Dear Health Genie,
Every year I buy several different sunscreens thinking one may be better than the other. Even though I work outside, I end up with extra tubes left at the end of the summer. Some sunscreen has irritated my face but I didn’t have any way of knowing this until I’d purchased it. Now I choose a baby sunscreen because it doesn’t make me itchy or one for faces or one that sprays on because those feel lighter. I enjoy being tan so I choose a low or medium SPF, skip sunscreen some days, and around midsummer I stop using sunscreen except on the very brightest days. Is that ok once I am tan? Sometimes people who see my dark tan warn me that I should always cover up even if I don’t think I am getting burned. Is it safe to continue using the sunscreens I bought last year, this year? Will you advise me about what to look for on the label? I know about SPF. What else should I know?
Thanks,
Outdoorsy Sun Lover
What can you tell me about iron? My husband and I have a new baby. I feel I could be anemic. We could both use something to support our energy. I never took multivitamins until my pregnancy so I am unsure about what to take now that I am no longer pregnant. My husband’s doctor urged him to avoid iron supplementation. I have heard that too much iron can be harmful to children. Should I be cautious about how much iron I take while I am nursing? Should we try to get our iron from food alone?
I want to help my family miss less school and work. There are so many products in the cold and flu section. I am unfamiliar with most. My kids would appreciate it if I didn’t make them take so many different supplements every time a cold is going around. They get exasperated if I offer too many remedies. My wife won’t take anything that is not backed by research. Can you suggest one supplement that could help us this season?
