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THE HEALTHY SENIOR BY FRED CICETTI[Editor’s Note: Fred Cicetti is a syndicated columnistwho writes about issues concerning seniorcitizens’ health. This is parts 1 and 2 of a 2-part columnabout understanding sunscreens and sun exposure.The opinions he expresses are his own. If youwould like to ask a question, please write to fred@healthygeezer.com. All Rights Reserved ©2009 byFred Cicetti.]Q: There are lots of sunblocks out there with SPFnumbers on them. What exactly do these numbersmean?A: Sunblocks, or sunscreens, work to prevent thedamage of ultraviolet (UV) rays, an invisible componentof sunlight. There are three types of UV rays:UVA, UVB and UVC.UVA is the most abundant of the three ultravioletrays at the earth’s surface. These rays penetratethrough the outer skin. Many of the UVB rays areabsorbed by the stratospheric ozone layer, so therearen’t as many of these at the earth’s surface as theUVA rays. UVB rays don’t penetrate as far as UVArays but are still harmful. UVC radiation is extremelyhazardous to skin, but it is completely absorbed bythe ozone layer.Sunburn and suntan are signs of skin damage.Suntans appear after the sun’s rays have already killedsome cells and damaged others. UV rays do moreharm than damaging skin. They can also cause cataracts,wrinkles, age spots, and skin cancer.Sunscreens are given SPF (Sun Protection Factor)ratings that tell you how well they protect youfrom damaging rays from the sun. The SPF ratingscan be as low as 2 and as high as 100 or more.Here’s how the ratings work: If you apply a sunscreenrated at SPF 2, you will double the time it takesfor your skin to burn. A sunscreen rated at SPF 15 willmultiply the burning time by 15.Dermatologists strongly recommend using abroad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protection) sunscreenwith an SPF of 15 or greater year-round forall skin types.The SPF number indicates the screening abilityfor UVB rays only. Research is being to done to establisha system to measure UVA protection.There is a point of diminishing returns with sunscreens.Here’s how it goes:A sunscreen with an SPF of 2 screens 50 percentof UVB rays; a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 screens93 percent of UVB rays; a sunscreen with an SPF of30 screens 97 percent of UVB rays, a sunscreen withan SPF of 50 blocks 98 percent of UVB rays; and, asunscreen with an SPF of 100 or more blocks 99 percentof UVB rays.Not applying enough sunscreen can seriouslyreduce your protection. You should use an ounce,or about a palm’s full, on your body to gain the fullprotection indicated by the SPF on the product. Also,dermatologists advise reapplication every two hoursor after swimming or sweating.It seems logical that, if you use half the requiredsunscreen, you will get only half the protection, butthat doesn’t seem to be true. A study in the BritishJournal of Dermatology found that you get the protectionof only the square root of the SPF. So, in theory,if you use a half ounce of sunscreen rated at 64, youwon’t get the protection of an SPF 32, but only theprotection of an SPF 8.In addition to applying a sunscreen, you shouldprotect yourself by avoiding the sun between 10 a.m.and 4 p.m., wearing protective clothing and wraparoundsunglasses, avoiding sunlamps and tanningbeds, and checking your skin regularly for changesin the size, shape, color or feel of birthmarks, molesand spots.Ultraviolet (UV) rays, an invisible component ofsunlight, can cause skin damage, cataracts, wrinkles,age spots, and skin cancer. These rays also impair theskin’s immune system.UV rays can hurt you on cloudy as well as sunnydays. UV rays also bounce off surfaces of the ocean,sand, snow and cement.One of the surest ways to reduce your exposureto UV rays is to stay out of the sun when it is thestrongest. Those times in North America are between10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the late spring and early summer.Other ways to protect yourself are to wearprotective clothing, such as a wide-brimmed hat,long-sleeved shirt and long pants. You should use asunscreen rated at SPF 15 or more. Eye doctors recommendwraparound sunglasses that provide 100percent UV ray protection.You should also pay attention to the UV Indexdeveloped by the National Weather Service and theEnvironmental Protection Agency. This index assessesrisk of overexposure to UV rays.The UV Index is calculated daily and is reportedby the press. It can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex.html, where you can plug in yourown zip code to find out the index rating in your area.The following are the index levels: 2 or less: lowdanger for the average person, 3-5: moderate risk ofharm, 6-7: high risk of harm, 8-10: very high risk ofharm, and, 11 or more: extreme risk of harm.It is possible to go outside when the UV Index is11 or higher but you must be sure to take every steppossible to protect yourself, meaning use sunscreenand wear hats, long sleeves and sunglasses.Not everyone reacts to the sun in the same way.The level of danger calculated for the basic categoriesof the UV Index are for a person with Type II skin.The following is a list of the skin types: I: alwaysburns, never tans, sensitive to sun exposure, II: burnseasily, tans minimally, III: burns moderately, tansgradually to light brown, IV: burns minimally, alwaystans well to moderately brown, V: rarely burns, tansprofusely to dark, and, VI: Never burns, deeply pigmented,least sensitiveWhat is a suntan?When UV rays penetrate the skin’s inner layerthey generate the production of melanin, a dark pigment.The melanin eventually moves toward the outerlayers of the skin and becomes visible as a tan. Everytime you tan, you damage your skin and this damageaccumulates over time.There is no safe tan. What some call a “base tan”may actually increase the chances you’ll get a burn,because you’re likely to stay out longer without properlyprotecting your skin.You should stay away from tanning beds and sunlampsbecause they emit UV rays that can cause seriouslong-term skin damage. The amount of the radiationproduced during indoor tanning is similar to thesun’s production and in some cases may be greater.Many tanning salons are unregulated. They allowcustomers access to tanning beds without supervisionor eye protection.July 31, 2009 • The Seminole Tribune • 7BBeware the Dangers of Extreme HeatBY BRIAN BROWNContributing Writer[Editor’s Note: Brian Brown is the Tribe’s Chief ofthe EMS Division. The opinions he expresses are hisown. If you would like to ask a question, please write tobrianbrown@semtribe.com.]Our bodies normally cool by sweating. But undersome conditions, sweating just isn’t enough. In suchcases, a person’s body temperature rises rapidly. Veryhigh body temperatures may damage the brain or othervital organs and can lead to death.Several factors affect your body’s ability to coolitself during extremely hot weather. When the humidityis high, sweat doesn’t evaporate as quickly, whichprevents your body from releasing heat quickly. Otherconditions related to risk include age, obesity, fever,dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation,sunburn and prescription drug and alcohol use.After the storm, it’s important to balance yourclean-up activities with measures that help your body’scooling mechanisms and prevent heat-related illnessWhat Is Extreme Heat?Temperatures that are 10 degrees or more above theaverage high temperature for your region and last forseveral weeks are defined as extreme heat. Excessivelydry and hot conditions can provoke dust storms and lowvisibility. Droughts occur when a long period passeswithout substantial rainfall. A heat wave combined witha drought is a very dangerous situation.During Hot WeatherTo protect your health when temperatures are extremelyhigh, remember to keep cool and use commonsense. The following tips are important:Drink Plenty of FluidsDuring hot weather you’ll need to increase yourfluid intake, regardless of your activity level. Don’t waituntil you’re thirsty to drink. In a hot environment, drinktwo to four glasses at 16-32 ounces each of cool fluidseach hour. If your doctor generally limits the amount offluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask how muchyou should drink while the weather is hot.Avoid Alcoholic, Sugary BeveragesDon’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or largeamounts of sugar. They actually cause you to lose morebody fluid. Also avoid very cold drinks, because theycan cause stomach cramps.Replace Salt and MineralsHeavy sweating removes salt and minerals fromthe body. These are necessary for your body and mustbe replaced. If you must exercise, drink two to fourglasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour. A sportsbeverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose insweat. However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk withyour doctor before drinking a sports beverage or takingsalt tablets.Wear Appropriate Clothing and SunscreenChoose lightweight, light-colored and loose-fittingclothing. Besides causing pain and skin damage, sunburnaffects your body’s ability to cool itself and causesa loss of body fluids. If you must go outdoors, protectyourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat,which also keeps you cooler, along with sunglasses andapply sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior togoing out. Continue to reapply it according to the packagedirections.Schedule Outdoor Activities CarefullyIf you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdooractivity to morning and evening hours. Try to rest oftenin shady areas so that your body’s thermostat will havea chance to recover.Pace YourselfIf you aren’t used to working in a hot environment,start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertionin the heat makes your heart pound and leaves yougasping for breath, stop all activity. Get into a cool areaor at least into the shade and rest, especially if you becomelightheaded, confused, weak or faint.Stay Cool IndoorsStay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an airconditioned place. If your home doesn’t have air conditioning,try to go to the shopping mall or public library.Even a few hours spent in air conditioning can helpyour body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.Electric fans provide some comfort, but when the temperatureis in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heatrelatedillness. Taking a cool shower or moving to anair conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.Use the Buddy SystemWhen working in the heat, monitor the conditionof your neighbors and have someone do the same foryou. Heat-induced illness can cause a person to becomeconfused or lose consciousness. If you’re 65 years ofage or older, have someone check on you twice a day. Ifyou know someone in this age group, check on them atleast twice a day.Monitor Those at High RiskAlthough anyone can suffer from heat-related illness,some people are at greater risk than others. Visitthese individuals at least twice a day and watch themfor signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants andyoung children need much more frequent watching.Infants and children up to 4 years of age are sensitiveto the effects of high temperatures and need othersto provide adequate liquids.People 65 years of age or older may not compensatefor heat stress efficiently and are less likely to senseand respond to changes in temperature.People who are overweight may be prone to heatsickness because they tend to retain more body heat.People who overexert during work or exercise maybecome dehydrated and susceptible to heat sickness.People who are physically ill, especially with heartdisease or high blood pressure, or who take certainmedications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poorcirculation, may be affected by extreme heat.Adjust to the EnvironmentKeep in mind that any sudden change in temperaturewill be stressful to your body. You will havea greater tolerance for heat if you limit your physicalactivity until you become accustomed to the heat. If youtravel to a hotter climate, allow several days to becomeacclimated before attempting any vigorous activity andwork up to it gradually.Use Common SenseRemember to keep cool and use common sense:Avoid hot foods and heavy meals that add heat.Drink plenty of fluids and replace salts and mineralsin your body.Dress infants and children in cool, loose clothingand shade their heads and faces.Limit sun exposure during mid-day hours and inplaces of potential severe exposure such as beaches.Do not leave children, or pets in a parked car.Provide plenty of fresh water for your pets, andleave the water in a shady area.Even short periods of high temperatures can causeserious health problems.SEEKING ORAL HISTORIESFOR MUSEUM COLLECTION ANDVETERAN’S MEMORIAL BUILDING EXHIBITThe Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is seeking to conduct oral history interviews with Seminoleveterans and family members of veterans. The interviews will become a part of the existingoral history collection of the Tribal Museum. In the interview, you may choose what youwould like to speak about. If you give permission, the interview might be considered foruse in the exhibits to be created within the new Veteran’s Memorial Building in Brighton.We hope that Seminole veterans will share stories for the benefit of current and futuregenerations, as we look to honor your dedication and service.To participate contact:Elizabeth LowmanOral History CoordinatorPhone: 863-903-1113 ext. 12210elizabethlowman@semtribe.com