Though adults can now find, with some effort, safe personal-care products that contain few toxic ingredients, the tween scene continues to be dominated by brands full of propylene glycol (a hormone disruptor); sodium laureth sulfates (harsh on skin); and DMDM hydantoin, a skin, eye, and lung irritant. Add to that the sparkly packaging dancing with idols like Hannah Montana and Hello Kitty and your own plain-colored organic products will never compete, no matter how much you plead.

Fortunately, things are changing. We’re thrilled to hear of some new things happening for the well being of girls who are not yet full-blown teeneagers, but are starting to experiment with being young women—the “tween” set. “Good For You Girls” has hit the shelves, a brand of skincare for teens and tweens that combines natural and organic ingredients and avoids toxic chemicals like parabens, petrochemicals, dyes and irritants, and synthetic fragrances. Finally, young girls have a choice in the products they buy!

Another one—Sparklehearts—makeup, bath, and beauty products that steer clear of chemicals, avoid animal testing, and stay away from artificial colorants. Better yet, these companies know their audience—you’ll find no plain-Jane packaging with little color and pizzazz. Colorful pink and yellow labels that appeal to young girls help make the sale.

Young girls are more at risk from all the toxins we find in most mainstream products, as their bodies aren’t as able to detoxify. We mentioned in an earlier post how the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found 16 chemicals in the blood and urine samples of 20 teen girls—including phthalates, triclosan, and parabens. Young girls are still growing, and since they’re going through puberty, they’re just starting to develop reproductive systems. Hormone-altering chemicals present in the blood stream could be particularly harmful. Tween and teen girls also use more products than adults as they go through a period of experimentation, exposing themselves to over 100 different cosmetic ingredients.

Many girls in the tween years know little about the dangers present in the ingredients in personal-care products, but some are starting to change that, as well. An organization called “Teens Turning Green” (TTG) is a student-led movement educating other teens about eliminating toxic exposure. Started in 2002 as “Teens for Safe Cosmetics,” the group has grown to encourage teens to look for greener alternatives, with grassroots efforts that raise awareness. They’re also working with natural beauty companies to create new TTG products.

We invite you to support these companies and organizations by introducing your teen or tween girl to the new options available in safe products. With the power of our purchasing dollars and our voices, we are changing the marketplace, and can help continue and expand such changes so that more of our young people have the option to live safer, healthier lives—through the teen years and beyond.

Has your teen or tween girl tried some of these new, safer products? What did she think?

Photo courtesy K. Walls via Flickr.com.

Early studies show it’s possible. The seeds, known as black seeds or black cumin, have been tested in the lab and found to have powerful antioxidant and anti-cancer abilities. “Thymoquinone,” one of the constituents of the seed, was found to reduce the growth and size of tumors in rats, and Nigella sativa oil showed a protective effect against tissue damage caused by radiation. Other studies show that the oil from black cumin seeds inhibited colon cancer, and Nigella sativa extract was found in lab studies to inactivate breast cancer cells and to kill human pancreatic cancer cells.

What about the liver? Apparently thymoquinone (also known as “TQ”) showed in one study to protect the liver from toxicity, possibly because of it’s antioxidant powers. In another study, cumin was shown to protect laboratory animals from developing stomach or liver tumors. Lab studies in Saudi Arabia showed that black cumin seeds seemed to be protective against liver damage. And an herbal preparation including black cumin seeds has been recommended for cancer patients by traditional medical practitioners in Sri Lanka.

Unfortunately, studies on black cumin and cancer are limited. Initial findings are promising in that the oil, extract or TQ component could kill cancer cells or even protect healthy tissues during treatment. However, human studies, especially, are hard to come by, and scientists warn that much more research needs to take place before we can start recommending it for its anti-cancer properties.

In the meantime, if you do want to try black cumin seeds in your diet for its various health benefits, let us tell you a little more about it. The seeds have a spicy and somewhat bitter taste, and add great flavor to soups, breads, cakes, vegetables, chicken and fish dishes. You can also make a cup of soothing cumin tea by boiling the seeds in water and then letting them steep for 8-10 minutes. Black cumin may also be called blackseeds, black caraway, or black onion seeds, and they’re a great source of vitamin A, iron, potassium, fatty acids, and manganese. Some of the other health benefits reported with black cumin include boosting the immune system and easing digestive problems. In fact, many throughout the Mediterranean and Asia believe that black cumin is basically good for all kinds of health benefits! For a tasty chicken recipe, check out this one at herbies.com.

Are you convinced of the power of black cumin seed? Please let us know.

Photo courtesy pauline sirks via Flickr.com.

If you’ve been keeping up on your research, you’ve probably already changed your habits to stay away from BPA, pesticides, parabens, and phthalates. However, hormone-disrupting chemicals are lurking in other places you may not have thought about. To help you increase your level of protection, we gathered some more information.

Tap water. Pesticides and herbicides can seep into your drinking water supply through the groundwater, and some of these may interfere with normal hormone function. An example: the herbicide called “atrazine.” The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it’s safe to ingest it at 3 parts per billion, but some scientists think this level is too high. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) reports that in a 2009 analysis of the surface and drinking water across the Midwest and Southern United States, about 75 percent of stream water and about 40 percent of all groundwater samples from agricultural areas tested contained atrazine. Concentrations as low as 0.1 parts per billion have been shown to alter the development of sex characteristics in frogs. The herbicide can also react with other pesticides to increase their toxic effects.

The NRDC recommends that concerned citizens use a household water filter, such as one that fits on the tap. Make sure it’s certified by NSF International, which follows certain safety standards. To learn more about choosing the right filter, see this page.

Meat. You’ve heard about the hormones present in beef. Scientists believe about two-thirds of American cattle raised for slaughter today are injected with hormones to make them grow faster.¹ American dairy cows are also injected with hormones to make them give more milk. The USDA and FDA say these hormones are safe, but according to the European Union’s Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health, the use of six natural and artificial growth hormones in beef production poses a potential risk to human health.² The Committee also questioned whether hormone residues in meat might disrupt human hormone balance, causing developmental problems, interfering with the reproductive system, and even leading to the development of breast, prostate or colon cancer.

To protect yourself, choose hormone-free beef and rBGH-free dairy products. Foods that carry the “USDA-certified organic” label can’t carry any artificial hormones. Check the “Eat Well Guide” online for a listing of stores, restaurants, and producers that sell hormone-free meat and dairy.

Scented things. We’ve warned you about artificial fragrances before, but it’s worth mentioning again. Even if you’re purchasing fragrance-free personal-care products, for instance, you may still be exposed to hormone-disrupting chemicals like phthalates in your household cleaners, air fresheners, laundry detergents, baby-care products, and candles. You may find them even in your mailbox, from magazine “perfume strips” to scented stationery. These chemicals can cause skin sensitivity, rashes, and dermatitis, and may aggravate bronchial conditions and exacerbate asthma. They can enter the body through the skin, through inhalation, and through ingestion, where they may cause more severe problems.

Read ingredient labels and watch for the word “fragrance.” Look for “fragrance-free” options, and purchase products from manufacturers that strive to incorporate more natural ingredients, and check your favorite personal-care products with the Cosmetics Database for safety.

Have you changed your habits to cut down on hormone-disruptors? Please share your thoughts.

Photo courtesy malla_mi via Flickr.com.

1. Raloff, Janet. “Hormones: Here’s the Beef: environmental concerns reemerge over steroids given to livestock.” Science News 161, no. 1, January 5, 2002, 10.
2. The Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health. “Assessment of Potential Risks to Human Health from Hormone Residues in Bovine Meat and Meat Products.” European Commission, April 30, 1999.

Someone who is close to death will go through some normal changes both physically and mentally. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help the person feel more comfortable. For example, she may lose interest in food and fluids, with little intake for days. If this happens, don’t try to force her to eat or drink—near the end of life, some dehydration is normal, and is more comfortable for the dying person. However, her mouth will probably be dry, so you can offer ice chips from a spoon, or sips of water from a straw. Apply lubricant (toxin-free moisturizer) on the lips to prevent chapping, and keep a humidifier going in the room.

Around the same time, or even before, the person may have trouble swallowing pills and medicines. Ask for liquid pain meds or a patch, and continue pain medicines (intravenously if necessary) up to the end of life. You may also want to use massage or reflexogy to help with relaxation and comfort.

Without food and drink for energy, your loved one will become very weak. He may lose control of his bowel and bladder, and may not be able to get out of bed, or even move around in bed. It will be up to you (or other caretakers) to help him change positions every hour or two, and to keep him as clean and dry as possible. Place disposable pads on the bed beneath him/her and remove them when they become soiled.

Skin changes are common as well. The skin may feel cold and dry or damp, and may darken in color. Keep the person warm with blankets or light bed coverings—avoid electric blankets and pads as they can cause burns. Involuntary movement of muscles is also normal—the person may jerk her hands, arms, or legs. Rubbing her hands and feet with a sensitive-skin lotion can help. You may also apply cool, moist cloths to the head, face, and body.

One symptom that may be particularly distressing is when your loved one’s breathing becomes irregular, or if you hear rattling or gurgling sounds with the breath. This is normal for this time, and is usually not painful to the person, but you may turn him on his side, with pillows placed beneath the head and behind the back.

In addition to physical changes, someone who is near death will experience mental changes. She may be unable to concentrate, have a short attention span, and be confused about time, place, and the people around her. She may feel particularly anxious and fearful at night, experience hallucinations, and/or talk with people who aren’t there. If you notice these changes, avoid sudden noises or movements. Speak in a calm, quiet voice—remind the person of time, place, and who is there with her. Try to be nearby at night if she gets lonely (or have another caretaker present). You may want to adjust your schedule so you can be there in times when she’s alert, like in the morning, so the two of you can enjoy that time together.

As death comes near, remember to keep touching, caressing, and holding your loved one. Leave soft, indirect lights on in the room, perhaps some soft music, and keep talking, even if he is not talking back. It’s widely believed that hearing is the last sense to go, so your voice can still be of great comfort.

As your time together draws to a close, remember that even though there is great sadness and difficulty in loss, you’re giving your loved one a great gift by accompanying him or her on such an important journey. Never doubt that your words, your touch, and your care will help provide a calm, warm, and loving transition.

“Seeing death as the end of life is like seeing the horizon as the end of the ocean.”
—David Searls

Have you cared for someone in the last days of life? Please share your experience.

Information from the Mayo Clinic, The American Cancer Society, The National Cancer Institute, The Hospice Foundation of America, and cancer.net.
Photo courtesy anti-t-kom via Flickr.com.

]]> http://blog.cincovidas.com/terminal-cancer-when-death-is-near-what-can-you-expect/feed 5 http://blog.cincovidas.com/moms-protect-your-young-girls-from-chemical-overexposure http://blog.cincovidas.com/moms-protect-your-young-girls-from-chemical-overexposure#comments Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:10:39 +0000 Cinco Vidas http://blog.cincovidas.com/?p=3361 In one of our former posts, we talked about the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) survey that found 16 chemicals in the blood and urine samples of 20 teen girls, ages 14–19 years. Phthalates, triclosan and parabens—linked with breast cancer and reproductive damage—were discovered, all of which are present in beauty, makeup, and personal-care products. We urged you to help your daughters find organic and chemical-free products that will help reduce their exposure.

We want to go a step further and ask you to take an overall look at the chemicals in your daughters’ worlds. The idea that chemicals in the environment and in the products we use can disrupt hormones and cause health problems is now an accepted fact. The question now is how much exposure translates to increased risk?

Until we know the answers, it’s wise to do everything we can to lower the amount of chemicals in our lives, to safeguard our health and the health of our children, who are at a higher risk because of their developing bodies. According to the EcoWaste Coalition, which earlier this year released the report “Girl, Disrupted: Hormone Disruptors and Women’s Reproductive Health,” manmade, hormone-like chemicals in the environment harm women’s reproductive systems, particularly when exposure occurs during prenatal and early-life development.

“I continue to be surprised by the number of doctors that come up to me at conferences and comment on what they are seeing in their patients that they have never seen before,” said Dr. Tracey Woodruff, Director of the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment at the University of California. “Girls entering puberty at extremely young ages, young women suffering from the inability to get pregnant and conditions normally associated with older ages such as very painful fibroids, endometriosis and breast cancer.”

Hormone disruptors are found not only in beauty and personal-care products, but in plastic bottles, sports bottles, canned foods, microwave containers, polyvinyl chloride (in some shower curtains), first- and second-hand smoke, detergents, herbicides, auto exhaust, and more. They can also come from agriculture, industry, and lawn-care products. Because they’re all around us, we can’t possibly eliminate all exposure, but we can certainly make choices that will reduce it. Stacy Malkan, cofounder of Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, suggests that beauty products, which are inhaled (perfumes and sprays), swallowed (lipsticks), and absorbed by the skin (makeup, cleansers, and lotions) are a great place to start, since the contact with the human body is so direct.

“While we may not be able to control the carcinogens we breathe from the air or drink from the water,” she says, “we don’t need to be putting these chemicals directly on our skin.”

Read our list of ingredients to avoid, visit EWG’s cosmetics database (Skin Deep), choose products with fewer ingredients and fewer chemicals, ditch the plastic water bottles, use glass to heat things in the microwave, and try to cut down on the number of products you use, or even the days you use them. For example, on the weekends, have a “makeup-free” day with your teen, where neither of you use makeup products. Make it fun to get educated, and you may just raise a more health-conscious teen with a lower risk of cancer and other hormone-related health problems later in life.

Have you started educating your teen on dangerous chemical ingredients? Please share your story!

Photo courtesy BrittneyBush via Flickr.com.

“I don’t understand why they make women who have dense breast tissue go through so many hoops and emotions to find out that they are okay,” says fellow responder MesaMom. “It’s so time consuming, expensive, and emotionally draining.”

It’s something most of us haven’t heard much about, at least compared to other risk factors like smoking, drinking, and weight gain. But according to recent studies, having “dense breasts” may be an independent risk factor for breast cancer. Researchers from Toronto, Canada, for example, found that women who developed breast cancer had, on average, a baseline mammographic density that was 5.8 percentage points greater than the women who had not developed cancer. Then they compared women who had extensive breast density (density in more than 75% of their breast) with women who had only a small amount (less than 10%). Women with the most dense breasts had 4.7 times the odds of being diagnosed with breast cancer less than 12 months after a negative screening test.

This is a significant increase. But don’t panic. “You should not make the mistake in thinking that if you have dense breasts your risk is nearly five times greater,” says Dr. Susan Love. “The average 50-year-old woman has a 2.5 percent risk of developing breast cancer over 10 years. If she has extensive breast density, the risk doubles to five percent.”

What are dense breasts? According to thinkpinker.com, “When women are young, their breasts are made up of the specialized breast tissue that produces milk during lactation. This tissue is very thick, or dense. As women age, the breast tissue changes. Fat replaces the dense milk-producing breast tissue.”

Thicker, denser tissue makes it more difficult to find anything out of the ordinary on a mammogram. It shows up white—the same color as a tumor or cyst. “Dense breasts can make traditional mammograms more difficult to interpret,” says the Mayo Clinic. “Dense breast tissue appears as a solid white area on a mammogram film, and fat appears as a dark area. Mammogram X-rays do not penetrate—or ‘see through’—dense tissues as well as they do fat. Tumors also are dense tissue and appear as solid white areas on the mammograms.”

Scientists don’t know why some women have more dense breasts than others. And most women can’t tell by the feel of the breast—usually only a mammogram can determine the type of tissue. If you’ve been told you have dense breasts, however, you may be wondering: Does a traditional mammogram do any good? Particularly if you, like the women quoted earlier, have suffered multiple mammograms and other tests as your doctors try to determine what’s what.

“Attention should be directed to the development and evaluation of alternative imaging techniques” for women who have dense breast tissue, say the Canadian researchers. The Mayo Clinic agrees, saying that a digital mammogram is somewhat better than film, as images can be enhanced and magnified for closer viewing. Other than that, we’re still waiting for new developments in screening, and meanwhile doctors recommend that any mammogram is better than none.

Meanwhile, you can do things to reduce your risk. A recent study found that overweight postmenopausal women who exercised reduced their breast density. Another point for exercise! Have you started walking yet? And don’t forget—breast density is just one risk factor. You can still lower your overall risk of breast cancer by eating right, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking, among other things. In addition, try to find a healthcare provider who uses a digital machine. You may also want to make an appointment at a high-risk clinic. Breast specialists there may have other preventative advice for you.

Have you experienced multiple screenings and tests because of your dense breasts? Please tell us your story.

Photo courtesy lemmetakeurphoto via Flickr.com.

Talk about a lonely experience.

However, today’s technology makes it possible to connect with other fighters and survivors, no matter what kind of cancer you have, or how old you are. And that can make a big difference in your recovery. I’ve found a huge community of cancer fighters and survivors through Twitter and Facebook. It’s been such a blessing.

Studies have shown that support groups help cancer patients better navigate the short- and long-term impacts of their disease, and help to improve their quality of life through meaningful interactions, shared experiences, and laughter. However, some cancer patients don’t have access to these groups, or others may just feel more comfortable sharing in a more private setting.

Enter social media websites like Facebook and Twitter. These sites have exploded in the last few years as ways for people to connect with each other all over the world, but more than that, they have proven to be very important in helping people to deal with health issues. According to Manhattan Research’s Cybercitizen Health study, more than 60 percent of cancer patients are eHealth consumers, going online for health information—and to interact with others who have the disease.

“Cancer patients are also more avid users of health-related social media than age would predict,” says the Manhattan Research website. “This condition group tends to be more comfortable with sharing information and resources than other types of patients.”

Even more meaningful to cancer patients are sites like Planet Cancer and Cancer Compass, where fighters and survivors can connect with one another and discuss various aspects of the disease. There’s nothing like having someone else in the same situation as you to boost your spirits and give you hope. “Prior to 2000,” says Heidi Adams, founder of Planet Cancer, “there really wasn’t any way for this fragmented patient population to find each other and connect. Planet Cancer was created as an online home to connect patients.”

These sites give you the option to read comments from others, or choose to interact by submitting comments of your own. You can also send private messages or join a group, even share photos and videos. It’s like suddenly there are people out there who understand what you’re going through, and are interested in what you have to say.

“The opportunity to share resources, advice, and encouragement is something that can be incredibly empowering for a cancer patient,” Adams says.

Healthcare providers are also taking advantage of this new way to reach out to patients. In just two years, for example, the American Cancer Society has developed followings of more than 16,000 people on Twitter, and 170,000 on Facebook. These sites provide invaluable information about medical conditions and treatments, and are often where people go first before talking to their doctor.

“Cancer is a difficult and emotional disease to navigate,” says Monique Levy, Senior Director of Research at Manhattan Research, “leading patients to turn to their physicians, caregivers, and, now more than ever, the Internet for support and information….[S]ocial media will continue to play an important role in cancer care.”

Have you used social media sites to connect with other cancer fighters and survivors? Please share your recommendations.

Photo courtesy Eldercare2008 via Flickr.com.

Sometimes we can feel terribly helpless when it comes to friends with cancer. When I had cancer at 16 years old, most of my friends had no idea what to do or say. It’s almost easier when it’s a family member, as we feel we have “permission” to do anything we can think of to help. It’s different with a friend. How can we be sure what she will see as helpful, and what she will feel as intrusive?

Is there a guide to help your girlfriend through cancer? Now there is! Denise Hazen, cancer survivor, wrote a book called, Treat her like a Princess: How to Help Your Girlfriend with Breast Cancer, and in it, she shares many ways in which you, as a good friend, can help. Here are a few tips from the book—you can grab it from Amazon to read more!

Food: Regardless of your friend’s status (single, married, divorced, with kids, without kids), she will need to eat. Ask about any special dietary issues, and then consider setting up a grocery delivery service or dinner schedule. Get together with other girlfriends and choose days to take meals to her. You may want to ask your friend to write up a grocery list and go to the store for her. If she resists, remind her that grocery stores are full of germs, and if she’s going through chemo, she needs to protect herself as much as possible. Don’t forget things like popsicles and ice cream, as these are helpful for mouth sores and appetite problems.

Thank you notes: Your girlfriend is going to be overwhelmed with health-related tasks during her treatment. She’s likely to have little time to keep up with all the well wishes coming her way. Consider taking control of communication with friends and extended family. Send regular update e-mails for her. Write thank-you notes for gifts and services rendered.

Notes from doctor’s visits: If your friend doesn’t already have someone going with her to doctor’s visits to take notes, volunteer. Most likely she isn’t going to be in the best frame of mind to ask intelligent questions. Take a notebook, help her organize and list her medications (for the doctor’s reference), and talk to her beforehand to get down any questions she may have before going to the appointment.

Kids: If your friend has children, she’s probably going to be worried about them. How will they react to her illness? How will she keep up with their activities? Offer to help explain the situation, or to help drive the kids to dance class and football practice if needed. In some cases you may want to contribute to their lunches, or offer to help with homework. If your friend owns a pet, make sure its not neglected by offering to take the dog for a walk, to the groomer, or to the vet.

A listening ear: For many cancer patients, the one thing they really need—and rarely get—is someone willing to listen, really listen, with an empathetic ear. Too many people respond the wrong way, with false encouragements or admonishments to “be positive” or comparisons like, “my aunt had breast cancer and she made it through just fine.” Resist the urge to advise, and just listen and empathize with your friend. If she says, “I feel terrible today. I’m afraid I’m going to die,” refrain from saying something like, “Of course you won’t die.” Instead, empathize with how she feels. “That must be really scary. Do you think the doctor feels that way, too?” You can help her ease her fear with gentle inquiry, but be sure to always validate her feelings.

Have you helped a girlfriend through breast cancer? What did you find she needed most?

Photo courtesy wiryodisastro via Flickr.com.

Unfortunately, many survivors worry about recurrence, and with good reason. According to researchers, tumors can re-seed themselves—in other words, cancer cells can return to the tumor site and grow again. How do we stop this from happening? With a strong immune system.

If you’ve gone through cancer, you know what kind of a beating your immune system has suffered. Chemotherapy can wreak havoc on our natural killer cells, say nothing of the weight loss, malnutrition, and depression that can sometimes accompany treatment. In fact, the main contributors to a weak immune system are poor nutrition, lack of exercise, sleep deprivation, emotional trauma, medications, and toxins. Um, gee, anyone who’s experienced cancer has had all of those!

So, once you’ve been pronounced cancer free—or even if you want to prevent cancer or build up your immune system during treatment—turn your efforts toward revving up your body’s defenses with these natural boosters.

Diet. You don’t have to deprive yourself, but do try to make healthy choices on a regular basis. The nutrients you consume go a long ways toward helping your cells fight off any unwanted invaders. Focus on raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, roots, and “tubers” like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and radishes. You may want to consider juicing, which has shown to have many health benefits. And limit your sugar intake—it spikes blood sugar, which inhibits the release of growth hormones, which in turn depresses the immune system. According to author and professor Dr. Sears, “Eating or drinking 100 grams (8 tbsp.) of sugar, the equivalent of two-and-a-half 12-ounce cans of soda, can reduce the ability of white blood cells to kill germs by 40 percent.”

Exercise. You don’t have to run marathons—even moderate exercise has a positive effect on the immune system. It helps rid the lungs of airborne bacteria and viruses, cleans the body of cancer-causing cells and waste products, increases blood flow to fight infection, raises body temperature to inhibit the growth of bacteria, and reduces the release of stress hormones. According to animal studies at the Iowa State University, regular exercise boosted internal defenses. In a 2006 study with over 100 women, those who engaged in regular moderate exercise like brisk walking had half the risk of colds than those who didn’t.

Vitamins & Minerals. Certain nutrients have shown in studies to help prevent cancer. Researchers believe that if we had the right amounts of vitamin D in our blood, for instance, we could prevent 75 percent of colon-cancer deaths. (Shoot for 2,000 IU a day and/or 15 minutes of sunscreen-free exposure to the sun on your arms and legs.) Make sure you’re also getting enough vitamin B and C, beta catorene, zinc, magnesium, and potassium.

Power spices & extracts. Did you know that curcumin—the main active phytochemical in the spice, turmeric—decreased the incidence of breast tumors in animals? Other spices are also potent cancer fighters, like cayenne pepper, chili peppers, garlic, and rosemary. In addition, according to “Natural News,” oleander extract contains cancer-fighting properties and has been found to be a potent immune stimulator.

Are you building your immune system to stay cancer free? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy bigbey via Flickr.com.

Unfortunately, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S.—according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 3.5 million cases are diagnosed annually. Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, continues to rise, at a rate faster than any of the seven most common cancers, and causes more than 75 percent of skin cancer deaths. If you’re thinking you’re too young, think again—melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults age 25–29 years old, and the second most common for adolescents.

To protect yourself this summer, I’ve gathered a few reminders. Please review these carefully—prevention takes just a few minutes, but could save your life!

Avoid indoor tanning. The Skin Care Foundation says that frequent tanners may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose compared to what they would receive from sun exposure, and that people who use tanning beds are 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

Protect your children. Believe it or not, melanoma accounts for up to three percent of all pediatric cancers, and it’s rising every year. Keep an eye on your child’s skin, apply safe sunscreen like zinc oxide (unless the child is under 6 months old—then just keep him/her in the shade), and dress them in protective clothing, including a hat. You don’t have to be paranoid, but a few precautions can keep your children healthy.

Apply broad-spectrum, safe sunscreen. You probably already know to apply sunscreen, but you may need to be more careful as to which one. We’ve warned you of the dangers in chemical sunscreens in other posts. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are currently considered the safest types, at an SPF of at least 30. Apply liberally, and wait at least 20 minutes before going out, and reapply every two hours, and/or after swimming or sweating.

Wear sun-protective clothing. This is particularly important for cancer fighters, who are at increased risk of sun damage. Use a hat, long-sleeved shirt, and long pants made of lightweight material, or try some of the specially made sun-protective clothing mentioned in this post.

Check your body. Suspicious moles and other skin regularities can develop without your knowledge if you’re not regularly checking your body. Keep an eye out for anything that seems to be changing; that looks brown, black, or multicolored; that itches, hurts, or bleeds; or that is irregular in outline.

Get enough vitamin D. Recent research says it may prevent the development and spread of cancers. When you’re going through treatment, it’s best to get yours from supplements. After that, 15 minutes a day in the sun with unprotected skin is enough to get your daily fix.

Exercise. This one may not seem to fit, but exercise boosts the immune system, helping your body fight off any tendency toward cancer. Try to get in at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. If you’re going to exercise out in the sun, wear protective clothing and sunscreen!

Eat to protect. Colorful fruits and vegetables are full of antioxidants that naturally protect you from disease. They also help scavenge free radicals created by sun exposure. Try to get in at least 5 servings a day of fruits and veggies, drink green tea, and enjoy a small amount of dark chocolate.

Have you had an experience with skin cancer? Please share your story.

Photo courtesy Steve Pepple via Flickr.com.