Ahh ... summer is arriving, bringing along the joys of swimming, gardening, barbecues and picnics.
Along with the sun comes an increased risk of sunburn, heatstroke and skin cancer. You have already heard all there is to hear about sunscreens and sun protection, right?
More than 1 million skin cancers are diagnosed every year, so improving your sun IQ can greatly reduce your personal risk of skin cancer. While a sun-kissed tan may appear sexy today, it will damage the elasticity of your skin, leading to wrinkles and fine lines before your time.
To confuse the sun-exposure issue further, new data now show that 10 to 15 minutes of nonpeak hours in the sunlight is good for the vitamin D levels in our body.
Many Americans who have likely been hypervigilant about their exposure to sunlight are now being found to have low levels of vitamin D.
Want more information on skin cancer? Check out the American Cancer Society's Web site at www.cancer.org.
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Here are some questions to test your sun IQ. The answers are at the end of the column.
1. True or false? A sleeveless tank is better than a T-shirt in the hot sun.
2. True or false? A lotion with an SPF of 10 or above provides adequate protection against the sun.
3. True or false? A baseball cap is good headgear for sun protection.
4. True or false? Limiting sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. is a good way to avoid the intense UV rays.
5. True or false? You should avoid tanning beds and sun lamps.
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ANSWERS
1. False. Lightweight clothing with maximum cover-up provides the best protection. Many sports stores offer SPF clothing that has an SPF of 50 and above.
2. False. An SPF of 15 or above is recommended. Tanning lotions with an SPF of 4 or 8 do not provide adequate protection. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 50 that contains both UVA and UVB protection. Apply enough lotion to fill a shot glass every two hours when out in the sun, and every 45 minutes if in the water.
3. False. A hat with a 2- or 3-inch brim all around protects the face and neck.
4. True. Experts recommend avoiding the sun during this period to minimize UV radiation.
5. True. Tanning beds and sunlamps give out UVA and UVB rays, and also contribute to skin damage. A better choice is self-tanning lotion.
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(Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden are medical directors of Sutter's Downtown Integrative Medicine program. They have written "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Secrets of Longevity" ($18.95, Alpha/Penguin Books). Have a question related to alternative medicine? E-mail fitness@sacbee.com.)
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(c) 2009, The Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, Calif.). Distributed by Mclatchy-Tribune News Service.