Stay Healthy and Have Fun in the Sun

A FEW days in the sun can do wonders for mind and body, but too much sun can also cause the odd problem or two. Beat the most common sunshine ailments with our guide.

HEAT RASH:

IF YOU’RE in a hot or humid climate and break out in a rash, it is probably due to the fact that you’re sweating more than usual: the sweat gets blocked underneath the skin, causing the rash.

But, says Dr Wendy Denning, pictured below, www.thehealthdoctors.co.uk, heat rash can also occur after applying certain kinds of sunscreen.

“There’s one particular ingredient, avobenzone, that seems to cause this kind of reaction in people,” Dr Denning explains. “If you’re prone to allergies, you can go to www.allergymatters.com, which will tell you which sunscreens to use and which to avoid. “If you do develop a heat rash, avoid the sun, avoid sunscreen, eat lots of fruit and vegetables, drink lots of water and cut out strawberries, nuts, alcohol, coffee, and red meat.”

HEATSTROKE

HEATSTROKE occurs when the temperature of the body rises sharply – either due to high outside temperatures or severe sunburn.

Heatstroke is associated with severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, hallucinations and potential fainting and collapsing.

The problem isn’t just the heat – it’s that you get overheated and over-dehydrated and lose a lot of salt because you’re sweating it out.

Drinking loads of water, staying cool, and wrapping your body in cool sheets can all help.

SUNBURN

SITTING in the sun for hours at a time not only increases your risk of melanoma, it can also cause skin blisters and burns.

If you know you’ll be going out in the sun, take some vitamin E, selenium and betacarotene supplements in advance, as they’ve got natural sunscreens in them, and wear cream of at least SPF 30 when in the sun.”

HOLIDAY TUMMY

Don’t ever drink the local water and never take anything with ice in it. Avoid salads and unpeeled fruits, too. You also want to avoid ice cream that’s been melted and refrozen, as there’s a reasonable probability that you could get a gastro-intestinal infection from it.

INSECT BITES

If you react badly to any sort of bites, take some antihistamines before you go away. Witch hazel gel is great to carry with you, as it reduces the itch right away, and camomile works well, too.

“A nifty trick is to put toothpaste on the bite,” adds Dr Denning. “It takes the sting right out and cools the bite down. A cold bath with oatmeal is also very soothing, whether you’re covered in insect bites, have a rash or a sunburn. Oatmeal is an old remedy and can be surprisingly healing.”

(c) 2008 Daily Post; Liverpool. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.