Do you find you get sick after going to the beach? Researcher may have discovered a reason for that.

A University of Florida researcher conducted a two-year study of three Florida beaches to assess possible health effects of beach sand.

Researchers found  there was no increased health risk due to exposure to sand on the upper beach, but the longer the period of time people spent in the water and in the wet sand, the higher the probability that they would experience some stomach illness.

The results suggest that there is an increased risk of getting a stomach bug the longer you are in the water.

But the researchers still don't know whether the increased health risk is due to pathogen exposure. They said more research is still needed.

Another important reminder when you are headed to the beach -- protect yourself against skin cancer with sunscreen that has an SPF of 15 or  higher.

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