From longer days to warmer weather, Canadians love to take vacations and enjoy being outside from June through to September. What’s more important than having fun, however, is staying safe from the sun and the heat. When it comes to sun protection, here’s how to protect yourself and your family from harmful UV rays and illness this summer.
Be Sun Safe
When protecting yourself in the summer, there is no greater risk than the sun, its heat, and its UV rays. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, there is an increased risk of developing melanoma and other skin conditions during the summer. It’s important to stay sun safe throughout the summer by following these simple tips:
- Check the UV index for your area daily. If the index reaches 3 or higher, there is a risk to your skin and you must take extra care
- Wear sunscreen properly, applying sunscreen with a minimum of 30 SPF every 2 hours
- Wear large-brim sunhats
- Wear tightly-woven clothing that doesn’t allow a lot of sun through
- You and your children should always wear sunglasses
Health Impacts of Extreme Heat
When temperatures and humidity increase to a heatwave status in the summer, it’s wise to seek a cool space. When protecting yourself in the summer, it’s important to remember that extreme temperatures can be harmful to the body. Prolonged exposure to extreme heat can result in dehydration, dizziness, loss of consciousness, heat exhaustion or worse. High heat and humidity especially affect the elderly, infants and young children, and people with preexisting health conditions. Extreme heat is also a threat to those that require work outdoors with little access to shade or cooling.
Heat and Heart Attacks
Unfortunately, one of the more extreme side of the effects of heat and high temperatures is an increase in the risk of heart attack. This is especially the case among the elderly or people with preexisting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or high cholesterol. A new study from the University of Michigan suggests that the chances of heat-related heart attacks rise about 5% for every 13 degrees Celcius (9 Fahrenheit). Therefore, protect yourself from heart attacks and heat stroke in extreme weather events. This may include staying indoors or in a cool space like the mall, a library, or a community centre when there is an extreme heat warning in your area.
Sun Protection & More for You & Your Family
Sometimes, even with all of the precautions that we take, heart attacks and critical illnesses still occur. In this case, it’s important to be protected financially with insurance to cover expenses when you are recovering. Critical Illness insurance provides the assurance that if you were to fall ill, you could focus on recovering instead of any potential financial stress. With over 23 critical illnesses covered, our insurance goes beyond just heart issues to cover your expenses.
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Critical Illness Insurance is offered by Hudson’s Bay Financial Services and is underwritten by Chubb Life Insurance Company of Canada (“Chubb Life”). This information is for general information purposes only. Actual coverage is determined by the facts and circumstances of the particular loss and the terms and conditions of the policy as issued.
Chubb Life is part of the Chubb Group of companies. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. Chubb Limited, the parent company of Chubb, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index.