15 Tips You Need to Know Before Heading Out in the Sun
(CARLSBAD, CA) - From sunscreen to sunburn, the following tips from Jazzercise founder Judi Sheppard Missett will keep your skin, hair and eyes healthy as you pursue fun in the sun!
- Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before you head outside, and don’t forget vulnerable spots like the tips of your ears, the part in your hair, the tops and soles of your feet, under your jaw and both sides of your hands.
- Be generous with your sunscreen. One of the biggest mistakes individuals make is not using enough. Use approximately one shot glass full per application.
- Check the SPF and expiration date of your sunscreen. Experts recommend a minimum SPF of 15. Likewise, don’t risk your skin to sunscreen that has past its expiration for effectiveness.
- Select sunscreens that offer broad-spectrum protection, from both UVA (aging) and UVB (burning) rays.
- Know the difference between sunblock (zinc oxide, titanium dioxide) and sunscreen (oxybenzone, Parsol 1789), and use them accordingly. The former deflects or blocks the harmful rays of the sun, the latter absorbs them.
- Don’t rely on your T-shirt for protection; apply sunscreen to the skin underneath. A T-shirt only offers an SPF of 6 to 8 and that decreases if it gets wet.
- Reapply sunscreen every one to two hours and after swimming – even if the sunscreen is waterproof!
- Don’t rely on make-up with sunscreen. It can wear off and the SPF is usually under 15. Apply sunscreen first, then your foundation.
- Realize that sand, water, sidewalks, car windshields and boat decks reflect up to 60 percent of UV rays, so the umbrella you’re sitting under may not be providing as much protection as you think.
- Protect your lips with a lip balm that has an SPF of 15 or higher. The thin skin of the lips allows cancer to spread more easily.
- Hair, especially color-treated hair, is easily damaged by the sun. Use a moisturizing conditioner and wear a hat if you’re outside for extended periods of time.
- Eyes are also vulnerable. Sun exposure increases the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, so protect them with sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays. Look for sunglasses that meet ANSI UV requirements.
- Wash your summer clothes in SPF detergent, which can increase your clothing’s protective powers four-fold.
- Keep your guard up on cloudy days. Harmful UV rays still get through, so continue to wear sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and protective clothing.
- Know that certain medications make you more susceptible to sunburn, including antibiotics, birth control pills and Retin A.
If you still suffer sunburn, you can ease the pain by:
- Wearing a thin, wet cotton T-shirt
- Using cold compresses
- Taking a cool bath
- Drinking lots of water
- Applying aloe gel or water-based moisturizer
- Taking ibuprofen
- Spritzing a spray bottle of chilled vinegar on the burn
Warm, sunny weather
is the perfect invitation for outdoor exercise, but don’t forget
to warm up before you begin, then cool down and stretch out afterward.
The following side stretch is a great addition to your post warm-up/pre-game
preparation as well as to your cool down stretches. You can use a golf
club, tennis racquet, baseball bat, or a broomstick to facilitate the
stretch.
Stand with your feet in a wide stance and your knees and toes pointing forward.
Hold the ends of the golf club in a wide grip. Reach your arms overhead, keeping
your shoulders pressed down. Stand tall and slowly lean to your right, bending
from your waist. Pause briefly and then straighten up and stretch to the other
side. Breathe naturally as you stretch, keep your abdominal muscles engaged,
and try not to allow your hips to shift in the opposite direction as you bend.
Repeat two to three times on each side.
Jazzercise, created by Judi Sheppard Missett, is the world's leading dance-fitness program with more than 6,800 instructors teaching 30,000 classes weekly in the U.S. and around the globe. Since 1969, millions of people of all ages and fitness levels have reaped the benefits of this comprehensive program, designed to enhance cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. For more information on Jazzercise go to jazzercise.com or call (800)FIT-IS-IT or (760)476-1750.
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Courtesy of Jazzercise, Inc. - jazzercise.com