Stay safe this summer. Ban the Tan!

Image by Saad K on Flickr.


It's burning up here in Melbourne! We hit a high of 35 degrees today. However it wasn't the heat that bothered me as much as the scorching sun! I had to be out driving to all the different schools I was teaching at today and the sun really made the skin sting!

So here's a few handy tips to have around this scorchy spring:

Protect yourself from the sun.

Sunscreen, sunblock, a hat.. anything you can do to help protect yourself from excessive exposure to UV radiation. Always keep a tube of sunscreen in your handbag and slap some on from time to time. Not only will it help lessen the nasty impact of the UV rays, it will also keep your skin from developing sun spots and/or aging quickly!

Drink lots of water and other fluids

Water, fruit juice, ice tea.. they all help! With the heat on the rise, we tend to sweat more as we progress through the day. Keep a constant flow of water into your body to keep yourself hydrated. The last thing we want is for you to be dehydrated which will then lead to heat exhaustion! I try to finish at least 4-5 liters of water a day. Yes, I do have to go to the washroom quite often, but it is okay to drink more than what you need but unhealthy to drink less as the human body require fluids even more than we require food.

Stay cool!

Stay indoors during midday if possible and try to keep yourself as chilled as possible. Be careful as heat exhaustion and heat strokes are very real medical conditions and will require immediate attention. Avoid dark colours as they absorb heat faster. Wear light, loose fitting clothes to help you stay cooler.

Know your body

If you are feeling ill, it's time to see the doctor! Or at least call him/her up and voice your concerns. The number of people who have passed away due to extreme heat during summer has been astoundingly high and we don't want to add to that number, do we?

And while I know that spring and summer are the perfect seasons to lay on the beach and work that perfect tan, please bear in mind that Melanoma or Skin Cancer is very real.


Why the need for this post?


Image from Sunday Herald Sun


Because 2 years ago, a friend lost her battle to Melanoma.

You can read more about Clare Oliver, her story, and her legacy on her website. But this is real. Very real.
I knew her when she was still a bouncy girl, we went out clubbing at the night clubs. I have photos, videos of her when she was still living.
I even have videos of when we were all drunk and talking all kinds of silly nonsense.

But now she's gone. Leaving behind her a very important message.

Stay safe this summer. Ban the Tan.

Stay safe this summer. Ban the Tan!