Summer means long weekends, fragrant nights, and vacations with the family. Summer also means insects, sunburns, and dehydration. When you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), everything becomes a little bit more complicated. You might be more sensitive to the sun because of medication you're taking, typical picnic food may send you running for the port-a-potty, and you can become dehydrated easily if you have diarrhea. Have fun this summer, but take care of yourself too with my IBD summer necessities below.
1. Hats
Photo © harper07
Protection from the sun is important for anyone, but especially for people with IBD. Some medications can make the skin more sensitive to the sun. And, of course, covering exposed skin to prevent the development of skin cancer should always be a priority. Use a hat to keep the sensitive skin on your face and neck in the shade.
2. Sunblock
Photo © Dan Shirley
A hat can help protect your face and neck, but you've also got to take precautions for the rest of your skin. A good sunblock, SPF 30 or more, applied liberally and frequently, is a good idea if you're going to spend any time in the sun.
3. Sunglasses
Photo © Teodora Vlaicu
Your eyes are also vulnerable to the sun. Sunglasses do not need to be expensive (although it seems the best looking ones always are), but they do need to protect your eyes from UV rays.
4. Wet Wipes
Summer comes with the opportunity for many fun outdoor activities, but it also comes with one terrible bane of the IBD existence -- port-a-potties. One way to make them more bearable is to bring along some moist towelettes instead of relying on the availability of paper.5. Hand Sanitizer
After using that port-a-potty, you may find that there's no soap and water available. Hand sanitizers are effective at killing germs, and are certainly more portable and easy to use. They come in a variety of packages including wipes, pumps, sprays, and squeeze bottles.6. Portable Toilets
For those times when there isn't even a port-a-potty available, you can bring along your own. A variety of portable toilets are on the market, ranging from the no-frills "bucket" models to the more complicated and expensive models that closely resemble a tent. For road trips or camping, a portable toilet can make traveling easier.7. Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Keeping hydrated is critically important to people with IBD, especially those who are experiencing diarrhea or vomiting. Advice on what type of containers we should drink our water out of keeps changing, but I think you can't go wrong with the classic stainless steel water bottle. It's easy to clean, it will keep your water cooler longer, and (if you ask me) water tastes better from a stainless steel container.8. Insect Repellent
Insects are often an unwelcome guest at barbecues, at the beach, or any outdoor activity. Insect repellent can keep the bugs away and prevent them from biting you and making your life miserable with welts and itching.9. Sunless Tanner
Tanning can not only age skin prematurely, but it can also be dangerous and put you at risk for skin cancer. What to do when you want that summertime glow without the bad aspects that go along with it? The answer might be sunless tanner. It can be tricky to apply, but today's sunless tanners can give satisfactory results.
