Health Calendar

As the days get longer and the weather warmer that means one thing - more time spent outside in the sun.  Already many of us are venturing outdoors enjoying the warm spring days but there is one thing we must always do before we head outside – put on our sunscreen.  We’ve always known sunscreen use of SPF 30 or higher prevent sunburns but now researchers have proved it can also prevent melanoma, the most common form of cancer in the United States.

1.     Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, and more common than you think.   

About 3.5 million cases of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. It is estimated that in 2015, melanoma (a more severe type of skin cancer) will account for more than 73,000 cases of skin cancer. Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer combined.

When former president Jimmy Carter was recently diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer, it was a reminder for all of us that taking care of the largest organ in our body, our skin, should not be overlooked.  What also should not be overlooked is what we eat. Nutrition may have the potential to influence whether we develop skin cancer and might be one step out of many that can protect us from having to face this disease.  Before we learn about nutrition’s possible role, let’s review more facts about this prevalent cancer.