Playing outdoors is vital to our health. It adds variety to our exercise regime, helps our bodies produce Vitamin D, and offers the de-stressing effects of connecting with the natural environment. But a growing danger lurks outdoors in the form of harmful UV radiation. It’s vital to be cognizant of sun protection at every stage of life to guard against the development of cancer, cataracts, as well as the premature aging of our skin.
Maintaining sun protection as we play outdoors can be a challenge. Sun lotions are good, but as an outdoor adventurer, I often have a problem with sweating them off. I gave up using sun screen on my Appalachian Trail thru-hike. It rolled off with the sweat & reapplying every few hours just wasn’t feasible. Still UV rays are a serious problem. Those of us who play in the sun are at risk. I’ve learned to address sun protection as a problem with an array of tools to be selected, depending on the activity in which I’m engaged.
I start with clothing. When possible, I wear a hat with a wide brim or for warmer situations, a visor with an especially wide brim. It’s not hard to find ones that are both stylish and functional. Companies like Sungrubbies.com and Coolibar.com offer many choices. While backpacking, I’ve been know to drape a bandana under my hat so it covers the back of my neck. While not very stylish, it is a light-weight solution to a sun exposure problem. My husband uses a bandanna under his bike helmet to keep his balding head from sprouting red patches from sunburn through the helmet slots.
Shirts, both long and short sleeved, now come in UV-protection cloth that can block 98% of the UV radiation. Some good options can be found at UVskinz.com. Cover up whenever possible, including wearing UV-blocking sun glasses to protect your eyes.
For exposed skin, slather on sun screen. Which sunscreen you select is important. Approximately 600 sunscreens (many of the top brands advertised) contain a chemical called oxybenzone, which is designed to enhance the penetration and absorption of the good chemicals in sunscreen. But, research has linked oxybenzone to allergies, cell damage, and disruption of the endocrine system. We try to “do the right thing” for our health by wearing sunscreen to block harmful radiation and we inadvertently poison ourselves with toxins. It’s now recommended that we read labels on the creams and lotions we use and avoid any that contain oxybenzone, parabens, salicylates and avo benzenes.
Yikes! Who has time to pay attention to this entire minutia? The brands recommended as “safer” options include Badger, Blue Lizard, Burt’s Bees Chemical Free Sunscreen, Kiss MY Face Paraben Free, California Baby, and DeVita International Kabana Green Screen. I’ve never even heard of some of these, and they’re certainly not the brands I see large displays of in the store. Don’t be swayed by mass advertising. The brands with the biggest advertising budgets aren’t the healthier options.
Both UVA and UVB rays are harmful so select a sunscreen that blocks both with an SPF of at lease 15, and apply it 30 minutes before your outdoor activity. Then comes the hard part – reapply it according to the instructions on the bottle. One application does not last all day. Don’t forget your lips. Use a lip gloss with a high SPF protection.
Finally, remember that UV rays reflect from water and snow. UV protection is a year-round issue. Go outside and have fun, just be sure to wear your protection.
By Sue Freeman
Great Article! As the depletion of the Ozone layer continues, I urge my friends and family about the importance of protection against the sun.
One point that people forget about when protecting their eyes is to wear protection even when reading.
I operate an eyeglass business in Florida, and have an extensive line of tinted sun reading glasses, because although people feel their aren’t looking directly into the sun, the reflection of the sun off of pages can be just as harmful.
Thanks for this post!