UPDATE: Today I will discuss a couple of items related to summer fitness.
1. I have mentioned the need to protect the skin from the sun's harmful rays. However, it is also necessary to protect the lips as well, since the lower lip is one of the most common sites for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. According to the "Sun and Skin News" (Vol. 9, No. 1, 1992, from the Skin Cancer Foundation), squamous cell carcinomas of the lip are fairly dangerous because they have an unusually high rate of metastasis (in other words, they spread rapidly to other parts of the body). These cancers are also difficult to remove without causing some scarring or marring of the lip line.Lips are highly susceptible to skin cancer because they are exposed to the sun every day, and the lower lip is particularly vulnerable because it is less protected from direct sunlight. In addition, many hats shade the eyes, cheeks and nose but leave the mouth area unshielded, and we often use sunscreen on exposed skin but forget to protect the lips. To protect the lips:
- Buy and use an SPF-15 sunscreen stick designed specifically for the lips. Many lip balms and colored lipsticks now offer SPF-15 protection, and they are more pleasant to apply to the mouth than a sunscreen lotion.
- If you are in the sun during the peak sunlight hours - 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. - use zinc oxide for greater protection.
- Wear a hat outdoors with a 3- to 5-inch brim so it shades the lips.
- Reapply lip protection as often as you reapply sunscreen, once every two hours, and more often if you swim, eat or smooch.
- To minimize the accumulation of sun damage, protect your lips every day all year around.
2. When the weather gets hot, we can change to looser, lighter clothing to allow skin to breathe, but our feet are still generally tightly encased in the same stockings and shoes we wear year around. Since feet are warm, moist and hidden from light, they are opportune sites for fungal infections, according to a news release from the makers of Micatin, an antifungal ointment for athlete's feet. According to this release, the best way to avoid problems with athlete's foot is to:
- Keep the feet clean. Bathe them at least once daily in warm, soapy water. Scrub lightly in and around toenails and between toes. Dry thoroughly, especially between the toes.
- Check feet daily. Look for cracks or redness. Dry, cracked skin provides a breeding ground for bacteria. Keep skin supple with application of a gentle moisturizer.
- Rest feet. Whenever possible put feet up off the floor. Elevate them above heart level to improve circulation.
- Massage feet. Start at the ball of the foot, kneading with fingertips. Work along the sole up to the heel. Push each toe back and forth gently to relax and relieve tired, tense muscles.