4/4/2008
We’re all guilty, when summer hits, we head out to the pool, beach or backyard to soak up the rays. You’ve heard about skin cancer and the damage caused by the sun, so you try to remember to put on your sunscreen. And you may even wrestle with the kids to get them lathered up. But did you know that up to 80% of our lifetime sun-exposure occurs before age 18. And many parents use only half the amount of sunscreen they should. The "SPF" on sunscreens estimates how well the UV rays are blocked from reaching the skin. A factor of "15" means that sun exposure of 15 minutes is equivalent to about 1 minute exposure without protection. So the next time you head out in the sun, remember your sunscreen, bring a hat that covers your face and don’t forget your sunglasses with both UVA and UVB protection.
Here’s a shocking fact. Half the people who die from heart disease, won’t even know they have it. But you now have a quick and easy way of finding out if you’re at risk. Just take our St. John’s 7 – minute online evaluation. It’s part of our new Heart Aware program. For more info and to take the quiz, just log onto stj.com.
