Summer-time is a great time of year. The kid’s are out of school, families take vacations, and there are a lot of family gatherings, picnics, barbeques and games. There is swimming, fishing, boating, biking, hiking, gardening and so much more.

Along with all this fun in the sun comes the responsibility (everything has a price) to ourselves and our families safe from the dangers of too much sun exposure.

Get the EPA’s Guide to SunWise Behavior
The UV rays from the sun penetrate to the deepest layers of our skin. They can cause our skin to sag, age and spot. 95% of the rays from the sun that reach the earth are UVA radiation. Unlike UVB rays, UVA rays hit in a steady stream during each day. The critical hours for sun exposure are from 10 am to 4 pm.
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. According to an article published by the New Mexico State University, “three types of skin cancers make up 99% of skin cancers.”
One in five Americans will have a form of skin cancer.
Some of the symptoms of skin cancer are:


What can you do?
Protect your skin with sunscreen.
Choose sunscreen that:
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Has an SPF of 30 or more;
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Is water resistant; and
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Provides broad spectrum coverage.
Also:
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Wear wide-brimmed hats;
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Protect your eyes with sunglasses; and
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Use sun unbrellas and wear long-sleeved shirts.
Have fun out there this summer, but don’t risk your health or that of your children and other loved ones to do it. Preach safe sun havits over and over again, and then practice what you preach. You will see the benefits.
Resources:
http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_i/I106/
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/symptoms.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/sunexposure/default.html
Picture credits: Beach scene : Gvictoria – Dreamstime.com; http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_i/I106/
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/symptoms.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/index.htm
Martha is owner of RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, a health and wellness website that promotes healthy lifestyles, ideas and products for physical, mental and emotional, financial and natural/spiritual wellness. Martha’s work consists of opening accounts, presenting, speaking, mentoring and coaching and people building. You can reach Martha at 505-750-7847, by email at marthapmintl@gmail.com, on Facebook, here on LinkedIn, Twitter, or through her websites at RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com, here, here, or ProfessionalMentorsInternational.com.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says:
How much sleep you need changes as you age. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommend:
WHAT CAN HELP YOU?
* National Sleep Foundation Recommendations
Also, natural sleep aids may help.
Proper rest has been linked to optimal immune function, metabolism, memory, learning, and other vital functions. But we live in a fast-paced world. Deadlines, multi-tasking, and worries can make getting the true rest you need difficult if not impossible. In fact a December 2013 Gallup® report found that 40% of adults are not getting the recommended amount of sleep each night.
www.cdc.com
Martha maintains RobardsHealthyLifestyles.com , which is a health and wellness information website that promotes healthy living for all aspects of life (including physical, mental and emotional, financial, and natural) and products for healthy living. For more information contact Martha at marthapmintl@gmail.com or 505-750-7847, or check out Martha on Twitter as MrsProfQuack or RobardsHealthyLifestyles . com on Facebook.