That's Fit

During the summer, my son goes to day camp . It's an awesome camp -- very structured, very active, and he always comes home with stories of the fun things he did that day. Last Thursday they went on a field trip to the beach. My son came home prickly and hot from a sunburn. (They applied sunscreen on all the kids when they got to the beach, but never reapplied throughout the day. I bet there were a lot of sunburned kids that day!)

But what exactly happens to your skin when you get burned? After exposure to the sun, your capillaries dilate, causing the skin to appear pink. Then, skin cells release a chemical that triggers inflammation. Within 12 hours, skin cells begin to die and the inflammation reddens. A tan forms when your skin cells release a pigment to help block your skin from UV rays. (And, no, you shouldn't consider a tan "protection" from the sun. Burn or tan, it all boils down to one thing -- skin damage.)

So take steps to protect your skin from the sun. If you do get burned, Bethany has some tips.

SELF magazine and Neutrogena are teaming up to spread the word about summer skin care. Choose from four e-card designs and send messages about sun safety to your friends and family. They're keeping a state-by-state tally of how many e-cards were sent -- more cards equals more donated money for skin cancer charities.

Stay in the shade when possible, but even when the day seems overcast, don't forget your sunscreen. Remember to wear sunglasses that block UV-A and UV-B rays as well. Wide-brimmed hats and clothing that protects your skin are also good options. Check out the gallery for more summer sun safety tips.

When things get hectic and crazed around my house, my old stand-by dinner is invariably whole-wheat spaghetti and marinara sauce with added veggies. It's quick, easy, always a hit with my son, and passable nutrition-wise. It turns out my "old faithful" dinner also has benefits for the skin.

Researchers have determined that antioxidants in tomatoes help protect the skin against UV rays. Lycopene, one of the antioxidants found in tomatoes, has previously been linked to a reduction in prostate cancer risk. The skin benefits are just the icing on the cake... or the sauce on the spaghetti. Participants in the study ate up to 55 grams of tomato paste daily. In addition to the UV protection, lycopene may also be linked with anti-aging properties.

Lycopene is found in many other red fruits and vegetables including watermelon, guava, and pink grapefruit.

Now there's a soap that gets you squeaky clean and protects you from the sun's harmful rays. The all-natural soap provides an all-over layer of SPF 10 protection.

SPF 10 isn't enough for a day at the beach or for when you're spending prolonged periods of time in the sun. But I think a soap that provides a good base layer of protection is a great idea. It's also a perfect low-level protector for days when your exposure to the sun is minimal. You can purchase the soap online for $8.

Despite our knowledge about the importance of sun protection, sunburns seem to be on the rise. The numbers of reported sunburns in the US rose roughly 2% from 1999 to 2004. Check out the gallery for additional ideas on how to protect your skin from the sun. And don't forget to go to AOL Body for more sun safe tips.

So ... no. You don't want to chug-a-lug your bottle of SPF (although some of the coconut-scented stuff smells kind of yummy), but you actually can add skin protection by eating certain foods. While it doesn't replace the use of a high-SPF sunscreen, certain nutrients have been shown to help block ultraviolet (UV) sunlight.

• Studies show that carotenoids, found in red, yellow, and orange fruits and vegetables, have reduced sunburn in humans. Good choices include pumpkin, red bell peppers, butternut squash, carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe.
• Perillyl alcohol found in tart cherries and peppermint leaves halted cancer formation in a study where human cells were placed under intense UV light.
• Lutein and xeoxanthin found in spinach, kale, chicory, collard greens, lettuce, and green peas stopped UV-induced cell growth in animals.
• The antioxidants found in green tea prevented DNA damage to skin cells exposed to light at a University of Wisconsin-Madison study.
• Limonene, found in oranges, limes, and lemons, was found to reduce skin cancer risk by 34% in a University of Arizona study.
• Fish oils protect against sunburn and DNA changes. Good sources include wild salmon, tilapia, and bay scallops.
  

Do you live in the northern part of the United States? Long winters and short summers may have you thinking that you're not at as much risk of developing skin cancer as your neighbors to your south, but health experts say that skin cancer is a nationwide problem and that people in northern states need to protect themselves too.

A recent survey done by the American Academy of Dermatology ranked 32 American cities according to how "sun smart" their citizens are. Washington, D.C. residents topped the list as being the most sun savvy, but many of the other sun smart cities -- like Tampa, Miami, and L.A. are all found in warm weather climates. Northern cities like Pittsburgh, Seattle, Cleveland, Minneapolis, and Minneapolis found themselves at the bottom of the list. Health experts believe that trend is due to people believing their geographical location protects them from the disease.

Want to test your own sun smarts? Take the AAD's survey yourself and let us know how you did!

It's odd to find a protein or any bodily object that can help promote a tan and also block cancer development, but a study out of Boston has concluded that exactly that is possible.

The protein promotes a good tan (which fights skin damage by overexposure to the sun) as well as helps protect against skin cancer melanomas. The head author of the study said that "The number one risk factor for melanoma is an inability to tan." How very true that is.

Are you dark or light-skinned? If dark skinned (known as olive skinned, generally), your propensity to develop skin cancer due to melanoma is much lower than light-skinned folks, who tend to need extra protection from the sun.