With the sun is at it's zenith this week, it's time to pay attention to protecting our bodies from the strongest rays of sun we will have all year.
When I moved here to Florida from Northern California eight years ago, one of the first "local" skills I needed to learn was how to protect my skin and eyes from the sun. Here in Florida we are closer to the equator than virtually all of America (except maybe the tip of Texas), and the sun is stronger.
For the past few years, the Environmental Working Group has been assessing sunscreen products for safety and effectiveness. This year they assessed 1,400 sunscreen products, including beach and sports lotions, sprays and creams, moisturizers, make-up and lip balms, and ended up warning consumers "not to depend on any sunscreen for primary protection from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Hats, clothing and shade are still the most reliable sun protection available."
This article appears in Jun 10-16, 2010.