Sunscreen And You
You don't need a sunscreen because you limit sun exposure or because you have dark skin. WRONG! Everyone needs protection from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Experts say the drastic rise in melanoma, the most serious skin cancer, is mostly due to sun exposure and could reach epidemic stages within ten years. In fact, one in 120 Americans will develop melanoma during their lifetime, and many of these people will be women under 40 years old who suffered severe sunburns when they were teenagers.
The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) number given to each chemical sunscreen measures that product's ability to block ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation and reduce the risk of exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation. SPF 15, the most popular sunscreen, gives the majority of fair-skinned people enough protection. But if you still burn after using an SPF 15 sunscreen, dermatologists recommend you use a higher SPF during the sun's most intense hours, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Apply a minimum SPF 15 sunscreen 30 minutes before you go outside, reapplying after every two hours of exposure. And remember, some medications and cosmetics make your skin more sensitive to the sun. So you may need to use a stronger sunscreen.
Tips For Walkers
Before you walk out that door, familiarize yourself with these tips and you'll get the most out of your new exercise program:
Summer Heat, Summer Produce
For those of us who live in the Garden State, why not take advantage of New Jersey's produce and eat healthy this summer? Luscious strawberries and peaches, leafy green lettuces, vine-ripe tomatoes, vitamin-rich squash and crunchy-sweet corn are just some of the good-to-eat and good-for-you fresh foods found at road-side farmers' markets.
Eating lighter meals will help you get through our hot days and humid nights, plus enable you to maintain energy levels and feel better all over. Try a mixed green salad with fresh fruit, toss with a basic vinaigrette dressing and scatter a few nuts over the top. Add some whole-grain chewy rolls or muffins made from garden-grown zucchini and dig in!
Want something heartier? How about a leafy salad with sliced grilled chicken or thinly sliced, grilled steak? Corn-on-the-cob is a good accompaniment to any main-dish salad. And here's a bonus - diets high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains are also high in vitamins A, C and E, the vitamins researchers say help reduce your risk of cancer by sweeping toxic substances out of your bloodstream and increasing your overall dietary fiber intake.