With the rise in skin cancers, protecting your skin and eyes from the sun has become more important than when I was a child. I’ve earned the right to develop melanoma from my overexposure days of lifeguarding and sunbathing. Who remembers the days of using baby oil and iodine to attract more sun rays to our skin? I’m fortunate I’ve not had skin cancer yet. Today, one must have a plan that includes using safe sunscreen as well as other forms of protection from the sun. Here are five strategies for safe fun in the summertime.
- Use safe sunscreens that don’t contain harmful chemicals.
It’s important to use safe sunscreens whenever possible. Here are the ingredients or chemicals to avoid:
oxybenzone,
avobenzone,
octisalate,
octocrylene,
homosalate, and
octinoxate for sun protection. These chemicals are known to cause many health concerns and oxybenzone is a potentially hormone-disrupting chemical that is readily absorbed by the body. Research shows that some of these are a major concern when used on children.
Here are the safe ingredients that can be used:
non-nano particle zinc oxide or titanium dioxide,
and other ingredients such as coconut oil, pomegranate seed oil, etc. which both contribute SPF and are natural. For example, red raspberry seed oil has an SPF of 28.
- Provide shading.
Large beach umbrellas are a must for a day on the beach. Pools are beginning to add partly shaded coverings so people can swim without the sun beating down on them. Since my son and his family moved to Arizona, they’ve found their neighborhood has all shaded playgrounds to block the intense sun and heat.
- Realize time of the day matters.
It’s good common sense to avoid the hot sun during midday from 12 – 3 pm. When we go to the beach as a family, we dart out at 9 am and come inside to eat and seek refuge from the sun from 12 noon until about 3. Then we go back out. And of course, a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least 15 SPF should be applied every few hours according to instructions when out in the sun.
- Shield with clothing.
Tightly woven clothing with dark colors is a great way to protect your skin and is the newest trend in bathing suits for children. Look at these two-piece swimsuits my daughter-in-law bought for her children. Yes, it’s time to coverup and shop for bathing suits that help us to shield ourselves and our loved ones from the sun. Wide -rim or safari hats that cover the back of your neck and face are also helpful tools.
You can shield your child from the sun with long sleeved swimsuits and wide-brimmed hats.
- Eye Protection
And don’t forget your eyes! Sunglasses with UV protection are a must even for children. Wearing sunglasses protect your eyes against UVA and UVB rays. Sunrays can damage your eyes and contribute to vision loss and cataracts as you age. Ask me, the gal who never wore sunglasses until about ten years ago. This same gal who used to have perfect vision and is currently moving towards cataracts and vision loss.
This is exactly what my father did after he was diagnosed with melanoma. You could see him floating in the beach inlet late afternoons with his sunglasses and hat, long sleeve top and long bathing trunks with sunscreen applied liberally. Although melanoma can be found even on parts of the body that are not exposed to the sun, my father never had another incident. He learned the basics of shading, shielding with clothing and hats, avoiding the midday sun, applying sunscreen, and using protective eyewear. These strategies enabled him to have safe fun in the summertime.
Safe sunscreens are not the only way to protect your skin from UV radiation rays. The best defense is a combination of sunscreen, clothing and hats, timing and shade, and protective eyewear.
What tips can you share for protecting your family while enjoying your fun in the sun?
View this message on YouTube:
Five Stragegies for Keeping Safe in the Summertime
Here’s another YouTube message:
Six Tips for Surviving Chemotherapy
Here’s a new recipe you can quickly make and use
Recipe for Safe Sun Screen:
- ½ Cup of Almond Oil
- ¼ Cup Of Coconut Oil
- 2 TBSP Zinc Oxide
- 1 TSP of Red Raspberry Seed Oil
- 1 TSP of Carrot Seed Oil
Mix all together and put in glass bottle or spray bottle.
For Your Health,
Ginny
Ginny Dent Brant is a speaker and writer who grew up in the halls of power in Washington, DC. She has battled cancer, ministered around the world, and served on the front lines of American culture as a counselor, educator, wellness advocate, and adjunct professor. Brant’s award-winning book, Finding True Freedom: From the White House to the World, was endorsed by Chuck Colson and featured in many TV and media interviews. Unleash Your God-Given Healing: Eight Steps to Prevent and Survive Cancer was released in May 2020 after her journey with cancer and was recently awarded the First Place Golden Scrolls Award for Memoirs, and Second Place in both Selah Awards for Memoirs and Director’s Choice Award for Nonfiction at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference. It recently received the Christian Authors Network’s (CAN) Gold Award for Excellence in Marketing for reaching 62.5 million people with a message of cancer prevention and survival. It was written with commentary from an oncologist and was featured on CBN’s Healthy Living Show, Atlanta Live, and CTN’s Homekeepers along with over 75 media outlets. Learn more and cancer and wellness prevention blog and book information at www.ginnybrant.com.
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