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Summer With Flair, Not Flare!

© Karyn Moran Holton

Here comes the sun! The kids are home and fighting summer boredom, the days are long and it’s so hot that your aquarium is in real danger of becoming a chowder!

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, summertime is almost here. It’s important for us to remember that while summer sun, long days and family activities can all make for great memories, they can also increase the risk of going out of remission and into a full-blown flare. Here are some tips on how to avoid turning your holiday into a “hell-iday.”

• Avoid The Sun – All The Time!

  This Prime Directive is sometimes ignored in the interest of “not ruining” a good time for others. Yes, it’s important to share good times with family and friends, but there are ways to avoid the sun without getting a membership in Trolls Anonymous. If your family has their heart set on a day at the beach or some other sun-intensive activity, you can join them as long as you take a few necessary precautions first.

  Bring an oversized umbrella. (Yes, I know it makes you look like a tourist. So what? You’ll never see these people again.) Even better, bring a light tarp, a couple of long PVC pipes and some heavy nylon string and make yourself a small pavilion. Trust me - By the end of the day, everyone will be fighting for a spot under it!

  Reduce your exposure even more by wearing a big, button-up, long-sleeved shirt in a light color. Unbuttoned and tied loosely at the waist over a bikini top or athletic halter, it’s not only cool and cute but very forgiving of an extra pound or two. Add a hat with a brim and you’re good to go! (Think “Heiress on Tropical Isle” or “Outback Cowgirl”) I don’t even have to mention the mandatory, head-to-toe use of a waterproof sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15 or more, right? You knew that already, of course!

  You can find an amazing line of sun protective wear and accessories at Sunclothing, Etc.. They not only offer UPF/SPF protective clothing, hats and beachwear, but things like wearable UV monitors and portable sun shelters.

• Increase Your Fluid Intake

  Hot days and humid nights can take their toll on your body’s moisture resources. If you normally drink the recommended eight 8oz glasses of water a day, increase that to ten glasses. If you’re like me and have trouble getting in even the minimum eight, make a real effort to work that water into your day. It sometimes helps if you put a pitcher in the fridge with the needed amount in it. Slice a lemon or lime into it and every time you open the fridge, take a quick drink. Before you know it, the pitcher will be gone!