Protecting Your Skin is a Healthy Habit Too

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer and it is projected that 1 in 5 people will develop it in their lifetime. A child that has a sunburn or other sun damage is at a greater risk for developing skin cancer later in life.

This summer, the staff at Brighter Bites in Houston wants all of the kids in the Brighter Bites program to not only eat their healthy fruits and veggies, but also protect themselves while they play outside in the summer heat. To that end, we are teaching our Brighter Biters to keep their entire body healthy, including their skin! We have teamed up with CATCH and MD Anderson Cancer Center to introduce the Sunbeatables curriculum to our campers. Sunbeatables is a Pre-K curriculum that teaches kids the importance of sun safety and how to protect themselves from harmful UV rays.

Kids learn how to apply sunscreen, look for shadows outside that tell you when the UV rays are most harmful, and the type of clothes to wear when they are outside for a long time. The kid-friendly lessons introduce sun-safe superheroes that have superpowers of sunscreen, protective hats, protective clothing, shade, and sunglasses. The purpose is not to scare the kids, but to inform them of the risk they take if they frequently get sunburn.

In addition to the sun safety education, the kids are also receiving sunscreen every week during the Brighter Bites summer season. The sunscreen was generously donated by the Katz and Talisman families. They recognized the importance and need of sunscreen for the families that we serve and wanted all of our Houston Brighter Biters to develop health habits around food and sun care over the summer. We hope that all of our families continue to be safe this season while they are at a park, pool, beach, or backyard cookout!

Here are some tips for you to keep your family safe this summer:

• Wear sunscreen (at least SPF 30) every day! Make sure to reapply sunscreen every 1-2 hours; it will rub off with water or sweat.
• Be more protected between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, when the sun is directly overhead and the rays are most harmful.
• Cover-up! Wear protective clothing if you will be outside for a while.
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from harmful rays. (Make sure they provide UV protection)
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat that shades the face and neck
• Schedule outdoor activities in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is not as bright
• Be a sun safe role model for others!