Summer Sun Savviness

We all want to have a fun summer, and part of actually enjoying the summer is avoiding roasted, painful red skin! As I’ve shared in a previous summertime blog: the sun is about 93 million miles from you and me, but the sun’s ultraviolet rays are up close and personal—especially during the summer. For some people, they experience a sunburn in less than 15 minutes. Yes, 15 minutes!

To achieve your summer fun, try these sun savvy tips:

• Use sunscreen. Very important you find non toxic sunscreen that is safe for you and the ocean. You can find several options on the EWG’s sunscreen guide. You might want to check out the broad spectrum, vegan, cruelty-free, reef safe dōTERRA® sunscreen products that just launched this July. There’s the spray, lotion, or stick. DoTERRA’s sunscreen products are made with non-nano particle zinc oxide. This is important as the nano particle minerals can and will absorb throughout the body. So always look for a non-nano particle when choosing a clean sunscreen. I highly recommend doTERRA’s sunscreens!
• Wear sunglasses. As this GQ article says, “Protect your eyes and look rad doing it.” Sunglasses aren’t just practical, they are protective. For example, did you know that macular degeneration, while it “… happens with age … can be slowed with sunglasses.”? Wow. The same is true for slowing the progress of cataracts.
• Cover your head and skin with hats and clothes. Layers are helpful and some clothing now offers built-in “UV protection factor (UPF) value (the level of protection the garment provides from the sun’s UV rays, on a scale from 15 to 50+). The higher the UPF, the higher the protection from UV rays.” I’m not sure this is my favorite as these clothes could have toxins, so make sure you choose the cleanest ones you can!
• Avoid heat Exhaustion. Summer fun is often about balancing time in and out of the sun, plus keeping hydrated! The Mayo Clinic lists “signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion …  as “cool, moist skin with goose bumps when in the heat, heavy sweating, faintness, dizziness, fatigue, weak, rapid pulse, low blood pressure upon standing, muscle cramps, nausea, and headache.”

Dehydration, heat exhaustion, and sunburns can happen fast. Instead, find that shade, drink plenty of fluids, and protect your skin — and enjoy your summer!