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Before enjoying the outdoors, don't forget to apply the sunscreen. "If used properly, sunblock is very effective at preventing the harmful effects of the sun that may lead to both skin cancer and accelerated aging," says Dr. Sarah Weitzul, assistant professor of dermatology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. "Ultraviolet light, made up of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) wavelengths, has been shown to cause mutations that lead to cancer in skin cells. Such mutations and other effects can be prevented by the use of sunblock."

To get the most out of sunscreen, Dr. Weitzul suggests the following:

Apply liberally at least 30 minutes before exposure to the sun for full absorption into the skin. If applied too thin, the protective factor can be reduced dramatically.

Re-apply after immersion in water, sweating, contact with clothes or after every three hours.

Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that covers both UVA and UVB. Look for products that contain avobenzone (Parsol 1789), zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

Use daily. Dr. Weitzul tells her patients to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun-protection factor (SPF) of 15 if they are going to be out in the sun for 15 minutes or less. For prolonged exposure, a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 is recommended.

(6-09-09)

On May 10, individuals all over the nation celebrated a very special holiday to honor the women who gave them life: their mothers. While people in the United States turn their attention toward their caregivers, the International Breast Milk Project (IBMP) hopes to inspire some to also think of mothers abroad.

The IBMP is an organization that helps mothers in the United States send their breast milk to infants in need, who have either lost their mothers or whose mothers are not able to breastfeed due to HIV infection, untreated tuberculosis, serious illness and/or severe anemia or malnourishment. Despite the fact that breastfed infants have been proven to be healthier, IBMP is the only international organization to provide breast milk to infants in developing countries.

Specifically, the organization focuses on infants in South Africa, where it is estimated that 1.5 million children have lost their parents due to HIV/AIDS, and many more have mothers who are unable to breastfeed because they are ill. By the end of 2009, IBMP will have sent an estimated 262,655 ounces (7,767 liters or 2,052 gallons) of healthy breast milk to infants in South Africa. That is equivalent to the amount of milk needed to feed 2,188 babies one bottle of milk a day for 30 days.

In 2007, the organization started with just one donor, the organization's Executive Director Jill Youse, and it is estimated that by the end of 2009 IBMP will have 1,750 donors nationwide. As it grew in size, the IBMP partnered with two organizations, Prolacta Bioscience, which covers most of the cost involved in milk collection, and Quick International Courier, responsible for transporting the milk to South Africa.

Youse explained the donor process to MediaGlobal: "Applications are completed online, blood work is done in the donor's home and coolers are shipped directly to doorsteps, making the process seamless and easy for a mom with a new baby at home."

Once the milk has made it to South Africa, it is split three ways and sent to partner organizations in Durban, Uitenhage and Cape Town. At its final destination, the milk is given free-of-charge to mothers in need.

For more information about International Breast Milk Project, visit www.breastmilkproject.org.

(5-26-09)

Over one-third of moms and over half of newborns are vitamin D deficient at birth, according to a study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting. The researchers also found that prenatal vitamin supplements do not completely protect the mom and baby from the deficiency.

Researchers at the Breastfeeding Center in Boston Medical Center evaluated vitamin D levels in 433 women and 376 newborns. Thirty-six percent of the moms were vitamin D deficient and so were 58 percent of the newborns. Of the women who took a supplement five or more times per week during the last trimester, 30 percent were still vitamin D deficient when they delivered their baby. These women were more than five times likely to have a baby that was also vitamin D deficient.

Learn more about vitamin D by reading Vital Vitamin D: From Pregnancy, Infancy and Beyond and Studying Vitamin D: The Connection Between Vitamin D and Preeclampsia.

(5-19-09)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published answers to questions about breastfeeding due to swine flu worries. The CDC encourages breastfeeding moms to do the following:

Wash hands often with soap and water.

Avoid sneezing into Baby's face when breastfeeding and consider wearing a mask if ill, coughing or sneezing.

Do not stop breastfeeding if you are ill, and if you are too ill to breastfeed, pump and let someone else feed the baby.

Continue breastfeeding even if you are being treated for the flu.

To read the entire CDC release, click here.

(5-12-09)

Adecco Group, one of the nation's largest staffing companies, surveyed working mothers about the impact the recession is having on their work/life balance and the results are startling. According to Adecco's latest Workplace Insight Survey, 80 percent of women are working because they have to, not because they want to. Additionally, almost half (48 percent) of working moms are more stressed due to the current economic climate, and the majority (65 percent) are cutting their family budget.

Some further evidence that the economy is taking a toll on working mothers is that almost half (48 percent) of working moms wish they could spend more time with their kids, with nearly one in five (16 percent) reporting that their work hours have increased in this economy. Also, nearly one in five (19 percent) working moms are overcompensating by purchasing material goods for their children.

Other stats include the following:

Re-entering the work force: 13 percent of working moms went back to working full-time in this economy.

Feeling overwhelmed: Nearly one-third (30 percent) or working moms feel overwhelmed with responsibilities at home.

Being a role model: Working mothers are nearly 20 percent more likely to think their kids find them to be a role model than non-working moms.

Children of working moms are better behaved and better in school: 74 percent of working moms think their children do well in school while 60 percent of nonworking moms feel this way, and 72 percent of working moms think their children are well behaved compared to 65 percent of non-working moms.

Adecco has these tips for working mothers on better balancing their home and work lives:

1. Focus on how parenting makes you a better professional. Being a parent exposes and depends on a slew of soft skills including effective interpersonal communication, negotiation, compassion and understanding. These same skills are crucially important to being both a successful leader and team player at the office, enabling parents to hone in and sharpen these skills to best navigate both of their domains.

2. Talk to your employer about telecommuting. Telecommuting will allow you to stay home with your child when he/she is sick and keeps you from missing ballet recitals, sports events and school plays. You need to assure your boss you will remain highly productive and focused while in a more flexible work arrangement.

3. Get dads in on the balancing act. It's a changing world and gender roles in the home are starting to blur. Increasingly, men are staying home with sick children, working four-day weeks and asking their employers for extended paternity leave. Include dad. The kids will like spending extra time with their father and it helps you balance your life too.

4. Be realistic about your goals. Do not expect to be able to spend the same amount of time with your child as someone who is a stay-at-home parent. Instead, concentrate on making the most out of the time you have. And let your children know too. Young children need to know what to expect each day and they look forward to when you will be home.

5. Focus on productivity over face time. It's more important that workers properly prioritize, manage their time and deliver than simply put in "face-time" until all hours at the office. You don't need to be in the office all the time to make a powerful contribution. Be sure to set defined works goals and results beforehand with your supervisors.

(5-12-09)

Washing hands and paying close attention to symptoms of illness are just some of the things the public can to do help reduce the risk from the swine flu (H1N1) outbreak, says the American Red Cross. "This is a serious situation that has the potential to spread, and it is a good time for families, businesses and organizations to follow good public health practices and to review and update their preparedness plans," says Scott Conner, senior vice president of Preparedness and Health & Safety Services at the American Red Cross. "Taking steps to prepare for potential emergencies in advance can go a long way in making families feel safer."

The American Red Cross urges the public to remember these simple actions:

Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are also effective when soap and water aren't available.

Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home if you are feeling sick.

Children have been greatly impacted by this outbreak, and need to know how to properly wash their hands to prevent the spread of germs. The Red Cross has partnered with NSF International's (NSF) Scrub Club to educate children about the importance of hand washing to protect them against influenza. The Scrub Club Web site (scrubclub.org) is an easy, online tool to teach kids how to wash their hands and why it's important.

If families are asked to stay home during this outbreak, it's important to have a plan and supplies in place before that happens. The Red Cross recommends the following:

Stock extra food, water and supplies at home to reduce the need to go out should swine flu become more widespread, limiting potential for exposure to the virus.

Be sure to include household necessities such as laundry detergent, toilet paper, etc. Select foods that are easy to prepare and store.

Make sure you have an adequate supply of essential medications and medical items for all family members. Include non-prescription medications as well.

Other preparedness steps that can be taken include these:

Plan for what you would do if you had to stay at home for a period of time.

Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick.

Find out your employer's plans to keep the business open if key staff can't come to work.

Ask your child's school or day care if there are plans to encourage sick children to stay home to reduce the spread of the disease.

Identify how you can get information, whether through local radio, TV, Internet or other sources.

For more tips on how to prepare yourself, your family and community for this and other potential emergencies, visit www.redcross.org. Learn more about the swine flu by reading the following articles:

Swine Flu and Babies: Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment for the Swine Flu

Swine Flu and Pregnancy: How Does the Influenza H1N1 Strain Affect Mom-to-be?

(5-05-09)

Worldwide concerns over the swine flu outbreak is spurring governments and health agencies into action to keep the public safe. Closer to home, the Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) is reminding families that disease prevention is in their hands – literally.

"Cleaning your hands with soap and water is simple, safe, effective and inexpensive," says Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education. "When it comes to preventing the spread of the flu, hygiene is your first line of everyday defense. Very simply put, clean hands save lives ... Whether you're using bar soap, liquid soap or foam soap, just make sure you lather your hands and rub vigorously for at least 20 seconds."

Parents' concern over their children's health in school settings may be understandably heightened due to the round-the-clock news coverage of the swine flu outbreak. SDA offers three quick tips for parents to help keep their kids healthy in school:

Make sure your school has adequate supplies of soap, paper towels and surface cleaning and disinfecting products. It's tough for students to keep their hands clean if bathrooms lack the basics. And make sure there are sufficient and effective cleaning and disinfecting products available for school custodians, who are on the front lines of keeping our schools healthy.

Tuck some hand wipes along your child's packed lunch. Sometimes kids are so rushed during the day, they don't wash their hands before they eat. Hands wipes are useful when kids are on the go.

Consider adding a hand sanitizer into your older child's backpack. Convenient, portable sanitizer products are great to have around when soap and water aren't readily available. (Check with your school to make sure students are allowed to carry along a sanitizer.)

"Take time to explain to your kids why handwashing is important, and stay informed. Proper hygiene, common sense and good information from credible sources will go a long way to seeing us through this public health challenge," says SDA's Nancy Bock.

For more information, visit www.cleaning101.com.

(5-05-09)

Shaken baby syndrome is a term often used by doctors and the public to describe abusive head trauma inflicted on infants and young children. While shaking an infant can cause neurologic injury, blunt impact or a combination of shaking and blunt impact can also cause injury.

In recognition of the need for broad medical terminology that includes all mechanisms of injury, the new AAP policy statement, "Abusive Head Trauma In Infants and Children," recommends pediatricians embrace the term "abusive head trauma" to describe an inflicted injury to the head and its contents. Pediatricians should learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of abusive head trauma, including those caused by both shaking and blunt impact, and consult with pediatric subspecialists when necessary.

(5-05-09)

Five billion gallons of bottled water were consumed in 2000, an increase of more than 200 percent from a decade earlier. Whether consumers drink more bottled water because it is an alternative to soda, or because it is convenient to do so is unclear, but one thing is certain: They are missing out on the valuable fluoride found in tap water, which helps to protect teeth from cavities, according to a study published in General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

Researchers tested the fluoride content in more than 100 different samples of bottled water, which fell into six categories: distilled, drinking/purified, spring/artesian, mineral, fluoride-added and flavor-added. Of the total 105 samples, the fluoride concentrations in the majority of the samples fell below the U.S. government's recommended range of 0.7-1.2 parts per million (ppm), the ideal range to prevent cavities. Only five samples met the recommended range.

Lead author of the study, Ryan L. Quock, DDS, recommends that consumers speak with their dentist about their primary drinking water source. "Understanding consumers' water drinking habits is extremely important," he says. "Determining if they are drinking appropriately fluoridated water, especially when they have or are at risk for cavities, is crucial information, because fluoridated water is an automatic way for them to help improve their oral health. Talking to them also allows us to have a conversation about fluoride's effects, mainly focusing on its relationship to dental caries and fluorosis."

Receiving the appropriate amount of fluoride is critical to consumers' oral health – especially children's oral health – as it strengthens the teeth and protects them against cavities. Dr. Patricia Meredith, AGD spokesperson, advises parents to do their research before handing their child a water bottle. "Parents should be in charge of how much bottled water their kids drink, in order to make sure that that they also receive the proper amount of fluoridated water that will keep their teeth healthy," says Dr. Meredith. Fluoride in toothpaste, water supplies and other oral hygiene products is one of the basics of keeping children's mouths healthy, Dr. Meredith says. "With soda and energy drinks being as popular as they are, not to mention the attractiveness of sugary snacks, children's mouths are constantly fighting cavity-causing bacteria. Something as simple as drinking water from the tap is a no-nonsense and cost-effective way to prevent cavities."

The AGD supports the use of fluoride and adopted a position statement based on the Center for Disease Control's Recommendation for Using Fluoride, which states, "When used appropriately, fluoride is safe and effective in preventing and controlling dental caries. Regular use throughout life will help protect teeth against decay. All water supplies, including bottled water, should have appropriate fluoride levels. All fluoridated items, including toothpaste, should be used as recommended by your dentist."

To learn more, visit www.agd.org or www.knowyourteeth.com.

(4-21-09)

Small traces of perchlorate, a chemical that's used in rocket fuel, was found in some powdered baby formulas, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The amount may exceed what is considered safe for adults if the formula is mixed with water that also contains this chemical.

The chemical, which can be found in some drinking water, occurs naturally, though most contamination has been linked to aerospace and defense areas. While no tests have shown that perchlorate can cause health issues, experts say the chemical can affect thyroid function. No brand names were disclosed, but the formulas affected were made with cow's milk.

(4-14-09)