Summer Safety
By Dr. Kent Niss
Summer is here (well technically we are 2-ish weeks away) and everyone is excited for warm weather and the desire to be outside. These are great things and can bring so much joy to our lives, however, there are some areas in which we should take caution. As ole Ben Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Let’s comb over a few of those summertime safety considerations today.
UV Radiation
Being out in the sun is nearly always a joyous and exciting thing, but we should always remember we need to protect our skin. UV radiation is the number one cause of skin cancer, and it honestly does not take that much to cause significant harm. There are many ways to help protect our skin and it is important to take at least one of these steps to help lessen your chances for skin cancer. The first is the most obvious, avoid exposure to the sun. This is especially important at the high UV radiation times, between 10AM and 3PM. Exposure to the sun during these times can cause sunburn rather quickly. Another step is to wear sunscreen. There are many different strengths of sunscreen out there but anything greater SPF 35 is going to do the job. Another great way to protect your skin is by physically covering it. You can actually be cooler by keeping your skin covered with lightweight clothing as well. Wearing long sleeves and pants will protect your skin, but also wearing a broad brimmed hat and a neck gator can help protect those sensitive areas as well.
Water Safety
Most of us love to get out on or into the water during the summertime, whether it be boating, swimming, or fishing. So many great memories can be made doing these activities, however, it is important to consider keeping everyone safe as well. When considering swim safety; making sure that children are closely supervised and something that can make that easier is by having them wear bright colored swimsuits. Colors that stand out have been shown to make children more visible and decrease water related injuries. While boating it is important that ALL wear life jackets not just those that are poor swimmers. This is such a simple safety measure to take so make sure before heading out on the water all have an appropriately sized life jacket. While fishing many of the same considerations apply with the addition of being aware of your surroundings. It is hysterical when someone gets hooked in a movie or comic strip, but not so much in real life. Additionally, it is extremely important to protect your skin by using sunscreen or wearing additional articles of clothing.
Dehydration
The third most important thing to consider when enjoying your summer is dehydration. Dehydration can come on quick when you are out in the hot sun and expending a lot of energy. That is why it is even more important to stay very well hydrated. It’s recommended to take steps to prepare for this by filling multiple water bottles and bring them with you when you are out; always bringing more water than your feel you need. You will notice that I say water, as I have mentioned before, water is the best tool to rehydrate our bodies. It is okay to drink an occasional sports drink, but they should not be the main source of fluid.
Summertime is what children look forward to all school year and let’s face it most of us never grow out of some of our childhood mindsets. I strongly encourage all to take these steps to help protect yourself during these summer months so you can prevent significant issues both in the short term and far in the future.
