On the Bright Side

For years we have heard that too much sun exposure can cause skin cancer, and Utah has the highest rate of melanoma in the nation.  It makes sense to get less sun exposure in order to prevent skin cancer.  The tricky part is figuring out how to protect yourself from harm while still enjoying the amazing outdoor lifestyle offered by southern Utah, with averages of up to 300 sunny days per year.  In less than an hour in the sun the damage starts.  So...what are we to do.  We need sunshine.  Spending too much time indoors means more eating than we need.  We need sun for mood-enhancing.  Serotonin comes from sun exposure through the eyes, which helps with heart, with sleep and with vitamin supply.  So...here are some recommendations.

Just for your information:
SPF--Sun Protection Factor
UV--Ultraviolet rays (invisible energy from the sun)
UVA--aging rays
UVB--burn
ing rays

SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays

SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays

SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays.  

NO SUNSCREEN PROTECTS 100%

Broad spectrum sunscreen protects against UVA & UVB rays

Water resistant--effective 40 minutes submerged in water

Water proof---effective 80 minutes submerged in water

SPF 30 or higher recommended for children under 6 years of age.

SLIP on a shirt, SLOP on sunscreen, SLAP on a hat, SEEK shade and SLIDE on some sunglasses!!