Summer is upon us, and while most rejoice in the warmer weather, road trips and longer days there are increased risks that come along with the balmy weather.
While basking in the sun may seem harmless enough, without the proper protection you are running the risk of getting skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer here in the US and one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their life time.
People diagnosed with melanoma has risen nearly 2% a year since 2000 and some experts are blaming the simple rule of sunscreen, as people generally don’t use it properly. It is imperative that it is re applied every two hours and spread evenly across all exposed skin. Some sunscreen doesn’t even protest you from ultraviolet A rays which until recently was considered just to damage and age your skin, but now experts say the A rays can also cause cancer.
So when picking your sunscreen you should look for a brand that says broad spectrum protection, as it protects against both the UVA and the UVB rays. You should also pick a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher. So while you enjoy the time in the sun it’s always important to protect yourself with good use of sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, and when possible sit in the shade.
Now that your skin is protected you have to get to the beach- and most of us drive. Forbes has listed August the most dangerous time of the year to drive- in the peak of the summer heat. Auto accidents kill more than 40,000 people in the US every year and this summer you don’t want to be a statistic for reckless driving or for something as simple as not wearing your seat belt.
49% of fatal accidents happen at night time so extra caution should always be taken when the sun goes down. Experts say you should always wear a seatbelt, pay attention to the road, the cars around you and always drive at the right speed.
But both driving and the sun have been a constant threat for all our lives, both of which are avoidable if you use your head. But this summer there is a new threat- the H7N9 bird flu virus and a new study has suggested that if the virus were to become easily transmitted among people there may be minimal tools with which to fight it.
There is also evidence to suggest that it may be resistant to Tamiflu which is used to treat it. The antiviral resistance arose in 2 of 14 patients studied in Shanghai. The new form of bird flu exploded into the world through China in April and the number of cases is rapidly increasing. Thus far 131 cases have been reported and 37 people have died.
So while summer fun is fast upon us its important to know the risks and the dangers around you as the sun, driving and the H7N9 virus can kill you.
