Having fun in the sun during those wonderful spring and summer months is a must for most of the world. Summer is my favorite season. But there are precautions that should be taken to avoid crucial consequences while basking in the sun, whether at the beach or park or in your own backyard. Heat exhaustion or heat stroke, sunburn, and skin cancer just to name a few are very serious skin issues that result from over exposure to sunlight. To prevent some of these, always check the UV index from your local weather channel, wear protective clothing, a large hat, and always use a good SPF-15 or higher sunscreen lotion. Wearing white clothing will provide better protection than dark clothing. Sitting in the shade is also helpful when you are outside on those hot sunny days, especially if you are out between the hours of 10am to 2pm. Sunshine can also provide an efficient amount of vitamin D which should only take about 15 minutes. Drinking lots of water on those hot summer days will help prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Make sure you have plenty of water and some form of fruit juice handy at all times to stay hydrated and cool, and going inside to a room or building with an air conditioner is helpful if you start to feel drained.