Not Just Sea And Fun: Keep Your Family Healthy On Beach Holidays

For many, the warm weather is synonymous with going to the beach. It is difficult to picture summer holidays any differently than playing on a sandy beach and swimming in between the waves. It comes as no surprise the fact that most body-conscious individuals have already started to work on their bikini figure. They have probably started to work on it just after the Christmas season! Sea, sand, bikini and sun, it’s what summer is about! However, when you have a family, your summer priorities begin to shift a little. It’s not only about looking good on the beach, but it is also about making sure that your family stays healthy throughout the summer break. Having children, and especially young children can be challenging during this period. Children’s skin is more sensitive to the sun, and they find it more difficult to relax at night after a hot day. As a parent, it is your responsibility to look after their needs and ensure that they can enjoy the summer without a boo boo. But it doesn’t hurt to look after your needs, and your partner’s too! After all, you can never be too sure. Staying healthy during your beach holiday is a matter of looking after your body and your mind to make the most of the season. Here’s what to be aware of and how to prevent health risks.


Sun Is Essential To Your Health

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There is no denying it: Sun is good for you, so now is the ideal time to revamp your summer wardrobe to expose your skin to its tender heat. If you’ve missed sales, you can still grab a bargain from discount websites, such as Coupon Sherpa that offers up to 60% off on summer fashion. Sandals, swimsuits, dresses, and shorts, get the family ready to grab some positive sun energy. All you need to do is to expose your skin to the sun. So get shopping!

The sun is, indeed, a major health factor for human beings. Up to 95% of the vitamin D you receive comes directly from the sun, or more exactly is produced as your body maximizes the sunlight and its UVB rays. However you need to be standing directly in the sun for this to happen; it doesn’t work if you’re sitting behind a window. There are plenty of benefits to the sun. More importantly, it prevents you from suffering from SAD, which is a Seasonal Affective Disorder caused by the lack of sunlight. The sun indeed boosts the production of serotonin, the happy hormone in your body. In other words, not receiving enough sunlight makes you physically sad. So make sure to seize the opportunity to boost your general happiness!


But Too Much Sun Is Bad for You
However healthy the sun is to your body and your mood, you can’t forget that the excess of sunlight is directly linked to serious cases of cancer. Indeed, the UV radiations from the sun are responsible for up to 86% of melanoma skin cancers. Consequently, you need to minimize unprotected exposure to the sun. As a rule of the thumb, you need to spend no more than 15 minutes a day in the sun without any protection to boost your vitamin D level. This means that the majority of the time is about protection your skin from the danger of UV rays. Children and babies are particularly sensitive and consequently require proper clothing, sunscreen, and sunglasses throughout the summer. For instance, it is paramount to pack a t-shirt for your child to wear while playing in the sand on the beach. Make sure to add a little hat too, as children’s skin burns very easily in the sun. Additionally, children will need a sunscreen with an SPF – Sun Protection Factor – of 35 or more. Toddlers and young babies need to have a sunscreen with SPF 50+ as their skin is not used to protect itself. It takes around 20 minutes for the unprotected skin to redden in the sun. The SPF is an indication of how long you are protected for. For example, using SPF 50 means that the protection will last 50 times longer, therefore 50 times more than 20 minutes, therefore about 16 hours.




Summer Is About De-Stressing Together

The summer holiday is primarily about getting together as a family and enjoying the break before school starts again – or in the case of young children who don’t go to school, it’s just a break for the parents until they can go back to work. So as a parent, your role is to ensure that everyone has a good time; make room to create the future memories that you will cherish as a family. Remember as well that what makes memories precious is the fact that they relate to something that you do together as a family, whether it is swimming, or building a sand castle if you’re playing with toddlers. Memories are what bring your family together. As a result, it’s essential that you make the time for them during your beach holiday. Relax, forget work and play with the kids while you still can They grow up faster than you think!

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But Summer Is Getting More And More Stressful

However, it can seem a little easy to talk about relaxing when the summer holidays can be extremely stressful. Not only are they tricky to organize – and extremely expensive as summer is always a peak season – but it can be a real nightmare to get to your dream destination. Picture yourself squeezing into a crowded airplane, desperately hoping that they didn’t oversell their seats and that you can get to where you need to go. Will there be enough room for your carry-on bag on the plane? Probably not, and so you’ll be forced to wave goodbye to your carefully packed books, kids’ toys and changing clothes for the baby while the carry-on luggage is moved. And all of this happens AFTER you’ve made it through the TSA screening, that takes your water away and opens your bag to check that your underwear are not a weapon. In America, most people only get a handful of weeks off throughout the year, which makes it really difficult to appreciate the summer holiday after the stressful start!


Summer Is The Season Of Ice Creams

Do you know what kids love the most about summer? It’s the possibility to have a delicious ice cream, or even an Italian gelato every day! When the weather is hot, it seems that it’s the perfect condition for an ice cream. The yummy and fresh sweet treat is a favorite. Whether you are one for conventional tastes with chocolate, vanilla or strawberry scoops, or you prefer adventurous discoveries with pineapple, coconut, or rose sorbet, ice creams hold a special place in everybody’s heart throughout the summer. It’s the guilty pleasure of summer that makes it so sweet.


But You Need To Stick To A Healthy Diet

The main issue with summer is the abundance of sweet and refreshing treats that are not healthy. While you may love the occasional ice cream, there is no denying that ice creams are not healthy food. If you want to keep your body healthy through the summer months, you need to provide it with all the nutrients and vitamins that it needs. These don’t come from ice creams. Instead, it is about including summer fruits and vegetables into your diet to enjoy their benefits. Corn, a favorite of BBQ parties, acts as natural sunglasses against the sun’s UV rays. Rich in antioxidants, corns help you prevent sun damages and muscular degeneration of the eye muscles. Tomatoes too, that are rich in lycopene, actively protect your body against sunburns. Indeed, eating tomatoes can reduce the rate at which your skin reddens in the sun, meaning that you are more likely to develop a nice tan than a painful lobster look. And watermelon, a summer hit especially if you know how to carve it, contains 92% water. It is guaranteed to keep you hydrated throughout the day, and without adding unnecessary calories either.


Summer Is A Hot Season For Party-Goers

Summer is the official season of partying. Why shouldn’t it be? Just look at the sun, the beach and enjoy the warm nights outside, preferably with a cocktail in hand. Surprisingly, summer is also the season during which people drink the most. It’s easy to understand why: The weather can be so hot that you want to stay cool, with a mojito, a daiquiri, or a piña colada. Summer is the season of fun and cocktails. Besides, it’s no surprise that most cocktail names have a summery feeling to them. Tequila sunrise, French kiss sunset, Sex on the beach… it’s difficult to imagine cocktail-free summer with those!

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Don’t Risk Dehydration In Summer

You’d be surprised to learn that more and more people suffer from dehydration in summer. Indeed, while they keep cool with a cocktail or an ice cream, they don’t consume enough water for their body to function. As a result, sickness, headache, or even faintness are common summer symptoms for the party-goers. Make sure to drink a minimum of 8 oz. water every day to help your body throughout the warm months.