Home cures for summer bothers

With these simple remedies on hand, you can sail through even hot, humid days looking and feeling your very best!

Halt a heat headache by noshing on melon

As we head into the dog days of summer, higher temperatures cause excess perspiration. This leaves up to 75% of us at risk for head pain triggered by low-grade dehydration. The fix: Snack on juicy honeydew, cantaloupe or watermelon. Research suggests that in 63% of cases, rehydration is more effective than meds at quashing head pain. Plus, melons brim with "gel water," which Quench author Dana Cohen, MD, says is twice as hydrating as plain old H₂O. And best of all, the sweet treats begin delivering relief in as little as 5 minutes!

OR SNIFF THIS! If a heat wave leaves you with throbbing head pain, relief is as close as your kitchen cupboard. Canadian research shows that taking a deep whiff of almond extract starts to calm pain centers in the brain in as little as 3 seconds. This reduces discomfort by up to 38%.

Calm swollen ankles! Heat relaxes blood vessels, making it easier for fluids to pool in your legs. The fix: Canadian scientists found that moving around for 3 minutes each hour cuts swelling by 60%. When foot and calf muscles contract, they pump trapped fluids back into circulation.

Erase itchy rashes with lavender oil