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The 21st-century woman has her hands full, but does she have the right tools to help her and her family live a healthier and happier life? That is the question the women creating Movin’ Together asked themselves as we maneuvered through this time in history. Of course, the dictionary meaning of the word maneuver is a movement; often one performed with difficulty. Many of us have roles that require the best of us! Hopefully, as we have encouraged ourselves with the Movin’ Together healthy tool basket, you too will be inspired to learn about the tools and use them! Sometimes too much information is overwhelming, hence the monthly reminder allows us to look at one tool at a time. The tools already in our basket this year are scheduling/tyranny of the urgent; hydration/fountain of youth; jump start your day/breakfast; time out/stress less; rail-trail adventure/ healthy snacks; and this month protecting our skin/ lotions, hats and glasses. You can find broadcasts covering all of these subjects on our Movin’ Together channel located on the left sidebar.

According to research by the American Cancer Society and others, our tools seem to be those that cancer hates. Many of us have experienced the pain of losing someone we love to cancer, so it becomes a personal quest to find solutions for wellness.

This month our tool focuses on protecting our skin while we are outdoors enjoying the sun in safety. Joining us on today’s broadcast is Dr. Emily Solow, a general surgeon with UPMC Susquehanna. Dr. Solow explained that regardless of your skin tone, everyone needs to guard against skin cancer. “Fair-skinned people tend to be more prone to skin cancer, but that doesn’t mean dark skinned people can’t get cancer, and so it is important for them to protect their skin as well,” she stated. Some of the protective ways Dr. Solow mentioned to keep us safe from the UV rays that attack our skin were to wear long sleeve shirts and hats, use sunscreen with greater than 15% SPF – preferably an SPF of 30%. Her advice on purchasing sunscreens is to check with Consumer Reports on the validity of the product. Sometimes our children fuss when we want to apply sunscreen, but Dr. Solow stated, ” It is not only the children fussing, but sometimes as an adult, as a parent, your children are running around. Do you really want to stop them after two hours, call them over, spread the suntan lotion on the three children? It is a little bit of a hassle for us too. But it is worth it; it is worth it to take the time and get your children lathered up with the sunscreen so that you could save their lives in the future.”

According to Dr. Solow, the sun’s rays are not just a summer skin care concern. She reminds us that protection from DNA damage of our skin it is an all year long approach to living and enjoying the outdoors. It does not matter if there is rain, overcast or snow, there is always the possibility of sun damage from the rays. She stressed that the damage done when we are children could catch up to us when we become adults. As an adult, if you notice any change in your skin such as different looking moles, changes in shape or color, that could be an indication of cancer. If you have any skin care concerns or you would like more information call UPMC Susquehanna’s general surgery office in Wellsboro at (570) 723-0716.

Below are many links for more information about protecting your skin from the sun’s rays. The first link has a quiz for you to take on safety in the sun.

Join us next time on Movin’ Together for Digest This! Eating in a Healthy Order.

Sources:
https://www.cancer.org/healthy/be-safe-in-sun/sun-safety.html
https://www.cancer.org/healthy/be-safe-in-sun.html
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/skin-cancer.html
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/skincancer/pdf/qa.pdf