Recess Newsletter August 2008
Watermelons, Friendship & Sunshine
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| Be In The Know
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Health Tip: Watermelon
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Turns out a favorite summer treat is healthy!
Here's one more reason to like
watermelons: they're packed with antioxidants. Recent research has found
that watermelons contain high amounts of lycopene, a nutrient that creates
red pigment.  Individuals who consume adequate amounts of lycopene are less
likely to have heart attacks and contract certain types of cancer. In the
past the tomato has been held up as the most lycopene rich food; however,
in an ARS 2000 study researchers found that a cup and a half of watermelon
contains 20% more lycopene than a tomato. Aside from antioxidants,
watermelons provide a low calorie way to stay full and get hydrated at the
same time. They also provide a sufficient source of A, C and B6 vitamins. Watermelons are
yummy in smoothies, juices, salads, or just by themselves.
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Healthy Relationships: Case Study
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Neighbors find support and friendship through yoga
Anyone who thinks being a full time mom is a piece of
cake would be humbled by walking a mile in neighbors Jeri Lundskog or
Cathy Shauklas' shoes.
As the women and their friends
arrive at Jeri's home at 8:30 a.m. for twice weekly yoga, Jeri has
already fed and seen the oldest kids to school, set the little one down
with an activity, vacuumed and cleaned, and coordinated family business
with her husband as he walks out the door.
READ MORE >>
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Transform: 100 Class Package
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Find healthy ways to relate to friends & family
$625 a month for a year gets you 100 hours of Recess time in your home or office with friends, family or co-workers.
Mix it up with more classes, including:
Choose this program »
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| Too Much Sun? Too Little Sun? Totally Confused?
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Moderation is key
The sun is sort of like our adolescent teenage, ahem, son. We love it dearly, couldn't live without it; but sometimes it gets a little
irritating.
In the 1950s people believed that sunlight was a necessary part of
having healthy skin. Parents, following such advice, sent their kids outside,
unprotected from the rays of the sun. Little did they know that overexposure to
the sun's rays can cause life threatening ailments.
Sunburn, or even sun damage, increases your
chances to acquiring skin cancer. Getting sun damage before the age of 18
dramatically increases your chances of developing skin cancer. More than 8,100
Americans will die of melanoma. Of the more than 1 million Americans who will be
diagnosed with skin cancers; nearly 80% of all those cases will have been
acquired in childhood.
UV rays of the sun cause the
genetic makeup of human skin cells to mutate. If this happens in childhood the
cancerous cells lie dormant until they grow up to be adult skin cancer cells.
Knowing what we know about UV rays today, it made sense that parents decided to
keep their kids in the shade and grease them up with SPF 50 when the sun was
unavoidable.
Ironically, some popular sunscreen chemicals break down when
exposed to sunlight and must be formulated with stabilizing chemicals. Others
penetrate the skin and present significant health concerns. All sunscreens are
not created equal. The SPF rating is just part of what you need to know when
buying sunscreen (check here for more info about the safety of different).
 And what about not getting enough sun? As parents took their kids out of the sun some began to show signs of vitamin D depletion. Dairy companies enriched milk with
vitamin D, but it didn't seem to do the trick. Diet alone wasn't cutting it
when it came to vitamin D.
Vitamin D is a secosteroid hormone, and the body
regulates the production of all it needs. The use of outside sources, like
supplements, can be harmful, suppressing the immune system so that the body
cannot fight disease and infection effectively.
As it turns out, sunlight triggers the natural synthesis of
vitamin D within the body. Stanford researchers found that this action causes
immune cells to travel to the outer layers of the skin where they are available
to protect and help repair damage such as that caused by sun exposure. This
growing body of research even suggests that vitamin D deficiency increases the
risk for a host of human cancers, as well as other disorders including type 1
diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, and multiple sclerosis. Sadly,
most doctors are now agreeing that vitamin D deficiency is an under diagnosed
epidemic.
As
with any healthy lifestyle, moderation is required. Too much sun can lead to
melanoma. Not enough sun can lead to a vitamin D deficiency. The body requires
"sensible sun exposure"-no more than five to 10 minutes of direct sun
to unprotected legs and arms two or three times a week.
 Mornings and evenings
are the best time to get sun on your body because the rays are not direct. As
for suncreen, the best alternative is lightweight, breathable clothing that
covers your arms and legs. It will protect against UV rays better than
sunscreen but won't give you the druggy side effects. And, it is the only truly
water-proof sunscreen out there.
So
grab your hat, your ice tea, walk out onto the veranda, and take a moment to
enjoy the sunrise.
What does sun damage look like? READ MORE>> |
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Save 10%
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Sign up for the Transform: 100 Class Package by September 10, 2008 and take 10% off of the total cost of the program! Start changing the relationships in your life today by bringing people together around health. Sign up online by clicking here, or, call us toll-free at1-866-578-7118. Local to Portland, OR? Call 503-282-5560. Mention coupon code: 0808NWS |
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Offer Expires: September 10, 2008
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