Choose You Blog

I remembered that sunscreen isn’t truly waterproof or sweat proof when I read this from HHS HealthBeat:

“Even if sunscreens say they’re waterproof, they’re not. Sunscreens can wash off with sweat, or just being in the water. When this happens, their sun protection washes off, too, leaving users at greater risk for burns, premature skin aging and possibly even skin cancer. So the Food and Drug Administration has set new rules to help people know what they’re getting and when to use it.”

I specifically buy sunscreens that say waterproof or sweatproof because if we’re outdoors, we’re likely either in the water or sweating! Sometimes those sunscreens even cost more. I can’t seem to wean myself away from those; my mind feels sure they are more effective. They must have some basis for saying it, right?

That’s a little true, but not quite accurate, as FDA dermatologist Jill Lindstrom explains, “Sunscreens may only use the term `water resistant,’ and must clearly indicate how long water resistance actually lasts.’”

So the sunscreen currently marked “waterproof” and “sweat proof” are actually only able to withstand water and sweat a little better than regular sunscreen. How much is a little? Well the new FDA guidelines only approved two lengths of time for water resistance claims: 40 minutes and 80 minutes.

That means you really ought to reapply sunscreen every half hour or so, especially if you are in full sun during the main hours of maximum sun exposure: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

How can you tell whether your sunscreen can resist water and sweat for 40 or 80 minutes? You might not know until the new label requirements take effect next summer, June 2012.

As you probably know, the FDA recently issued new guidelines for sunscreen. Those new requirements are to improve clarity and honesty in labeling:

• You should be able to read any sunscreen label and clearly know the depth of its protectiveness (5 versus 15 versus 50) and the breadth of its protection (e.g., broad spectrum).
• Sun screens cannot claim to work longer than two hours without special FDA approval.
• The new requirements also stipulated truth and straightforward information about how it works in the water or with sweat: “Water resistance claims on the product’s front label must tell how much time a user can expect to get the declared SPF level of protection while swimming or sweating, based on standard testing.”
• Most importantly, the new FDA guidelines state that manufacturers cannot make claims that sunscreens are “waterproof” or “sweatproof, or identify their products as “sunblocks.”

You can check manufacturers sites to see if they offer any more detail about claims of time they work in water or with sweat.

Err on the side of caution to best prevent skin damage, premature aging, and skin cancer.

Weight gain is not inevitable as you age, alleged a Mayo Clinic article that hit my inbox today. I decided to click through and read what miracles I was missing yet .

I closed my eyes and ticked off my lifestyle list to see how it measured up from another article from the experts:

• only whole grains
• small portions
• healthy, fresh food choices
• strong limits on junk
• “eat this, not that” choices such as fat free sorbet instead of ice cream
• no sodas, juices or drinks other than water except in rare cases
• daily exercise
• healthy sleep (6-8)

and so on.

Okay…here’s their magic formula:

• Don’t eat: Potato chips, Potatoes, Unprocessed red meats, or Processed meats. Or see pounds creep on despite otherwise good habits.
• Do eat: vegetables, nuts, fruits and whole grains. And see less weight gain.
• “Alcoholic beverages and fruit juices were associated with a small but gradual increase in weight. Sugar-sweetened beverages were a major contributor to weight gain.”
• Limit TV.
• Get a good night’s sleep.

No surprises, and I see that I’m on the right path, although I still have a few things in my life it appears good medical science would rather me leave behind: the sitting in the desk chair job, meat, wine (and sometimes margaritas), and an addiction to Bravo.

So I paused and wondered whether I’d be willing to utterly give up any of that, cold turkey, to be healthier? I decided I’m willing to cut back further. But not quite to eliminate.

What about you? What do you still have in your life that medical science would rather you leave behind? Are you willing to do it?

Or…what have you cut, bad habit-wise, out of your life already?

On the Choose You Facebook page, a few wonderful Choose You folks started a really important conversation about appearance. One lady said she needed to exercise, because she hated how she looked. Another said it’s really about being happy because you’re healthy, not how you look.

What I think? They’re both right.

When I look in the mirror and see bags under my eyes, I know I’m tired. I dislike looking that way, and I know what I need to do is make an early (or on time) bedtime a priority, because sleep matters to my health. I know I feel tired, but sometimes, seeing it written on my face has a stronger impact, maybe because it’s visual, it’s on the outside. Feeling tired on the inside, I can drink more coffee, power up, power through. But nothing, no matter what the ads say, can hide those exhausted, bag-laden, red-rimmed, strained eyes.

I see my poor health choice. I see I need to make a change.

When I get back from a rich food indulgent vacation, and my pants are tight, my belt squeezes an unwelcome lump of flesh around my middle, and my favorite clothes pull uncomfortably, my vanity pricks me, but it also tells me I lost sight of my healthy eating priorities and overdid it for my body. I need to rededicate myself to my health and exercise commitments and nudge that number on the scale down and those inches on my waist back to a healthy BMI.

I see my poor health choice. I see I need to make a change.

The original discussion came from a post about the link between diet, exercise and cancer:

“How much do daily habits like diet and exercise affect our risk for cancer? Much more than you might think. Increasingly, researchers agree that poor diets and sedentary lifestyles are among the most important contributors to cancer risk.”

Bottom line, it’s true, it’s about health, it’s about cancer prevention.

But sometimes how you look, how clothes fit an be an insight, a temperature gauge, in to how you’re doing, caring for yourself. Not always, but it can be.

The key also, and in my opinion this is crucial, is to only measure yourself against yourself. And I mean your adult self, not your youthful self. They key is to know what your body, at your age, needs, and how it looks at its best. Your doctor can help with this, help you find ideal weight and BMI for you.

Cosmo? Not so much.

Don’t get confused between looking healthy and being healthy, either. Remember the bottom line? Choosing You and making healthy choices.

As Choose You fan Cathy said, “. . .it’s really not about how you look-it’s about being happy because you are healthy-you will look and feel better just because you made healthy choices.”

That’s the real bottom line. You want to eat right, get active, do health checks, protect your skin and let go of harmful habits such as smoking…for your health. In fact, this motivation is more likely to be successful overall and is less likely to have negative consequences. Focusing on health benefits and realistic goals for yourself are, actually, proven to be the best factors for success.

But getting an eyeful might be just what it takes to make you sit up and pay attention.

Backyard barbecues. Picnics. Or just a regular dinner.  Maybe snack time with kids. A birthday party.

A lot of fun times in summer want cool, refreshing desserts. First to my mind (always) is ice cream. Sure, I can buy low cal or “diet” ice cream, and trust me, I do. But in the end, it really just delivers satisfaction, no actual nutrition. It’s enjoyable but unnecessary calories. A bowl of fruit is more nutritious, also delicious, but somehow doesn’t feel like that much of a special treat.

The other day I ran across a slew of delicious ideas for treats, but one stood out: the Garden Party Garland Skewers.

These mixed sliced fruit — any sort you like! — with bite-sized rice krispie treats.

First, you start with the rice krispie treats. Here’s the classic recipe for those:

3 tablespoons   butter or margarine

1 package (10 oz., about 40)   regular marshmallows

- OR -

4 cups   miniature marshmallows

6 cups   Rice Krispies®

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

You can get microwave directions too.

Note

-For best results, use fresh marshmallows.

-1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.

-Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.

-Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container.

-To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Second, cut the finished squares into fun shapes using chilled cookie cutters. Go for hearts, stars, flowers, or summer themed shapes.

Third, cut fruit or use small berries. Be creative with the fruit, too!

Fourth and finally, alternate fruit and rice krispie treats on a skewer.

I used mostly summer berries, which cut down on cutting, and used a cool colored skewer I found in a “seasonal” section of a grocery store.

Initially , I was thrilled because this must be fat free! Aren’t rice krispie treats a low cal, low fat treat? Not as much as I thought, but still, not too bad:

The workaround is to use basically just one bar, cut into two or at most three sections (the quantity I found worked best on the skewer). I was able to use half of a bar, with more fruit, so that does cut down on the nutrition information above, and with more fruit, increase the good nutrition.

In the checking, I found some great resources for determining overall nutrition of foods. You can see the very detailed nutritional analysis for rice krispie bars. Check out the main site and look up any of your favorite foods.

Try out this recipe for a delicious, and pretty healthy choice, dessert this summer. Let me know what you think!

Anyone can get skin cancer…young, old, light, dark, people in the sun often, people not…anyone. Check out this video: Minorities and Skin Cancer Awareness In it, Irene Ekwede, a dermatology nurse at the NIH Clinical Center, talks about skin cancer risks for minorities and people with darker skin. Nurse Ekwede also introduces a brand-new NCI brochure, “Anyone Can Get Skin Cancer,” that can be obtained free by calling the Cancer Information Service (1-800-4-CANCER) or by visiting the Web site.

My daughters invited friends to come play for a Water Day at our house. The first thing I said was, “Sun protection first!” I handed over a couple of bottles of sunscreen. My girls groaned but grabbed the bottles. One of the other little girls said she didn’t usually wear any, and that another of the little girls didn’t need any. I asked,”Why do you think you two don’t need it?” The first girl said, “I’ll stay in the shade, and she’s already black,” indicating the second girl. “Shade or sun, light or dark…color doesn’t matter,” I said, “Everybody needs sunscreen. I’m sure her mother puts sunscreen on her, right, doesn’t she?” I asked the little girl. The little girl told me no, she didn’t wear any, her skin didn’t need protecting. I don’t like to gainsay other parents, especially to their child. Actually, I had no idea what the parents really thought or did — all parents know things get muddled from kids sometimes. But I had care of these kids while they were at my house. And, hard choice as it was, it was easy to make the choice to put sunscreen on all the kids. I knew it was the right thing to do. However, I framed it as a “this is how we do things at our house,” and these kids know me well enough to know that while I respect differences among houses and their rules, House Rules rule. I had to protect them.

When I was a kid, sunscreen was basically unknown. My mother knew her kids, and that our skin burned easily. We were smart enough to figure that wasn’t a good thing. She made us wear t-shirts over swim suits to protect us, but that did little good. Anyway, nobody took sun protection very seriously back then. Nobody really understood the long-term potential problems, other than maybe aging, and when you’re 15, who can imagine aging? Still, I had learned I had two shades: white and red. I began to prefer to just stay out of the sun. For a while, my pale “whiter than white, you’re blinding me” shade was mocked, loudly and often. I spent a good part of my later youth and early 20s feeling sorry for myself and wishing I could be just a wee little bit tan, but the cost wasn’t worth it. I learned to embrace my natural shade and demanded others respect it, too.

But that choice came too late, really, and I’ll pay for the early years of sunning without protection, however innocent it was, for the rest of my life. Each visit to my dermatologist uncovers more suspicious areas, leads to more biopsies, and luckily, so far, more early detection before dysplastic areas turn into melanoma. I don’t want to be the friend someone else thinks was taken too soon, the mother who has to unwillingly leave her kids, the person others feel they must honor through action and advocacy. None of us do, of course.

What I do want to be is the person who helps spread the word than anyone can get skin cancer. Even very good people. Even lovely people who add value to the world. Friends can, moms can, dads can, people of every race, creed and color can.

Those risk charts? The ones that say freckled, fair, burns easily folk, folk who are in the sun often, etc. are at highest risk for skin cancer? Those are guidelines–these folks tend to be who has the highest incidence of skin cancer. It doesn’t mean they are the only people. The National Cancer Institute’s new brochure, “Anyone Can Get Skin Cancer,” begins:

Is it true that only people with light skin get skin cancer?

No. Anyone can get skin cancer. It’s more common among people with a light (fair) skin tone, but skin cancer can affect anyone. Skin cancer can affect both men and women.

How can people with dark skin get skin cancer?

Although dark skin does not burn in the sun as easily as fair skin, everyone is at risk for skin cancer. Even people who don’t burn are at risk for skin cancer. It doesn’t matter whether you consider your skin light, dark, or somewhere in between. You are at risk for skin cancer. Being in the sun can damage your skin. Sunlight causes damage through ultraviolet, or UV rays, (they make up just one part of sunlight). Two parts of UV, UVA and UVB, can both cause damage to skin. Also, the sun isn’t the only cause of skin cancer. There are other causes. That’s why skin cancer may be found in places on the body never exposed to the sun.

As summer nears the end, most of the PSAs about sunscreen begin to fade away and we start thinking we’re safe, not out in the sun much, don’t need protection. Or we think we never really needed it in the first places. But we do, all of us, and sunscreen is such an easy preventive step we can take. Take care, Choose You.

For more skin cancer facts and prevention steps, read the ACS Skin Cancer Facts page.

Image from drugs.com drug identifier

I’m always in a rush these days — how about you?

It’s ragweed and mold allergy season, but I don’t have time to feel badly so I take over-the-counter allergy tablets as needed. Some days, I get a headache. Maybe it’s stress, or hormones, or overexertion. So I take some over-the-counter pain pills. Other days I feel run down, so I take over-the-counter vitamins. Then maybe I get sick, so I take over-the-counter cold tablets.

Notice anything in common with these medications?

Yep. They are all over-the-counter. That means I can diagnose myself, run to the pharmacy, grab the medication I want, go home and dose myself — all without talking to a doctor or pharmacist. Without debating the merit of this system at all — it is what it is — the point is, the burden of care is on me.

Today I nearly failed myself by combining two over-the-counter medications. I was out of ibuprofen and in desperate need of some pain relief. I checked the medicine cabinet and found a bottle of Aleve, or naproxen. I decided to Google it to see if it would serve the purpose I needed, and it did. But I got sucked in to reading the entire post on drugs.com about the medicine. I’m glad I did when I read this:

Do not use any other over-the-counter cold, allergy, or pain medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. Many medicines available over the counter contain aspirin or other medicines similar to naproxen (such as ibuprofen or ketoprofen). If you take certain products together you may accidentally take too much of this type of medication. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains aspirin, ibuprofen, or ketoprofen. Do not drink alcohol while taking naproxen. Alcohol can increase the risk of stomach bleeding caused by naproxen. Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. Naproxen can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, and a sunburn may result.

I nearly combined two medications against warnings and that could have caused a serious health problem.

I’m always in a rush. I rarely read those teeny tiny printed warnings included with the medicine–who has the time or the eyesight? Do you read them?

But we should. It’s a lot less time to read the warnings or stop to ask the pharmacist (who knows the answer) than to recover from a problem. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Make sure to read those warnings, or use a resource online to read them at a larger and more comfortable size, or chat with your pharmacist. Also, be honest at your regular physical and list all of the medications you take over the year, and let your doctor know the frequency with which you take them.

It’s so easy, maybe too easy, these days to buy and take multiple drugs sold over-the-counter. But that doesn’t mean they’re all completely safe with no worries.

Another way to Choose You and care for you is to take the time to know what you’re ingesting and if it is all okay together.

Image by Sarah Rae.

Another great post from Christine Green!

I’ve always been a fan of the summer smoothie.  Icy, refreshing, yummy and simple these easy summer treats will get you excited about eating well this season.

Ditch the Recipes!

You really don’t need a hard and fast recipe for a great smoothie.  All you need is a  blender and your imagination. . .

First, begin with your “solid” ingredients like bananas, frozen fruit, ice cubes, etc.  Add a liquid of choice to cover.  Blend until smooth then blend in sweetener, add-ins (see below), and, if using, greens.  Two good handfuls of solid ingredients will yield about two smoothies.  Some smoothies are rich and you’ll want smaller servings while you may like larger servings of lighter ones.

Some great smoothie tips:

• When using frozen fruit make sure the pieces are cut or broken into small pieces before blending.  This way you won’t over tax your blender.
• Make sure your liquid ingredients rise above your solid ingredients, so that you get an easier-to-drink smoothie.
• Pulse the ingredients together until you get a smooth, drinkable smoothie.  Don’t be afraid to add more ingredients if it isn’t “just right.”
• Be light on the sweetener.  I suggest blending your smoothie, tasting it, then adding sweetener as needed.  Try honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, or agave nectar instead of refined sugar.

Some great ingredient ideas:

• Experiment with flavor combinations.  For example, coffee and milk are lovely together. Green tea is great with vanilla yogurt.  Berries mix well with lemonade or limeade.
• Try freezing some fruit juice or leftover coffee cubes to use in your smoothies for maximum flavor.
• Some great add-ins to bulk up your smoothie include: oats, chia seeds, peanut butter, shredded coconut, spirulina, ground flax seeds, and sesame seeds. Caurie P. of  Brockport, NY tosses in some Teddy Grahams for her children’s drinks.
• You don’t have to just use milk!  Try coconut milk, almond milk, lemonade, tea, or spring water instead.  The possibilities are endless. Sara V. of Rochester, NY likes her smoothies with orange juice.
• Get crazy with the fruit you use.  Cantaloupe is scrumptious! Marsha J. from Irondequoit, NY, suggests trying some luscious pineapple.  Avocado is creamy and rich and surprisingly delicious.  Brianna W. of Orlando, FL keeps frozen peaches, blueberries, and raspberries on hand to toss into her smoothies.
• Get your veggies!  Leafy greens are tasty in a smoothie and do NOT taste like a “salad” in a cup.  I find that adding greens to a smoothie helps keep my energy levels up throughout the day. Brianna W. particularly enjoys spinach in hers.
• Be creative! There is nothing wrong with experiments in the kitchen. If you have kids ask them for ideas.  You’ll be surprised at how innovative they can be when given the opportunity.

Party Time!

Gather family and friends and have a “Smoothie Party.”  Set out all of your favorite glasses, and purchase some colorful straws.  You can buy wide straws made especially for smoothies.  Re-usable straws are also available and save resources and money.   Large drink stirrers and long handled spoons help guests get every last drop out of their glasses.  Ask a couple of guests to bring their blenders so you can get several smoothies blending at one time.   Fun glass garnishes include citrus slices, paper umbrellas, cherries, mint sprigs, and pineapple wedges.

Now call your buddies and starting blending your way to a healthy summer!

About Christine Green: Christine Green is a freelance writer who also runs a personal assistant business in Brockport, NY.  She has been published in Story Bleed (Blog Nosh), Genesee Valley Parent, and has essays in Mother Muse: A Collection of Poetry & Prose Celebrating the Joys & Challenges of Motherhood. She has essays, non-fiction, and fiction pieces in the June 2011 issue of the literary journal aaduna as well as in the newly released book, Motherly Musings.  She always wears her sunscreen and routinely slathers it on her children, a daughter, 10, and a son, 6.  She blogs at Grown Ups are Like That as well as the Democrat and Chronicle’s Moms Like Me Blog.

Originally from Spain, she has spent half her life in England were she was close to become a Naturopath before meeting her husband and moving to NY State.  She had a busy massage and aromatherapy practice in London and had many celebrities as clients. She is right now busy raising her 2 year old daughter and hoping to add another member to the family soon. She also runs women circles and teaches belly dancing.

I was young, too young to have cancer. At least that is what I kept saying to myself. Yet denial wasn’t an option. It was there on a piece of paper, a letter I could barely understand full of medical acronyms I was far from familiar with. Why should I? I was a healthy 22 year old Spanish girl just moved to England and about to eat the world. Life was only beginning. Or was it?

The diagnosis had come with a routine check up required for something or another. I honestly do not remember. What I do remember is thinking how intrusive this kind of mandatory test was. I sure am glad  it happened, though. Had I stayed in Spain I may have never had a Pap smear, found out I had precancerous lesions and had the chance to survive it.

Yes, I am a survivor. Those days were difficult to say the least. They were full of long fearsome names and procedures. I had HPV tests, citologies, colposcopy, cryosurgery, managed to avoid conization and finally beat the thing with laser treatment. I was by myself and never told my family. I lost boyfriends and jobs. I was an emotional wreckage. I lived with Death’s cape around me.

Those were also the most formative days of my youth, probably my life. I looked for help elsewhere than traditional medicine. London is a buzzing place for Alternative Medicine. I studied Nutrition, Massage, Aromatherapy and Herbalism, as a passing time thing. They became my profession. I practiced yoga and meditation as a way to relax and keep hope alive. They became my most solid character foundation.

I was very lucky to have an early diagnosis. I knew others who were not.

There is still a lot of reluctance among women to have an examination. It is a scary thing. It is an intimate thing. However, if you are reading this and have never had a pap smear done or have forgotten when it was the last time you had one done, PLEASE, do yourself a life saving favor: Book yourself for an appointment ASAP. Life doesn’t wait, neither does CANCER.

Did you know that July is National Blueberries Month? This gives all of us the perfect excuse to add more of these tiny treats into your diet. To tell you all the truth, I’ve only recently become a fan of blueberries but now I can’t get enough of them. They make the perfect snack throughout the day and can easily be found at your local grocery store or farmer’s market.

Blueberries are the second most-consumed berry behind strawberries and for good reason! Blueberries are a great source of antioxidants and vitamin C. If that wasn’t enough, the fruit contains healthy amounts of dietary fiber, something that most of us don’t consume enough of on a daily basis. Eating foods high in fiber not only helps us stay regular, but also helps to manage our heart health and cholesterol.

I love rinsing off blueberries and eating them fresh from whatever container they are in. But, I found a few other ways that to add fresh blueberries into my meals.

• Add blueberries into lowfat yogurt
• Sprinkle some blueberries into your favorite salad. Check out this recipe that I found for Chicken Blueberry Salad.
• Blend them into your favorite smoothie mixture
• Use them to refresh your usual salsa with this recipe. This Blueberry Salsa is the perfect companion to your summer grilled dishes!
• Muddle fresh blueberries and add to your favorite beverage. Blueberry mojitos, anyone?

I’m still in the middle of my colorful fruits and veggies challenge, so I’m open to more ways to enjoy fresh blueberries. Do you guys have any that you’d like to share?

Have you ever read Dr. Len’s blog?

Dr. Len is actually J. Leonard Lichtenfeld, MD, MACP – Dr. Lichtenfeld is Deputy Chief Medical Officer for the national office of the American Cancer Society. And I really like his blog. He shares really good insights and thoughts from an expert perspective about cancer, cancer treatment, cancer causes, and cancer prevention.

Back in May he posted some really good guidelines for Don’t Fry Day. We usually put a lot of emphasis on sunscreen (make sure to read the new sunscreen guidelines and understand the new labels), but Dr. Len reminded us that sunscreen isn’t really sunblock and it isn’t failsafe:

Sunscreen is definitely an important part of sun-safe behavior.  But you may note that I have left it to last on this list.  Why?  Because too many people have too much faith in sunscreen.  Yes, it can prevent sunburns when used properly.  But it is the “used properly” part that has many of us concerned.  ”Used properly” means an SPF of at least 15 (some experts recommend an SPF of 30 or higher).  ”Used properly” also means putting on lots and lots and lots of the goopy stuff–all over your body.  ”Used properly” means putting it on every 2 hours–come sun or clouds.  ”Used properly” means putting it on frequently if you go swimming or become sweaty after playing beach volleyball or another sport.

Sunscreen doesn’t last forever, yet some people believe it does. And high SPFs really don’t make you immune from the sun’s rays for a longer time, nor do they add as much protection as some people think they do.

Survey after survey shows that people who rely solely on sunscreen to protect them from the damaging effects of the sun apply too little, and believe that high SPFs mean they can stay in the sun for much longer periods of time..

You might want to say, “Say it isn’t so…”, but sunscreen although safe and effective when used as directed more often than not is not used as directed.

The sad result is that some research shows that people who rely on sunscreen may in fact have higher rates of skin cancer, in part due to the fact that they probably didn’t follow the sunscreen rules outlined above about how to use sunscreen properly

Another sunscreen tip: use a broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) to prevent damage from both kinds of harmful rays of the sun.

And yes, although there is chatter about possible problems with some of the chemicals in sunscreen, most agree that based on currently available scientific evidence the benefits of sunscreen outweigh the risks. Research continues to answer concerns regarding sunscreen formulas, but for now they are a much better bet than taking the risk of getting burned in the sun.

Getting a burn is a bad thing folks. So is a tan. Everyone knows that sunburn is bad, and a sign of toxic effects of the sun on the skin. But tanning is also a sign of sun damage.  Forget the thought that a healthy tan is a sign of good health. It isn’t. And there is no such thing as a healthy tan. It isn’t healthy. Period.

Dr. Len says he isn’t a spoilsport and neither am I, so here are a few hints for how to stay safe but have fun in the sun:

• Watch this video: Sun Safety
• Learn about the UV index. Between 10 am and 4 pm the sun’s rays are the strongest (read: most dangerous) so try to get some shade and remember to re-apply the sunscreen. Check that UV index like you check the weather report. You can find out how strong the sun’s rays really are that day.
• Use rashguards and hats and lots of sunscreen on kids. Their skin is very sensitive, and if you protect them, you really lessen their chances of skin cancer or melanoma. You can also use those lightweight beach and pool coverups. There are some light, loose linen and t-shirt styles for both men and women that are comfortable even in the coastal Texas heat (and trust me — it doesn’t get hotter than that). Sun hats are cool. No, really, they are. Check out this hat — how cool are you in an Uncle Sam hat that also protects your head? (You might bring a bandana too, to protect your neck and ears.)
• Speaking of protecting heads…don’t forget sunscreen for your scalp!
• Wear shades. Yep, sunglasses. They are a fashion statement and also protect your eyes. Did you know that exposure of the eyes to the sun causes premature aging of the cornea, just like it causes premature aging of the skin?

All this? I learned from Dr. Len!