Catherine's Choice™ Blog

When it comes to sun exposure, what you don’t know can hurt you
By: Monica Morales

The good advice about staying out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., as well as wearing sunscreen, are pretty well known. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic, however, say there’s more to sun protection than that.

• The ultraviolet rays of the sun can bounce off water, sand, ice, snow and other reflective surfaces. A wide-brimmed hat can protect your head, but your face and neck are still at risk from reflected ultraviolet rays.
• The color of your clothes affects the absorption of the sun’s rays. Darker clothes absorb the UV rays. Tightly woven fabrics such as denim give better protection than knits, which allow the sun’s rays to seep through between the threads.
• Whether your sunglasses are dark or not, they won’t stop ultraviolet rays unless the manufacturer’s label says they will. They should block 99 percent to 100 percent of all ultraviolet light.
• Having a dark skin color does not protect you from skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that people of all skin colors take precautions against sun exposure.
• About 90 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays can and will pass through the clouds. Follow sun-protection advice even when the sun isn’t shining.
• Proper use of sunscreen is a tricky task. If you normally burn after 20 minutes in the sun, SPF 15 should keep you safe for 15 times that long, five hours.

But sunscreen protection weakens with time, especially on a humid day. Sweating will also weaken its protection. It’s best to reapply sunscreen every few hours and right after swimming.

How what you eat affects your mood
By: Monica Morales

Researchers have long wondered why people living in the lower Mediterranean countries don’t get depressed as often as people living in northern Europe. One thing they discovered: It isn’t the sunny days or a nice blue ocean to look at.

It’s their diet.

They studied more than 10,000 Spaniards who filled out a long food questionnaire. Then they checked for depression some years later. Those who consumed more olive oil and less fat, had a moderate intake of alcohol and dairy products, and ate a lot of beans, fruit, nuts, cereal, vegetables and fish were far less likely to be depressed.

Doctors at Tufts University offer this happy-plate advice:

• Eat breakfast and have healthy snacks to avoid drops of blood sugar.
• Try complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, for increased feeling of calm.
• Protein can boost alertness.
• Folate is important. It is in fortified cereals, leafy vegetables, okra, asparagus, bananas, melons, beans, orange juice and tomato juice.
• Don’t overdo alcohol. It is a powerful depressant.
• Coffee is an antidepressant, but too much can give you the jitters.
• Skip the chocolate. It improves mood at first, but makes you feel even worse when its effect wears off.

In June: Be ready for the sunny days of summer
By: Jackie Del’ Herbe

After a chilly spring, we welcome summer and the warming rays of the sun. They put us in an upbeat frame of mind. But like many things we enjoy, too much can be harmful. When it comes to the sun, it doesn’t take much to qualify as too much. The sun’s ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays can lead to wrinkles and skin cancer.

If you have fair skin, red hair, or blonde hair, you are particularly susceptible to sun damage. And if you work or play outside, you have to be very careful to avoid overexposure. The best plan is to set a time for your outdoor activities in the morning before 10 a.m. or in the late afternoon after 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are not as strong as they are at mid-day.

Do what you can to shade your skin. Sit under an umbrella, or wear a big hat, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants.Whenever you will be outdoors for more than a few minutes, whether the day is sunny or cloudy, be sure to protect your skin with sunscreen. Most products have a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 to 25. The lighter your skin is, the higher your protection factor should be. When shopping for a sunscreen, look for one that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Tanning booths often claim they use “harmless” UVA rays. While UVA rays take longer to damage the skin, they go deeper into the skin than UVBs and cause significant damage over time. If you want the look of a suntan, check out the wide array of skin bronzers and tanning creams available in drug stores and supermarkets.