If you have been attacked by mosquitoes recently, you may want to try rubbing lemon juice onto the bite . . . and remember not to scratch!

There are a variety of ways to soothe and help heal sunburn (and minor burns . . . serious burns, especially chemical burns, need medical attention):

Water is very important. Whenever you get burned, the affected skin becomes very dehydrated. And so, making sure to drink plenty of water (at least the suggested 8 cups a day) will help rehydrate the skin and speed up the healing process. An ice water compress also helps. Soak a folded paper towel or a small face towel in a bowl of ice water, ring to get rid of excess water (but not too much), then place it on the burn and repeat when the compress gets warm.

Plain yogurt, the same plain yogurt you find at the market, is very helpful in soothing the burned skin and it is also highly probable that the bacterial cultures found in yogurt help heal the burn. Take a spoonful of yogurt and dab it gently but generously onto the burn and spread, again gently, to cover. Once that round of yogurt dries, reapply.

Aloe Vera, a succulent plant, has fleshy leaves that release gel when the leaves are cut. This gel has healing and moisturizing properties and is very good as a burn treatment. Just cut off a leave of the plant and spread the gel onto the burn. Although fresh from the plant is most potent, one can buy aloe vera gel by the bottle at some stores . . . Whole Foods may have it. Just keep applying the aloe vera gel on the burn.

Potatoe can also be used for burns. Just peel a raw potatoe and cut it into smaller pieces and place it on the burned skin. I’ve never tried this method myself, but I have been told it works.

Honey soothes and helps heal burns as well. Just spread a small spoonful or two (depending on the size of the burn) onto the skin. Just keep an eye on it because honey liquifies when it is heated up.

Cucumber is a cooling food and good for burns, especially sunburn. All you have to do is spread cucumber juice on the burn or cut the cucumber into appropriate sizes and place the slices on the burn.

There are many different types of honey, depending on the type of plant it comes from. Some types include orange blossom honey, clover honey, sage honey, and eucalyptus honey. There are slight variations to the taste of the honey depending on the plant it comes from, but still delicious (if you like honey). Aside from tasting great, honey is also very useful medicinally.

Honey is excellent for sore throats and coughs. Honey is very soothing and kills certain bacteria. A tablespoon of honey, or honey and lemon is very helpful for a sore throat or a cough. Hot tea (such as Chamomile) sweetened with honey or even warm milk with honey (one of my favorites) are also very helpful. Just be careful if you decide on the warm milk and honey; if your sore throat and/or cough is accompanied by sinus congestion or excess mucus, the milk, which increases mucus production (as all dairy products generally do), can make you more uncomfortable. I would stick with hot tea and honey in that case.

The soothing and antibacterial properties also help with simple wounds such as scrapes and scratches. Some cultures even use honey to treat minor burns. The honey, when applied directly on the injury (in a thin layer) will soothe and protect it, and so speed up the healing process. Unfortunately, the honey will melt with body heat, and so you can wrap the injury and the honey with some thin, breathable fabric. The honey can also be mixed with a little bit of flour and then placed on the injury in order to help keep it from liquifying.

Honey also relieves fatigue due to its quickly absorbed sugars. If you need a quick “pick me up” and are not in the mood for something caffinated or chocolate, try a spoonful or two of honey. You can eat it straight or mix it with water.

And last but not least . . . as a tasty snack . . . mix honey with lightly melted butter (honey to butter ratio to taste) and spread it onto a slice of lightly toasted bread (I prefer pita bread, but it is just as good on loaf bread) or a flour tortilla.