Summertime and the living's easy, if you remember these healthy tips

Looking to have some fun in the sun now that summer’s here?

Excellent, but there are a few things to keep in mind to maximize your enjoyment, including your fluid intake, sun exposure and the presence of ticks, said Andrew Ditto, M.D., with Meritus Family Medicine.

When it comes to fluids, it is extremely important to stay hydrated in the summertime, Dr. Ditto said. And your choice of beverage matters.

“You don’t need Gatorade or Powerade,” he said. “You want water, or maybe a cup of apple juice for children.”

Related to that, try to limit your outdoor activities to off-peak sun hours on especially hot days. That means avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Dr. Ditto said.

No matter what time of day, apply and reapply sunscreen, he said.

“The higher the SPF, the better the sunscreen works,” he said, “but 30 is the minimum of what you need.”

And don’t just put on sunscreen once in the morning and think you’re good to go, he said.

“You need to be aware of when to reapply it,” he said. “It will depend on how water resistant the formula is, but you should reapply once every few hours, at least. If you’re in and out of the water, or you're sweating a lot, you might want to reapply more frequently.”

Speaking of skin, you’ll want to include tick protection — and that’s not just if you’re planning to spend time in the woods.

“There are now more ticks in the wild than there have been in the past, but we’re starting to see them more and more just in people’s backyards,” Dr. Ditto said. “Using DEET is a good way to prevent ticks, and do a good tick check on yourself and your kiddos when they come back inside.”

To transmit Lyme disease, a tick needs to be attached for at least 36 hours, he said. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease are smaller than other, less harmful ticks.

“If the tick is the size of a single Nerd candy, you’re probably alright,” he said. “But if it’s about the width of a dime, it could be carrying Lyme disease.”

No matter what, Dr. Ditto says not to let these commonsense precautions prevent you from getting outside.

“Movement is the best medicine,” he said. “Getting outside and moving is just a tremendous thing to do. It’s a good healthy habit to get into.”

Your primary care provider can offer more than just tips on how to stay safe and healthy during the summer. To learn more about our providers and locations, visit www.meritushealth.com/primarycare.