June 2025

After a long, cold winter, summer has finally arrived. But how do you stay healthy while enjoying the heat, the sun, and the great outdoors? You probably know the importance of protecting your skin from the sun. But applying sunscreen and wearing hats aren’t the only precautions you should take to enjoy summer safely.

Wear proper sunglasses

If you’re going to be out in the sun, sunglasses are a must. They protect the delicate skin around your eyes and your eyes themselves. The sun’s UV rays can cause a variety of eye problems, from cataracts and macular degeneration to growths and deposits in the eye.

Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB light. For extra protection, choose a design that has thick side arms to provide a physical barrier from the sun’s rays. Consider prescription and non-prescription sunglasses with a lens tint that will adjust based on the strength of the sun.

Prevent mosquito bites

Mosquito bites are common in summer, and they aren’t just uncomfortable. They can transmit diseases. While cases of mosquito-borne illness are low in the U.S., there are still annual cases of malaria, dengue, and West Nile resulting from mosquito bites. In addition, some people may be allergic to mosquito saliva and develop very large welts from bites and even fevers.

Mosquitos are most active from dusk to dawn, especially near standing water and in cool, shady woods. To protect yourself, stay indoors during peak times, wear protective clothing, and use insect repellent with one of these active ingredients recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or picaridin.

Prevent tick bites

Tick-borne illnesses are more common than those from mosquitoes. Ticks are small (sometimes head-of-a-pin small) bugs that latch onto your skin and can transmit serious diseases, such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan. Tick bites can also trigger a life-threatening allergy to red meat called alpha-gal.

Protect yourself from ticks and tick-borne illnesses:

• Avoid tall grass and woody or shrubby areas. If hiking, stay in the center of the trail.
• Protect your skin with tick repellents, including DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus,
  which will also protect you against mosquito bites.
• Treat clothing with permethrin, buy pre-treated clothing, or mail clothing to companies that will treat it for you. Permethrin kills ticks on contact.
• Check clothing and gear for ticks before going inside.
• Shower as soon as you come inside; then perform a tick check. Use a mirror to search in places you can’t otherwise see.
• Remove any attached ticks promptly. The sooner you remove any ticks, the less likely you are to catch an illness, even if the tick is infected.
• Call your doctor if you have any concerns and seek medical help immediately if you develop a fever, rash, or difficulty breathing after a tick bite.

Avoid rashes from poisonous plants

To avoid getting rashes from poisonous plants, avoid having them touch any part of your body by wearing proper clothing.

Learn to identify and avoid contact with the poisonous plants in your area. Common poisonous plants include poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and wild parsnip. Be sure you know what the plant looks like, how it grows (weed, vine, shrub, etc.), and where it grows (sun or shade, wet or dry).