexual dysfunction.

In 2012, the United States Justice Department announced that GlaxoSmithKline was required to pay a $3 billion dollar fine after pleading guilty for misrepresenting and promoting unapproved uses of Wellbutrin for weight loss and sexual dysfunction, and paying kickbacks to doctors such as media physiologist and sex advice guru, Dr. Drew Pinsky of the "Loveline" show. There are also many other lawsuits pending against the manufacturer but with the monetary benefits from the sales of Wellbutrin, it doesn't look like any changes will be made soon.

In this respect, I feel it is my duty to inform pregnant women or those trying to conceive that Wellbutrin has an increased risk for serious birth defects such as heart defects, club feet, reduced testicals, and possibly even retard fetal growth. Even though the Mayo Clinic still recommends Wellbutrin for depression during pregnancy, regulatory agencies from many countries are warning of other side effects such as heart and lung malformations, preterm birth, and other physical defects. In those under 25, there is also an increased risk for suicide.

Some other side effects include:

• headache
• nausea
• vomiting
• uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
• rash or blisters
• itching
• hives
• weight loss
• drowsiness
• excitement
• dry mouth
• dizziness
• constipation
• excessive sweating
• confusion
• hallucinations
• irrational fears
• fever
• swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• hoarseness
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• chest pain
• muscle or joint pain
• rapid, pounding or irregular heartbeat
• seizure

So what can you do to ditch the depression naturally?

1) Get your adrenal gland checked for dysfunction. Due to the chronic stress associated with the traditional American lifestyle, our adrenal gland steals resources that are needed for the correct production of stress adaptive hormones and this can exhibit symptoms of fatigue, weight gain, depression, decreased libido, and mood changes.

2) Make sure you're getting enough sleep. If you're not getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep a night (possibly more depending on your age) then your body is not able to recooperate from the demands of the day. This can lead to a lack of nutrients necessary to upkeep your energy production and support the hormones that dictate your mood.

3) Make sure you're getting enough Vitamin D. During the fall and winter months, we get much less time outside and much less sun exposure which can decrease the body's natural production of Vitamin D. In order to make Vitamin D, your body needs cholesterol to convert the inactive D3 form to the active form which helps with bone growth and repair, muscle function, digestion, and mood. If you're currently taking a cholesterol medication, I can guarantee that you're Vitamin D deficient because most cholesterol medications turn off your body's natural cholesterol production which is needed to make Vitamin D active and if you're taking a cheap Vitamin D supplement I can almost guarantee its Vitamin D3 which your body can't convert. A great way to make sure you're getting enough is to take about 800 IU of an active form of Vitamin D daily. Check out AlignLife's Active D.

4) Take a supplement designed to increase your body's natural production of Serotonin. Serotonin is the "happy hormone" your brain produces to keep your mood elevated, keep you focused, help you sleep, and even relieve anxiety. AlignLife's 5-HTP has been shown to reduce depression, anxiety, insomnia, help relieve chronic migraines and ADHD symptoms. I have helped many of my patients reduce and discontinue their antidepressant medications with the use of this supplement.

Resources:

1. Hensley S "Glaxo To Plead Guilty to 3 Charges in Sweeping Health Settlement." NPR.org July 2012

2. Information about bupropion [Wellbutrin] National Institutes of Health

3. Stretch K "Antidepressants Get FDA's Black Box Warning" Dynamic Chiropractic Nov 2004

4. Peterson DM. "Crime Does Pay - Big: GlaxoSMithKline Fined $3 Billion; Stock Rises" Dynamic Chiropractic Sept 2012

5 Whalen J "Dr. Drew Was Paid BY Glaxo; Radio Host Extolled Virtures of Antidepressant After Attending Events for Firm" The Wall Street Journal July 2012

6. Steel S " Side Effects from Big Pharma: Wellbutrin-Dangerous for You and Your Baby"

Everyone should Get Crackin with Pistachios

Everyone has heard about pistachios from those snappy "Get Crackin' " commercials that have been all over the radio and TV. These little guys are great for helping to keep a healthy heart with lower lipids and more antioxidants and according to new research they are also great for digestion too!

According to the most recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition and the newest research from the Institute of Food Research in the UK, nearly ALL of the polyphenols (a type of antioxidant that helps to lower inflammation that can contribute to heart disease) in pistachios are released during digestion. These same antioxidants can be found in fruits and vegetable but due to many factors (including the scary though of figuring out a recipe that will taste good and include all of our family's vegetable servings for the day) prevent Americans from eating their daily recommended intake of 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables.

Previous studies from the University of Pennsylvania have also linked pistachio intake to lowering cholesterol levels and raising the antioxidants in the blood to help us keep healthier cholesterol levels and prevent the oxidation (process responsible for making cholesterol sticky so it can gum up our arteries) of the cholesterol in our blood. According to Penny Kris-Etherton, a professor of nutrition at University of Penn, "our results [from previous studies on pistachios] suggest that a heart-healthy diet including pistachios contributes to a decrease in serum oxidized-LDL levels, in part through cholesterol lowering, and also due to an added benefit of the antioxidants in the pistachios."

So for those of you who don't have some pistachios in your snack drawer,  GET CRACKING!!!

PS: Make sure the ones you have at home aren't on the recalled list of pistachio products that are contaminated with Salmonella. Here's the link to find out if they are > http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/salmonella-peanut-butter-47011501

Resources:

1. http://www.chiroeco.com/chiropractic/news/14186/54/pistachios-all-theyre-cracked-up-to-be-/
2. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100520092942.htm

9 Essential Home Remedies for Summer

Summer ailments are such a bother but the great news is that you don't have to spend a lot of money to keep the family safe and healthy! I've got a few home remedies to share that you probably already have lying around the house!

1.) OUCH! I got a sunburn.
White vinegar is an essential for the kitchen, cleaning, and now your medicine cabinet too! It can help to ease the pain, ditch the itch, and prevent blisters from forming on areas of sunburn. I recommend applying with cotton ball or paper towel and soaking for about 10-15 minutes. You can also dab on some olive oil after the alcohol treatment to help that skin heal and bounce back faster with the Omega-3s that are essential for skin healing!

2.) My skin just looks OLD with all these sun or age spots!
Before you go to bed I recommend scrubbing with a lemon and loofah. (Don't do this in the morning because one of the extra compounds in lemon can darken when exposed to light.) The lemon's citric acid can help to exfoliate as it dissolves the darkened and dead skin cells. Lemons also have a healthy dose of Vitamin C to help prevent further skin damage and restore that baby soft skin.

3.) AHH! We itch all over from mosquitos!
Grab a banana and split it up with the family but save that peel! The inside of the banana peel can be rubbed and held down with a band-aid to help moisturize the skin and calm irritation. Lavender oil can also be used to counteract the mosquito venom so I'd dab a drop or two of that on there too.

4.) Swelling  injury or small cut?
Grab a green tea bag to reduce inflammation and stop the bleeding. Try freezing used tea bags for small and successful ice packs on the go!

5.) Poison Ivy in the Yard?
Prepare a spray of water and rubbing alcohol to spray on your skin before you head out into poison ivy infested areas. Rubbing alcohol can help prevent the oil from poison ivy from spreading over large areas and can help reduce exposure afterwards too. (I recommend a 1:2 ratio of rubbing alcohol to water)

6.) Yellowing Nails?
Soak those nails or dab them with a cotton ball that has been soaked in a peroxide/baking soda mixture. Used over time, this can reduce the yellow color of your nails, freshen your laundry, and whiten your teeth! (I recommend using 1 tbsp peroxide mixed with 2 tbsp of baking soda for a paste.)

7.) Unsightly Dry and Cracked Heels?
Soothe your tootsies with some crushed papaya by soaking them in a tub of papaya for 30 minutes. The enzymes can help soothe and remove the cracked or rough skin.

8.) Dry Lips and Dehydration?
Most of the time when you're lips are dry its a huge sign that you're dehydrated, however in the summer months it may also be partially due to sun exposure that is drying out those supple tissues. Try smoothing on olive oil a few times a day to hydrate and heal those lips.

9.) Dry and Sun Damaged Hair?
Rejuvinate it with the healthy fats in avocado. Use as a pre-wash treatment by applying smashed avocado for 30 minutes before your shower.