Exposure to sunshine can replenish our vitamin D stores from the sun’s action on our skin. We need vitamin D to maintain our bones, immune system and reduce our risk for several diseases. Building our body’s vitamin D levels takes as little as 10 minutes of daily unprotected sun exposure (without sunscreen).
In cold wintery months, most of us need a vitamin D supplement.
We do not want to go overboard with sun exposure, though. May is melanoma and skin cancer awareness month. Every day, 9,500 Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer. Two Americans die of the disease every hour.
On the bright side, you can have fun in the sun while fishing, hiking, biking, and gardening. However, we all need to take precautions, especially if we are among the people who work primarily in the sun. Many farmers, ranchers and others work primarily outdoors.
Let’s try a short quiz in preparation for warm, sunny days to see what you remember about sun safety.
1. Which of the following puts you at greater risk for skin cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? a. Lightskincolor b. Tendencytofreckle c. Blueorgreeneyes d. Blondeorredhair e. Having lots of moles f. Familyhistoryof skin cancer 2. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, which of the following is the statistic for the number of people who will develop skin cancer by age 70? a. 1in3 b. 1in5 c. 1in7 d. 1in10 e. 1in15 3. To help remember the warning signs of skin cancer, health experts recommend that we know the ABCDEs of melanoma. What do each of these letters stand for?
4. Name at least four actions you can take to help reduce your risk for skin cancer.
5. Are sun-tanning beds a safe alternative to sun exposure? Why or why not?
The answers:
1. Alloftheitems place you at higher risk; however, anyone can get skin cancer even people with darker skin and eyes.
2. b. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70.
3. Lookforasymmetrical (A) moles with irregular shapes, a jagged or uneven border (B) on spots, or an uneven color (C). Examine your skin for spots with a diameter (D) larger than the size of a pea, and look for any spots that are evolving (E) or changing during the past weeks or months.
4. Wear sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 30 or higher. Stay in the shade as much as possible, especially during midday sun. Wear a head covering with a brim that shades your face, ears, and neck. Ball caps do not provide this protection. Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs. Protect your eyes by wearing wrap-around shades that protect against UVA and UVB rays. See https://www.ndcancercoalition. org/ for more information.
5. No,healthexperts warn against using tanning beds because they increase the risk for skin cancer, cataracts, and eye cancer. The Food and Drug Administration lists tanning beds and sun lamps on their list of known carcinogens. Although some people consider a “base tan” from tanning beds as safe, health experts do not. Self-tanning lotions are available, which are considered a safer, FDAapproved alternative.
Keep yourself safe while enjoying the warmer weather.
Through OSU Extension, educational programming is provided in the areas of agriculture, family and consumer sciences, 4-H and youth development, and rural and community development. For more information, contact the OSU Extension Center at: r Blaine County, 580-623-51 Blaine County is on the Web at http://www.extension.okstat e.edu/county/blaine. Or, like our Facebook pages: Major County OSU Extension and Blaine County OSU Extension. Feel free to email Extension Educator Dana Baldwin at dana.baldwin@okstate.edu.
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