How To Summer-Proof Your Body

Your skin isn’t the only thing that needs some shade this summer.

- Karen ASP

By now, slathering on sunscreen before stepping out the door should be a year-round habit, but your epidermis is not the only thing being affected by el sol. Other parts of your body can be negatively affected by the sun, sounds and soaring heat of the summer months. Here’s how to protect five of them from harm.

1 | KIDNEYS

SUMMER HAZARD: HEAT

When it’s hot, you’re at a greater risk for dehydration, which over time could lead to kidney stones. “Kidney stones form because of an imbalance of salt and water within the kidneys,” says Jonathan Harper, M.D., associate professor of urology at the University of Washington in Seattle, adding that a salty diet and inactivity also can be contributing factors. While kidney stones are most common in adults 30 to 50 years old, you’re at risk even if you’re in your 20s, and high-protein diets such as Atkins, Paleo and keto can cause other urinary issues that may increase kidney-stone risk, Harper says.

SAFETY CHECK

Stay active, eat a lower salt diet and stay well hydrated, consuming anywhere from 80 to 100 ounces of water daily. Adding electrolytes to your water can help replenish water loss from sweating and help promote hydration, and eating a diet with a healthy balance of macronutrients with plenty of fresh produce can help deflect kidney stones.

2 | EARS

SUMMER HAZARD: LOUD NOISES