It’s Hot Out There. Are You Staying Cool?

Posted on August 14, 2019August 29, 2021 by Shield Insurance Agency

It’s Hot Out There. Are You Staying Cool?

All you have to do is turn on the news, or leave air conditioning, to know that it’s hot outside all over our country. I learned firsthand because I spent six hours outside yesterday when the Foremost Chopper visited our office park in Michigan.

This was about halfway through the day. Can you tell that my hair doesn’t cooperate with humidity? I was exhausted at the end of the day and fell asleep well before 10 p.m. and for a person who’s usually up to 11:30, that’s strange. So while I had time to prepare for an afternoon out in the heat, I wasn’t prepared for the heat. Let’s review where I went right and where I went wrong yesterday using the following heat-related illness preventative tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC recommends… “Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.”

This was my first failure. While I brought a bottle of water, I rarely drank from it because of that second sentence. I didn’t feel thirsty. If you are outside, remember to keep hydrated, regardless of thirst level. So I’m 0-1.

The CDC recommends… “Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar—these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.”

I usually only drink water, so I had this right. My water was also outside with me, so it wasn’t cold. BUT, and it’s a big but, I’ve already mentioned that I rarely drank my water. So I’m saying that I’m 0-2.

The CDC recommends… “Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.”

Well, as you can see in the photo, that dress I’m wearing is both light-colored and loose-fitting. I can also attest that it’s pretty lightweight. I’m 1-3.

The CDC recommends… “If you must be out in the heat, limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.”

I was outdoors from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., so I’m 1-4.

The CDC recommends… “Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat,…sunglasses, and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher…”

I wasn’t wearing a hat, but I was wearing sunglasses and I did wear a broad-spectrum SPF 70 sunscreen. If that is three items, I’m 3-7. 43% is not even close to a passing grade.

So while I was fortunate not to suffer from heat exhaustion, severe sunburn, heat cramps, or worse, hopefully, you’ll learn from my errors—especially if you’re trying to beat the heat while in your RV, on your boat, or PWC. Your safety is important to us.

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Ten Ways to Protect Yourself From the Sun

Posted on August 14, 2019June 7, 2023 by Shield Insurance Agency

Shield Insurance Blog | The Sun | Health Insurance |

When my teenage daughter arrived home the other day with a sunburned face, I asked her why she didn’t use her sunscreen. She answered with, “I did Mom! I put it on this morning.” But since she was out all day and never re-applied it, she still got a sunburn.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year and those rates are on the rise.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to take precautions like these to protect your skin from the sun:

If you can’t avoid the sun altogether, cover it up with clothing. Hats and clothing made of dark, tightly woven materials are best.
Keep in mind that UV exposure is harmful to your eyes as well as your skin, so put on a pair of sunglasses and be sure your kids do, too.
Wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. Spread it on generously and use the waterproof kind if you’ll be swimming.
Watch the expiration dates on sunscreen. Once it expires, discard and get a new bottle.
Apply your sunscreen early, and unlike my daughter, apply it often, every two hours. If you’re sweating or swimming, apply it, even more, frequently.
Remember to cover those sensitive spots like the tops of the ears, hairline, chest, nose, hands, and feet.
Give up sunbathing, especially if you’re fair-skinned. Avoid sun tanning oils which can enhance ultraviolet rays and worsen sunburn.
Protect your skin all year round, no matter what the weather. Clouds don’t keep the damaging rays from burning your skin, and neither does a winter climate.
Use extra precautions if you take medications like tetracycline, diuretics, or St. John’s Wort. They can make your skin even more sensitive to sunlight.
Avoid tanning beds. They produce UVA rays that penetrate deeper into the skin than the UVB rays of the sun.

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Protect That Skin You’re In—Year-Round UV Safety

Posted on August 14, 2019August 28, 2021 by Shield Insurance Agency

July may be UV Safety Month, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to not care about UV safety the other 11 months of the year. Sun safety needs to be considered every day—even if it is cloudy outside.

As the saying goes—your skin is your largest organ, you better take care of it. Doing so is fairly simple, and you can probably recite the following recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) without even clicking on the link. Indulge me while I reiterate:

Seek Shade. This is one of the easiest ways to reduce your skin damage and skin cancer risk, especially if you are outside between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Cover-Up. Wear clothing to protect any exposed skin, even in the shade. This means a hat with a brim all the way around, sunglasses with UVA/UVB (broad spectrum) protection, and clothing made of a tightly woven fabric.
Lather Up. This is the most important, even if you’re in the shade and covered up, you should put sunscreen on before you head outside. Not just any sunscreen, but a broad spectrum protection product with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. Make sure it’s not expired too.

Now just because you’ve done these three things, you’re not in the clear. If you had been, you wouldn’t be nursing that sunburn. You need to reapply. Sunscreen wears off, washes off, and sweats off. Put it on again if you’ve been out for more than two hours. And while being in the shade is good; know that if you’re sitting on a light-colored surface (e.g., water, sand, cement, etc.) you could be getting hit by a reflection of the sun’s rays.