While it may not be a chiropractic specialists forte to lecture on sun safety and perhaps address neck pain instead, truly every health care professional is concerned about being safe in the summer heat and sun.
Here are some tips to practice this summer (and some yearly) for healthy skin and body in the summer heat and sun:
Wear Sunscreen. Whether it's cloudy, snowy or hot and sunny sunscreen is a necessity. The harmful UV rays penetrate cloud cover to damage our skin, so don't be fooled into thinking you're safe outdoors just because it's cloudy. If you're wearing long sleeved clothing, that will do the trick, but any exposed skin should have a layer of sunscreen applied.
Stay Hydrated. Especially in hot weather, it's vital to stay hydrated with water, preferably. Water helps maintain a level of hydration, can keep your body temperature lowered (if you're drinking cool/cold water) and a good level of hydration is good for your muscles, preventing cramps and maintaining hydrated muscles.
Alternate Shade Time With Sun Time. Even if you're wearing sunscreen, extreme heat and sun can take a toll on your body. If you can, alternate time outdoors in direct sunlight with time indoors, in the shade or in an air conditioned area. This can make your time spent outdoors more enjoyable and less taxing.
Wear Light Colored Loose Clothing. The darker your clothing is, the more direct sunlight it attracts, making your a target for more of that sun love. And wearing tight clothing only makes your body work harder to cool down. So, wear light colored loose fitting clothing when you know you'll be outside in hot weather for an extended period of time.
It's important to protect your skin year around. Applying sunscreen everyday and watching how long you're in the sun are good habits you can practice every day.