This time of year, I am still startled when I see someone with a golden tan. The first thing I think is, "Wow that person is so lucky - they got to beat the March doldrums somewhere sunny and warm!" The second thing I think is, "I wonder if they know how the sun damages their skin."
Sun damage is the number one cause of wrinkles. TANNING IS A SIGN OF SKIN DAMAGE. It's evidence that the sun has penetrated and damaged the skin's support structure. The ultraviolet rays of the sun damage fibers in the skin called elastin. The weakened elastin causes the skin to lose its elasticity. When the skin is stretched it loses its ability to rebound. The result of this is a wrinkling effect in areas of the face which are most usually stretched, like the eyes, mouth, and nose. This applies to damage your skin received naturally under the sun, or on a tanning bed. If you think tanning beds are safer than tanning under the sun, they aren't. In fact, most tanning beds emit mainly UVA rays — which may increase the risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.
I don't want to appear vain, but people often mention that I look younger than my 56 years. I have used a sunblock for as long as they've been selling them: my skin moisturizer has an SPF of 15, and if I'm going to be out in the sun for more than 30 minutes, I apply a sunblock with at least 30 SPF.
Now and then I'll use one of those self-tanning creams. The newer ones are good and moisturize your skin at the same time. Here are some reviews. I've tried the Jergen's, and at least for my skin, it looks good.
So think twice before laying out in the sun or on a tanning bed. Do you really want the wrinkles that are inevitable, and maybe even flirt with skin cancer? The wrinkles will last a lifetime, whereas a tan only lasts a few days.
Political Cartoon: "Drip, Drip, Drip" by Matt Wuerker, Politico
I have to admit, there are times when I absolutely crave a Diet Coke's effervescent sweetness. However, that craving has been tempered more and more lately by bad news about drinking soda. We already know the toll that soda can have on those who are overweight, and we've seen people lose dramatic weight by simply dropping soda from their diet.
However, there is more we should all be aware of. I read this article the other day. Here's some of what I learned:
- Apparently the phosphoric acid in soda can lead to more rapid aging. A 2010 study found that the excessive phosphate levels found in sodas caused lab rats to die a full five weeks earlier than the rats whose diets had more normal phosphate levels. Too much phosphoric acid can challenge the heart and kidneys, lead to osteoporosis, and muscle loss.
- Did you ever wonder why colas are brown? It's nothing natural, that's for sure! Two contaminants in the coloring, 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, have been found to cause cancer in animals. Just 16 micrograms per person per day of 4-methylimidazole is enough to pose a cancer threat, and most popular brown colas, both diet and regular, contain 200 micrograms per 20-ounce bottle.
- Then there is Mountain Dew, the bad boy of all sodas. Its excessive sugar is well-known by dentists to cause cavities. And how about this? The BVO (bromated vegetable oil) which is added to keep the flavoring from separating from the drink, is also used as a flame retardant in plastics! So while you might get some cavities from drinking the stuff, well, maybe you'll be able to take up firewalking. Unfortunately, this chemical has also been known to cause memory loss and nerve disorders.
So what to drink instead? For starters, there is water. I'm one of those people, however, that just can't get excited about water. So if I want caffeine (which is half the reason I like my Coke), I drink coffee or tea, hot or cold. Then, if it's something sparkly and sweet that I want, I pour a Pellegrino or other sparkling water, and splash in some pomegranate or other juice.
