Yes, we are at the beach resting, recovering strength for the return to the routine and taking advantage of the time to do everything we cannot do the rest of the year.
We protect ourselves from the sun perhaps in excess and in the end that is not to benefit us either but we are also forgetting other elements Have you thought about what sand grains contain?
If we consider that each year in Spain more than 3,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed, According to the Spanish Association against Cancer, it is logical that protecting ourselves from the sun is almost an obsession when we are at the beach and protecting our children, it is also.
Sun creams, topical photoprotection screens, are common in our beach bag and we are increasingly aware that protect a maximum of two hours from application, so it is more than advisable to periodically renew the application of the protective cream always taking into account the sun protection factor that we are using.
But let's not forget that not all sunscreen is based on cream, the choice of clothing is also important because more and more tissues are prepared to protect us from the sun, the tissues identified with the acronym UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor), fabrics to which photoprotection substances attached to the thread are added.
And without this type of special fabrics, ordinary clothing also means protection (much lower, of course) against the aggressions that the sun can cause on our skin. The thicker the fabric, the higher the protection factor.
A common umbrella for example, made of polyester already has a protection factor greater than 30 that does not prevent us from burning if we spend all day under the umbrella but it does provide additional protection for our skin to which we have to add the usual protection of sun creams. Hats, caps and sunglasses are necessary physical protection screens for neck, head, eyes and facial skin.
The excess is not healthy either
There is no room for discussion: It is essential to protect ourselves from the sun when we spend the day at the beach even if the day is not especially sunny but it is also true that if we always keep that protection at the same levels even if we do not spend the whole day exposed to the sun, we may sin excessively and this excess is neither healthy for our body nor recommended for our health.
One in four Spanish children, especially among children under two years, have levels below recommended vitamin D and this, according to different pediatricians.
It is suspected that it is due to excess sun protection by responsible adults and, in addition, it is feared that in regions with fewer hours of sunshine the number of children with these low levels of vitamin D will be even higher.
And is that sunscreen isolates us from both bad and good It has the effect of the sun on our body, as with the metabolization of vitamin D, necessary for the formation of metabolism, growth and development of the immune system.
What to do about it? Pediatricians encourage parents to make their children live more outdoors, that go out, increase their physical activity abroad in the hours of less heat but in which the sun is still active.
And what about the sand?
We have a clear need to protect ourselves from the sun on the beach but we may not be so aware of the need to also protect ourselves from sand as an important source of bacteria and viruses capable of causing gastrointestinal diseases, especially among children.
It's great to start building sandcastles on the beach with our children, always Don't forget to wash our hands when we get home with soap and water.
As the Journal of Water and Health has recently published, beach sand has levels of Escherichia coli, the most commonly transmitted bacteria on the beach. A large part of the population has already been in contact with this type of bacteria and is resistant to the infection of most strains, although that does not take away so that minor respiratory infections, gastroenteritirs, otitis and conjunctivitis can occur.
These are viruses that are related mainly to gastroenteritis in children, some respiratory infections, otitis and conjunctivitis. A large part of the population has already been in contact with them and is resistant to the infection of most strains. It is logical to think that both sand and bath water have a concentration of viruses and bacteria in low proportions, which must be monitored and controlled but have more benefits than damage to our immune system in general terms.
In Spain, scientists from the University of Barcelona examined the beaches of Gavah and this same reality was proven, in a small selection of samples the bathing waters contained viruses that increased their proportion after episodes of heavy rains.
So neither sunbathe in excess, nor protect us every day with the same intensity as we do a summer day on the beach, nor forget to wash our hands after playing with the sand. Everything in its right measure makes our health stronger and our body and that of our children too.
