The sun is out, the water parks are open, and the heat is searing! It’s officially summer, and it’s time for some fun in the sun. Sunlight is very beneficial and needed for our children. It is essential in receiving vitamin D, boosting your immunity, developing strong bones, increasing positive mental health, and even helping with metabolic regulation. But we need to be careful, for sun damage can lead to skin cancer or heat stroke/exhaustion. This is where having good sun protection is very important. Here are some suggestion to help protect you and your family from the negative effects of the sun rays.
Sun Protection:
- Wearing long sleeves (earing a long sleeve swim shirt when swimming can help protect your children without having to lather all that sunscreen on them)
- Wearing a hat
- Staying hydrated
- Seeking shade
- Limiting time in the sun
- Wearing sunglasses
- Putting on sunscreen
Sunscreen:
Now, for those who are naturally minded when it comes to sunscreen, Katie Kimball from Kitchen Stewardship suggests to watch out for all of these criteria when seeking out non-toxic sunscreens:
- zinc oxide only
- non-nano particles
- includes antioxidants
- all recognizable ingredients
- rated no. 1 at EWG (maybe some 2s)
- no vitamin A
- water resistant
- goes on the skin easily
- not too cost-prohibitive
- FDA approved
Here is some non-toxic sunscreen suggestions from Katie Kimball, Natural Sunscreen Review 2024: The Best Natural Zinc Oxide Sunscreen (Better than EWG!), and from Mama Natural,
Best Natural Sunscreen for Babies, Kids, and Adults. Want to know the EWG rating for your current sunscreens, check it out on their website EWG’s Skin Deep,
Now that you are all set, go out with your family and enjoy the sun!
