That's Fit

If you're heading out to the beach over the long weekend, you may want to slap on the sunscreen before you step foot out of the house. The Centers on Disease Control and Prevention states that it takes up to 30 minutes for sunscreen to be absorbed in the skin, so do your best to time your arrival to the beach just right.

Then, once there, be sure to constantly reapply every thirty minutes or so. On average, most SPF 30 sunscreens last just over 30 minutes before their UV-blocking properties begin to diminish. Also, even if a sunscreen is labeled as "waterproof," it's still wise to apply more after going for a dip, especially if you towel off afterwards.

Opt for sunscreens that are at least SPF 15 and protect against both UVA and UVB rays, and always remember that taking a time out in the shade once in a while is never a bad idea.

Summer presents the wonderful opportunity of being able to exercise outdoors almost every day. Save for the occasional thunder storm or dangerously high temperature, most times you are able to put in your roadwork with no issue.

However, outdoor workouts present their own unique set of challenges, especially during these hot summer months. The last thing you want is to be sidelined with an injury or health complication. So, try the following tips to keep the summer sun from taking you out of the race.

• Stay hydrated. Aim for four to six ounces of water for every 15 minutes of exercise.
  
• Try moisture-control or moisture-wicking fabrics to keep sweat away from your skin. You may also want to dress in layers if you're starting out early in the morning.
• Protect your feet with properly-fitting sneakers and moisture-wicking socks.
• Keep the sun from taking a toll on your skin with copious amounts of sunblock, as well as a hat and a pair of shades to protect your eyes.
  

There's nothing like being able to head out every day and take a spin through nature. But, regardless of where your workout takes place, the goal is to continue doing it. Take the few extra minutes to follow these safety steps to help ensure that this is the case.

If you're looking to make this summer your best one yet, making smart choices about your health and wellness will undoubtedly help.

Going swimming in shark infested waters while sporting a gaping wound? Not a smart choice. Keeping yourself active with regular runs on the beach or hikes up a trail? Now you're using your head. Here are five other tips to make sure your summer leaves you with a sunny disposition.

1. Stress Less. Use the summer calm to soothe your nerves a bit. All that stress can contribute to an excessive release of the hormone cortisol, increasing your risk of a myriad of diseases.

2. Get Some Sleep. Enjoy a peaceful night's sleep as often as possible as the gentle summer breeze blows through your curtains. Aim for 7 to 8 hours each night, as a routine failure to do so increases your risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

First off, lets just be clear: no matter what you eat, you still need to use topical sunscreen. No matter what.

Okay, now that we're clear on that, let's get to the whole "eating your sunscreen" thing! The sun wreaks havok on our skin when the UV rays cause increased free-radicals that run rampant and leave nothing but damage in their wake. Some foods, particularly those high in antioxidants, can help to protect us from the sun by "mopping up" those nasty little bad guys and leaving our skin feeling younger, healthier, and (perhaps most importantly) cancer-free.

Hopefully, you practiced good sun safety this weekend and didn't end up with a painful sunburn. Staying in the shade, avoiding the hottest part of the day, wearing protective clothing, and slapping on the sunscreen are all good ways to keep your skin safe from the hot summertime sun.

If you did forget the sunscreen or stay out a little too long, however, it's always good to know how to soothe that painful burn. About.com has some good advice, including:

• Take a cool shower or bath.
• Check for blisters, which indicate second degree burns. If the burn covers a large portion of the body (like a whole arm), seek medical attention right away.
• Apply aloe to the affected area -- NOT butter or oil.
• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief.
• Wear natural, loose, breathable fabrics like cotton until you heal.
• Stay out of the sun, which will only make your burn worse.

Call 911 or head straight to the nearest ER if the person with the sunburn has trouble breathing or if swelling gets so bad that circulation to any area of the body (such as hands or feet) seems to be compromised.

Sunburns are painful and, in severe situations, can be serious. Refresh yourself on sun safety rules before the hottest days of summer arrive, and find a sunscreen that's right for you at the Environmental Working Group's database.

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.

Are you hitting the beach during the holiday weekend? If so, don't forget to protect your eyes from the sun! While it's always important to lather on the sunscreen before heading out, it's equally important to protect your eyes from UV rays.

Numerous eye problems can result from sun damage. Young people especially need to remember to wear eye protection as they tend to be outdoors in the bright sunlight more than their adult counterparts. A good pair of UV-blocking sunglasses is you first line protection, but wide-brimmed hats can also provide some shade.

An American Optometric Association survey revealed that 40% of Americans don't consider UV protection an important criteria in sunglasses. It is important. Look for sunglasses that block out 99% of UV-A and UV-B radiation.

So I need a certain amount of direct sunlight every day in order to soak up some necessary vitamin D. But I also need to wear sunscreen at all times to protect my skin from the sun's dangerous rays. Both bits of wisdom make sense. And they don't make sense at all. I mean, if I wear sunscreen all the time, how will I get my vitamin D? And if I hang out in the sun for even 10 minutes without lathering up, I'll get burned. Trust me, I will.

It's controversial, this sun vs. sunscreen predicament. The National Institutes of Health suggests we get five to 30 minutes of sun, free from sunblock, a few times per week to avoid vitamin D deficiencies. It keeps bones strong, helps prevent heart disease, and may ward off cancer. These are biggies. But wearing sunscreen every day is big too. It's the only way to keep skin cancer at bay.

Err on the side of protecting your skin, says popular opinion. Just count on getting your vitamin D from walking to and from your car, the grocery store, your mailbox a few times a week. You can get it from food sources too, like fortified breakfast cereals and milk, or from a dietary supplement. And if you're concerned you may be vitamin D deficient, consult your physician.

It may be a bit premature to start talking about sun safety, but it will be summer before we know it. Well, that's not entirely true -- the calendar is a pretty good indicator of when summer is here, so we'll be quite aware. Oh yeah, plus the temperature will jump up to the 80's and 90's (maybe even higher, depending on where you call home), so I think it's safe to say that summer will arrive just when we expected it to.

With that being the case, part of being prepared for the solstice is knowing how to protect yourself against the elevated risk of skin cancer during this time of year.

Start by limiting your exposure to only 15 to 20 minutes of direct sunlight. This doesn't mean that you have to be a vampire, waiting until dark to leave your house because you've already been outside for 20 minutes. What it does mean is that you would do well to not fall asleep while lying on your beach blanket. Next, be sure to drink plenty of water. It will help prevent dehydration and also protects the skin. You may also want to drink some coffee, since caffeine was shown in laboratory studies to reduce the risk of UV-induced skin cancer in mice. And lastly, don't forget that sunscreen -- as effective as it seemingly is -- does not last forever. A good sized glob of SPF15 will only last about 30 minutes, at which point you should apply more and/or head for some shade.

The Environmental Health Perspectives journal recently published a paper claiming that certain ingredients in sunscreen are killing coral reefs. National Geographic, among others, picked up on it, and now beach-goers the world over are worried that the sunscreen they use to protect their skin is damaging coral reefs.

The Beauty Brains were asked about this last week, and they broke the issue down into an easy-to-understand format, explaining exactly what the concern was (certain chemicals found in sunscreen can cause bleaching in the reefs). The fact is that, yes, there are chemicals found in sunscreens that are detrimental to the environment, but the quantities listed in the paper failed to take a number of factors into account, such as those same chemicals being present in pollution as well as in sunscreen.

Their final opinion was that sunscreen use is not likely as big a culprit in the death of coral reefs as the paper indicates. However, if you're concerned because you swim near reefs (or just because you don't want to use sunscreen that could be damaging to the environment), you can look for natural sunscreens, or look out for the ingredients The Beauty Brains list as problematic.

Ashlee Simpson gives an interview to Shape magazine and talks about engaged life (it's fantastic), the tabloid gossip (it doesn't bother her anymore), and her workout, which generally takes place at her home and consists of using some weights and machines. However, her trainer added that much of her workout doesn't use equipment -- it uses her environment. She runs down her stairs, does lunges around her pool, runs back up, and does squats. Now if only we all had flights of stairs and fabulous pools to exercise around ...

Sex and the City hottie Jason Lewis tells I'm Not Obsessed his trick for keeping fit -- he grills all his food. Tasty! Grilling, I mean. Not him. Well, maybe him. I'm flustered!

Jennifer Garner is featured in the May issue of Self and talks about her love of the farmers' markets during the summer as well as how much sunscreen she wears on a daily basis. Not only is she fit and beautiful -- she a smart and healthy role model, too!

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.

In most parts of the U.S., the sun is starting to shine a little more brightly, encouraging us to come out and play. Not only does the warm weather get us all frisky and ready to tackle all kinds of fun outdoor activities -- a change of season is also a reminder to take a look at our current skincare routine to make sure we're still meeting our skin's needs.

It should go without saying, but I'm still going to say it -- first and foremost, make sure you're applying sunscreen every time you go outside. Hats and sunglasses will help protect your face from sun damage, too, but it's a good idea to get into the habit of applying a moisturizing sunscreen every morning.

Are you the kind of person who always wears a full face of make-up everyday without fail because you'd feel naked without it? Or are you somone who just applies a little here or there to enhance certain features and cover little spots and shadows? Maybe you're one of the lucky ones who has fantastic skin and only ever applies lip balm with an occasional bit of mascara and blush for special occasion?

Whatever your particular make-up style is, it's important to have an idea of what it is you're putting on your face. But for those not in the know, it may be tough to tell what all of the big, technical words mean, or which stories you hear about make-up are fact and which are fiction.

If you've ever wondered what exactly it means for a product to be perfume-free or been puzzled about the difference between cosmetic and cosmeceutical, take a look at this piece which offers information from dermatologists on some basic cosmetic-related queries.

For example, did you know that natural and non-allergenic are not the same thing? According to the article, products that contain all natural ingredients may still irritate your skin. Watch out for anything containing chamomile, lavender, rosemary and tea-tree oil as these may trigger a reaction. If you're unsure, it's a good idea to do a spot test on a small patch of skin before applying a new product all over your face. For even more info -- as well as the answers to the perfume-free and cosmetic vs cosmeceutical questions, take a look at the full piece here.

Has anyone else ever heard the rumor about the woman who died after rubbing too many perfume samples onto her skin? Turns out it is, unsurprisingly, just one of those persistent Internet hoaxes. Apparently there are a number of other cosmetic-related rumors going around, and this article sets out to debunk, or at least explain them.

To be honest, I haven't actually heard of many of the other myths listed but I can imagine they'd all be pretty troubling for those who were unsure if they were true. For instance, according to the piece, there is a rumor going around that sunscreen can cause blindness in children. I know if I were about to apply a new sunscreen to my kid's face I'd probably think twice before getting it anywhere near their eyes without getting more information first. The piece explains that, while there is no truth to this rumor, it is important to use caution when applying sunscreen to your child's face. As far as sprays or foams are concerned, it's best to put them to your hands first so you can better control how they are applied.

The piece also discusses whether there is really lead in lipstick and if there's any evidence that hair dye causes Alzheimer's, plus it offers a number of make-up tips and tricks to ensure that the products you're using aren't going to cause you any harm. Make-up can definitely be a great way to enhance your look or give you a confidence boost, but it's also important to know what to use, when to throw products out, how to keep things bacteria-free and more.