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Arming Up for 4th of July

Beat the heat and the bugs

by Daiana Feuer
Posted July 2nd, 6:00am | Science/Health

The 4th of July is upon us, a time for hot dogs, fireworks and sunshine... and to get prepared for the familiar and not so apparent dangers outside. First, sunscreen basics. Don't keep sunscreen in your car or exposed to heat . High temperatures degrade SPF so you're not getting the protection you need. At the beach, toss your sunscreen in the cooler to keep its chemical properties intact. Also, sunscreen has a 3-year shelf life. If your favorite bottle has grown cobwebs, it's time to invest in something new. When choosing from the gazillion options, don't fall for packaging or scent, pick sunscreen that uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide rather than chemical sunscreens, because them other ingredients are killing the coral reefs! And don't forget to slather your feet, they're like the ozone layer of skin cancer.

Next, mosquitos, those pesky Malaria and Encephalitis carriers. Bug spray makes you sticky, smelly, and as sweat drips into your eyes and mouth, carrying all them toxins into your body, the whole situation gets unpleasant. Enter the Buzz Off clothing line, infused with permethrin, an insect repellent made from chrysanthemum flowers. That sounds a lot better than DEET, which not only can damage clothing, dissolve plastics and vinyl (think about your car seat), but is toxic when applied overzealously, especially on children. The technology behind Buzz Off, called insect shield, is good for 70 washes (which happens to be the expected lifespan of most clothing). Not into Buzz Off's style? Send your clothes to the company and they'll hook up your favorite summer duds. When insects come in contact with permethrin infused fabric, they're paralyzed. Take that suckers!







 

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