Healthy Tips

Odds are we all know someone who has been affected by skin cancer. More than 1 million Americans are diagnosed with it each year, according to the American Cancer Society, including almost 60,000 people with melanoma — the most serious type. So it’s important to know how to stay safe in the sun.

When used properly, sunscreen — over 30 SPF — can help prevent skin cancer, skin aging, and sunburn. Here are some steps to remember:

Cover up: Wear sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher), hats, sunglasses and protective clothing. Avoid the sun when it is strongest – between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Keep kids under 6 months out of the sun completely. Tanning beds? Forget them!

Don’t trust the clouds. Cloud Coverage does not protect you from the UV rays that cause skin damage.

How to stay safe in the heat

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke pose a risk to anyone who is active in the heat. Certified Personal Trainer Michelle Rogers wrote about how to exercise safely in the heat – and how to know when you’re in trouble .

A few quick tips from her:

Wear breathable clothing. Lightweight and light colored clothing will help keep you cool. Stay hydrated. Keep a water bottle with you, and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.

Exercise in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler. Stop if you have symptoms of heat exhaustion. These include feeling weak or dizzy, having a headache or an upset stomach. If you feel these symptoms coming on, get to a cool, air-conditioned location. Always seek medical attention if needed.

Tomatoes: Beautiful to the Eye, Healthy for the Heart

By Blue Cross NC|Healthy Lifestyle (June 2019)

Nothing adds delightful color and taste to cooking more than tomatoes. There’s a huge variety to choose from in a multitude of colors and sizes. From soups to salads… to salsas and sauces for meats and pasta… tomatoes are a delicious part of many diets. And they are plentiful in North Carolina. Our farmers grow 96 million pounds of tomatoes every year!1

It turns out that tomatoes are also a great ingredient for maintaining good health.

What’s in a Tomato? Lycopene

Tomatoes are high in a nutrient called lycopene (that’s pronounced “lie-Koh-peen,” by the way). According to the US National Library of Medicine (National Institutes of Health), lycopene is an antioxidant linked to important heart benefits including protecting against high blood pressure and stroke.2

Antioxidants in diet block some of the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are made when your body breaks down food or if you’re exposed to tobacco smoke. Over time, the buildup of free radicals is largely responsible for the aging process — and may play a role in causing cancer, heart disease, and conditions such as arthritis.3

So don’t be shy about eating tomatoes — lots of tomatoes. They’re good for you!

Continued on Page 6