Well, the next time you visit your Wade Family Medicine, you may have to share a story of how much your loved ones enjoyed the sun this summer. However, because the month of July is national UV Safety Awareness Month, we thought it would be helpful to write a few points about this topic. We want all our patients and their families as well as Utah readers interested in healthy skin to read these tips on skin cancer prevention:

• UV: Ultraviolet light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that has a shorter wavelength than visible light but a longer wavelength than x-rays. It is about 10 percent of the light output that comes from the Sun.

UV Awareness

Many patients ask us how much sunscreen is appropriate, especially for the prevention of skin cancer. Usually, if you trust a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or more, then it can sufficiently protect your skin from the effects of ultraviolet light. However, think of the advantages of using a product with a higher SPF, it has a greater ability to prevent UVB from harming your skin.

How does sunscreen work to protect your skin?

As a partner in your health care, we are so glad that you asked. Sun screen works with your body’s natural ability to prevent damage from Ultraviolet burns (UVB). Imagine that you would go out in the sun, (and this number will vary from person to person), and your skin without any sun screen takes about 20 minutes to start becoming red. In theory, if you put on the SPF 15 product, it will protect your skin up to 15 times longer.

If 20 x 15 = 300 minutes, then you have about five hours of protecting your skin from reddening due to UV exposure.

How Much UBV Rays Does Sunscreen Filter Out?

According to SkinCancer.org, there are also benefits that SPFs offer which help our readers consider the value of using sunscreen for skincare protection. Here are the common protections that help with skin cancer prevention:

• SPF 15 filters out about 93 percent of the sun’s inbound UVB rays.
• SPF 30 filters out about 97 percent of the sun’s inbound UVB rays.
• SPF 50 filters out about 98 percent of the sun’s inbound UVB rays.

If these seem like they aren’t very different, they are only a few percentage points apart. However, someone who is very sensitive to light, who has had skin cancer, or who has a parent with a history of skin cancer, may want that extra protection. In effect, no type of sunscreen is sufficiently able to prevent all the harmful UV rays from penetrating your skin. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us. We will consider your medical history and current medications and help you determine how much exposure to the sun and how much SPF might be appropriate to protect your health. You don’t want to give yourself so much sun exposure that your risk factor for getting skin cancer is higher than normal. What’s more, people who regularly work outside or swim in an outdoor pool, for example, may need to wear protective clothing or gear to decrease their total UV exposure.

Some Problems with Using the SPF Model Alone

The sunscreen SPF model isn’t perfect, just because you use sunscreen, you aren’t fully protected. You need to reapply it every two hours, regardless of how high the SPF number is. Furthermore, when your skin is turning red, you may be witnessing your body’s evidence of the harmful UVB rays. There is potential damage to your skin, which could mean it’s time to wear protective clothing or get out of the sun. Finally, your skin might be sustaining damage before it turns red, which means your warning sign or redness isn’t a foolproof mechanism for knowing when to go indoors.

Men die at a higher rate than women from nine of the 10 top causes of death in the United States. That’s according to the Men’s Health Network (http://www.menshealthnetwork.org/), an organization devoted to greater health awareness and disease prevention for men and boys. That organization has declared June as Men’s Health Month. People are encouraged to wear blue on the Friday before father’s day to raise awareness for men’s health issues. Wear Blue Friday is on June 15 this year.

Statistics from the Utah Department of Health indicate that Utah tends to be healthier than the rest of the nation (and Davis County is generally healthier than the rest of the state). Still, it remains true that men in Utah do not live as long as women.

Top Causes of Death in United States
Source: Men’s Health Network
1. Heart Disease
2. Cancer
3. Injuries
4. Stroke
5. Suicide
6. HIV/AIDS

Top Causes of Death in Utah
Source: Utah Department of Health
1. Heart Disease
2. Cancer
3. Injuries
4. Stroke
5. Lung Diseases
6. Diabetes

Men die at a higher rate than women in the top three categories, and the top four account for well over half of all deaths. Accidental injury rates have risen greatly in recent years, moving ahead of strokes on the list. The Men’s Health Network says men are twice as likely as women nationwide to die of accidental injuries.

Men’s Health Facts
Source: Men’s Health Network
• Men live about five years less than women
• One of two men will develop cancer
• About 30,000 men die in the U.S. yearly from prostate cancer
• Men are more likely to be uninsured than women
• Men have a higher death rate for most of the leading causes of death

The Men’s Health Network also says men see their family doctor for yearly examinations half as often as women, and that life expectancy for women is now almost five years greater than for men. Seeing a family physician regularly is paramount to men’s health. Your family doctor can give you a general checkup that can reveal problem areas to be addressed. One common area is prostate health. Prostate cancer is the leading type of cancer in men (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/men.htm). The American Cancer Society now recommends men seek out a family physician for a yearly prostate exam beginning at the age of 40. Prostate health is crucial for men.

Family medicine is the first line of defense for men’s health. A family medicine practitioner can do more than offer prostate exams, of course. An overall checkup can also spot potential signs of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. General health advice is the domain of a good family practice. While men should take charge of their own health, including a family practice doctor is essential.

Aside from frequent doctor’s visit, there are many ways to improve men’s health. Exercise offers many benefits and many activities are available for men of all ages, such as walking, golfing, bowling, bicycling, hiking and many others.

If you have a man in your life, consider gifting him a doctor’s visit for father’s day. And don’t forget to wear blue on Friday, June 15th.

Here at Wade Family Medicine, your health is our main concern. We service the Bountiful, Utah area, and we warmly welcome new patients. Our highly-trained family physicians are here to serve you. A doctor practicing family medicine can help you stay healthy by getting to know you and your medical conditions very well.

Since May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month, this article will discuss what this is and how you can possibly prevent it. High blood pressure is also known as hypertension. It can be managed with medication, but prevention is far preferable.

What is Blood Pressure?

This is simply the force of your blood as it pushes against your blood vessels. When your heart beats, it sends oxygen-carrying blood throughout your body. There has to be a certain amount of force, or the blood would never get where it’s supposed to go. However, when this force is too high, it causes damage to the blood vessels. If left untreated, hypertension can result in very serious damage to the whole body:

• Stroke
• Vision Loss
• Heart Failure
• Kidney Disease
• Loss of Sexual Function

Blood pressure is expressed in two numbers, one over the other. The top number is called the systolic. That’s the pressure when the heart beats. The bottom number is called the diastolic. That’s when the heart is resting between beats.

The ideal figure is 120/80. This can rise to 130/85 and still be considered to be within a high normal range in some cases, but anything higher is definitely too high. Never ignore high blood pressure readings.

Prevention

The best way to manage this condition is to avoid it to begin with. Here are some tips:

1. Achieve and Maintain a Normal Weight:  Ask your family physician how much you should weigh for your sex, age, height and build. Whatever this figure is, you should stay within five pounds of it. Even being 10 pounds over your ideal weight can increase your chances of having problems with your blood pressure.
2. Eat a Healthy Diet:  This means consuming natural, whole foods as much as possible. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Be sure you get plenty of potassium. Avoid processed foods, saturated fats and sugar as much as you can. Fish is much better for you than red meat. There is a diet plan that you can follow. It’s called DASH, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
3. Purchase a Blood Pressure Monitor:  It’s hard to guard against this condition when you don’t know what your readings are. Monitors can be purchased in any drug store, are not necessarily expensive and are easy to use. Take your pressure at least twice a week. Any consistent rise should be reported immediately to your family physician.  Remember that elevated blood pressure often presents no symptoms until severe damage has been done.
4. Cut Way Back on Salt:  Salt, or the sodium in it, is associated with higher pressure readings. Go easy on salt when you’re cooking and also at the table.
5. Exercise:  This is a great way to keep your blood pressure within normal ranges. It doesn’t have to be anything strenuous or jarring. As long as the heart rate is raised, that’s enough. Fast walking for a half hour at least 3 times a week is a good method.
6. Avoid Alcohol in Excess: This means no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks a day for men.

For those who already have elevated blood pressure, the above tips will help them manage it. However, this would only be in conjunction with professional medical care. Many people also require medication to keep their blood pressure within normal ranges.

These are some guidelines for you to follow to help you avoid the devastating effects of elevated blood pressure on your body. If you live near the Bountiful, Utah area, and if you think or know that your pressure is too high, please contact us at (801) 298-9155 for an appointment. We look forward to speaking with you.

The adage that says, “Your health is your true wealth” cannot be more applicable to your heart. The heart pumps blood, which delivers oxygen and nutrients to the rest of the body. If the heart is not able to supply blood to the organs and tissues, they’ll die; therefore, the heart is one of the most vital organs to human life. Keeping your heart healthy consists of incorporating healthy habits into your lifestyle.

American Heart Month: Raising Awareness about Heart Disease

February is American Heart Month. The first American Heart Month, which took place in February of 1964, was proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on December 30th, 1963. Its objective is to make Americans realize the significance of their hearts, promote heart health, and raise awareness of heart disease.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. More than 17 million people worldwide die of cardiovascular each year. Due to a lack of health education, stress, inadequate nutrition, and lack of exercise, the number of cardiovascular disease deaths is expected to increase to almost 24 million people worldwide each year by 2030.

In the United States of America alone, cardiovascular accounts for 25 percent of deaths each year, making it the leading cause of death for men and women. Almost half of the American population has at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease (e.g. high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stress, lack of exercise, inadequate amount of sleep, poor diet, and being overweight).

How to Maintain Heart Health and Live a Long, Happy Life

1. Eat a Healthy Diet

• Saturated fats, trans fats, sodium, and cholesterol are the primary culprits in heart disease. The saturated fats problem can easily be solved by swapping out full-fat dairy and fatty meats (e.g. beef) for low-fat or nonfat dairy and leaner cut meats (e.g. chicken or turkey).
• Cutting out processed foods is the best way to avoid trans fats, which contribute to high cholesterol. Trans fats appear on nutrition labels as “hydrogenated” or “partially-hydrogenated” ingredients.
• Sodium is simply salt. Unfortunately, many of your favorite dishes may use salt. If you find that low-salt foods taste bland, dried herbs and spices (e.g. basil and parsley) are a delicious and healthier substitute.
• Cholesterol is prevalent in animal products (e.g. meat, dairy, and eggs). While animal products are rich in protein, they can quickly increase your cholesterol.

Eating a balanced diet is important for reducing your risk of heart disease and improving quality of life. If you are a muscle builder or are simply looking to add more protein to your diet, eat more legumes, nuts, and seeds for plant-based protein. Incorporating sweet fruits and  savory vegetables in your diet is key to adding essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to work properly. Don’t love veggies?  Add dried herbs and spices or sauté them in olive oil for extra flavor. When vegetables are well-prepared, they taste great and provide important nutrients. To ensure that your diet is balanced, you call follow the My Plate.

2. Incorporate Exercise into Your Schedule

Exercise is vital to heart health because it conditions the heart and reduces fat build-up, which puts weight on the heart. Aerobic exercises (e.g. walking, running, tread mill, elliptical, stepper, bike riding, swimming, and jumping rope) are the best for the heart because they gently increase heart rate and accelerate fat burn. In addition to vigorous exercise, yoga is also beneficial because it promotes relaxation, strengthening, and flexibility.

The dilemma that many people face is incorporating exercise into their schedule. You can easily incorporate exercise into your daily routine by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking farther away in parking lots. The goal is to have a total of thirty minutes of physical exercise per day, but fitness guru Denise Austin says twelve minutes is the minimum daily requirement. Even if you can only allot 10 minutes of exercise at a time, schedule it. Every little bit adds up.

3. Reduce Stress

Stress takes a major toll on your heart because it causes it to overexert itself. You can reduce stress by taking time to relax each day, not working excessively, and avoiding high-stress situations. Studies have shown that taking vacations reduce the risk of heart problems due to stress reduction, quality sleep, and improved productivity. If you have the means to go on a vacation, take advantage of it by trying to go on at least one five-day vacation each year.

Your mental health is also very important. Just as you take care of your body by exercising and eating healthy, you should do things to protect your mental health.

Your health should come before all priorities. If you are not up to par with your health, you will not be effective in other areas. The bills may not get paid; the schoolwork won’t get done; the household chores will be forgotten; and your relationships may suffer; therefore, you must put yourself and your health first.

4. Get Enough Sleep

The recommended amount of sleep for adults is seven to nine hours. Sleep is vital to your health because it helps you relax, recharges your body with energy, and helps your brain consolidate information. If you are having trouble sleeping, you can try at-home remedies (e.g. aroma therapy, chamomile tea, melatonin, etc.). If at-home remedies do not work, consult with a physician.

5. Quit Smoking

Tar, nicotine, and other harsh chemicals in traditional and electronic cigarettes are dangerous and unhealthy. Though difficult in the short-term, quitting smoking will be beneficial in the long-term.

6. Visit Doctors Regularly

Going for regular well-visits with your primary physician and specialists is important because it keeps open the lines of communication about your health habits. Going for well-visits will help you know about areas that you need to improve in and signs you should look out for. Early detection of health problems will make treatment easier, shorter, and more effective.

7. Take Prescribed Medications

If you are taking medications, especially if it is for high blood pressure and cholesterol, it is important that you take them as prescribed to avoid further health complications.