Tag: Time Of Year

Sun Skin Damage -Sunscreen And Lots Of It

There has long been cautions and warnings about how prolonged exposure to the sun can cause sun skin damage. But who wants to stay inside on a nice, warm , sunny, summer day? Not too many!

So what is the answer? Sunscreen and lots of it.

Did you know, though, that most people don’t use sun screen correctly? They go out and they put it all over their bodies one time and think they will be protected all day.

Some sunscreens may be able to protect you for an extended period of time but you should always reapply it every few hours. Some wash off in the water if you add swimming to your summer day and some are affected by sweat.

Always read the label and follow the directions closely to avoid sun skin damage, especially when children are involved.

Let’s talk about the sun’s rays for a minute. There are two main types that affect your skin: UVA and UVB

UVA rays are the ones that can cause age spots and other skin discolorations. You may not even realize that this is skin damage, but it is, and was caused by the sun shining on unprotected skin when you were younger.

UVB rays are the ones that cause you to get a sunburn. If you notice that your skin is red and painful after a day out in the sun, you have damaged your skin. The redness will fade after a few days but you will notice that after a week or two your skin will begin to “peel”. This is usually not a painful process but you will not like the way it looks.

Always use sunscreen! Even on cloudy days the sun’s rays can affect your skin. They pass right through the clouds so do not be fooled into thinking that you are safe.

Too many sunburns and/or prolonged exposure to the sun without being protected can lead to a more serious condition like skin cancer and premature aging of the skin.

Sunscreen comes in several different levels and you can find them everywhere this time of year. The lowest protection factor is 4 on up to at least 50 maybe even higher. Sun tan oils are different and do not provide any protection from the suns rays.

Tanning booths or beds are no better than lying in the sun. In fact, they can be even more harmful and can cause eye damage, accelerated premature aging, immune system suppression and they can even cause allergic reactions as well as skin damage.

To avoid sun skin damage, you should stay out of the sun from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. These are the hours of the day are when the rays of the sun are most damaging. If you cannot avoid the sun at these times then you should at least try to limit the time that your skin is exposed by finding a nice shady spot to sit in and/or protecting yourself by wearing sunscreen.

Flu Season-Bah Humbug No Flu For You

Winter is the season of joy and fun what with all he holidays it has jam packed into it. But it is also a season of sickness, it is not called the flu season for no reason after all. With so much going on during this time of year you can not afford to keel over due to the flu. But with you running all over the place, preparing for the holidays while managing work and a home life, it can be exceptionally easy for you to suddenly find yourself with a fever and bed ridden.

The flus hits thousands of people every year, every time you leave the house odds are you are encountering someone with the flu. So how do you protect yourself? How do you keep yourself healthy? You can not walk around in a hazmat outfit or hold up in your house. But there are other things you can do to keep yourself in tip top shape throughout the holiday season.

1. Strengthen your immune system. The best method for fighting off any illness is simply not to get it. Your own body’s immune system can do just that if you help it out. Keeping your immune system in perfect shape is the best way to avoid getting the flu and to do this you just need to keep your body healthy. Get plenty of exercise to keep in shape and fit, which also strengthens your immune system.

Eating fruits and vegetables also boosts it up as it ensures your immune system is getting all the vitamins and minerals it needs for the flu season. Lastly, make sure to get plenty of sleep. Your body needs to recharge after a hard days work and the more worn out it is, the weaker your immune system becomes.

2. Get a flu shot. A flu vaccine is another simple way to keep yourself free from that pesky sickness this season. What it does is introduce a weakened strain of the flu virus that your body’s immune system can kill off right away. This allows your body to recognize the flu as an illness and more readily respond when it detects the virus in your system, killing it off before it does any harm.

3. Wash your hands regularly. This may sound simply and even a bit obsessive but simply keeping your hands clean is a great way to keep yourself healthy this flu season. As you go through your daily grind your hands are touching all sorts of things, picking up germs and bacteria everywhere they go. Then if you eat or rub your face, all those germs are going into your system, forcing your immune system to kill them off, which makes it easier for the flu to take hold.

If you simply wash your hands regularly you can prevent this from happening, keeping your immune system at peak efficiency since it does not have to fight off all these other pesky invaders. You should also wipe down your equipment you use such as your telephone or keyboard, especially if other people use them.

Fight Flu Germs-Winter Season Down Fall

Winter is a fun time of year. The landscape is covered in white, you have plenty of holidays to spend with loved ones, it generally is a good time of year. But it also has it’s downsides. Winter is also the time of year when the flu runs rampant and everyone seems to be getting sick. Getting the flu is something nobody wants, we would all much rather avoid it if we can.

So since the best way of dealing with the flu is to simply not get the flu, you want to Fight flu germs before they get in and cause you harm. There are some tips that can help you do just that and kick the flu to the curb before it lays you up in bed.

1. Get plenty of exercise. Exercise is a great way of keeping your body healthy. A healthy body also means a healthy immune system, and the stronger your immune system is, the better chance it has at fending off any pesky invaders like the flu. So keeping it in running order is important.

2. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. While getting exercise is important, your body needs the proper fuel as well. Your body is a machine like any other, it needs proper care and fuel to run, fruits and vegetables have needed vitamins and minerals to keep your body and your immune system running.

3. Get plenty of rest. One of the best ways to Fight flu germs is to simply make sure you get plenty of rest. It can be difficult in a hectic life, especially during the flu season when there just seems to be so much you need to do. But you should try to ensure you get plenty of sleep so your body is well rested and able to fight off invaders.

4. Keep your hands clean. In your daily life you touch quite a few things, from objects to people. This allows you to pick up all sorts of nasty germs just waiting to do your body harm. Pretty much all of these will be dealt with by your immune system, but if your immune system is busy fighting other germs, flu germs may slip past your defenses and start mucking things up. So keeping your hands clean limits the amount of germs you are taking in, allowing your anti-bodies to focus on the real threat.

5. Get a flu shot. The ultimate way to Fight flu germs is to simply get a vaccine. Vaccines work by introducing an inert virus into your body, allowing your immune system to kill it and learn what exactly it is. Once your immune system learns what it is, it can make anti-bodies designed specifically to target and kill that virus, meaning when a flu germ gets inside you, your immune system can react much quicker in destroying it.

If you take preventative measures and keep yourself safe and healthy, the flu should not be much more than a minor inconvenience, allowing you to enjoy the holiday season to it’s fullest.