National Arthritis Month
www.arthritis.org

May is National Arthiritis Month, a time to check on joint health and learn ways to manage arthritis pain. There are three main types of arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease that affects adults; osteoarthritis, a breakdown of cartilage often beginning after age 45; and juvenile arthritis, an inflammatory disease affecting children 16 and under.

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which affects more than 27 million Americans. While doctors haven't pinpointed a definite cause for the disease, they have created a list of ten ways to help protect your joints:

• Maintain your ideal body weight
• Move your body
• Stand up straight
• Use the big joints
• Pace yourself
• Listen to your body
• Don't be static
• Forget the weekend warrior
• Wear proper safety equipment
• Ask for help

If you already suffer from some form of arthritis, pain has probably become a significant part of your life, and for many people, that pain only worsens over time. You can learn more about pain and its causes, as well as ways to manage it here.

National Skin Cancer Awareness Month
www.skincancer.org

This month we recognize National Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., with more than 2 million people diagnosed annually. In fact, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime. And the vast majority of skin cancer is caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV rays). Learn more about skin cancer here.

The average age for patients diagnosed with skin cancer, especially the most deadly form of skin cancer, melanoma, is growing younger with each year. This is the result of young women ages 16-29 exposing themselves to UV rays to tan, whether in indoor tanning beds or under the hot summer sun

While being active outdoors is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, there are ways to do it safely and help prevent skin cancer. Use a sport sunscreen when you are active outdoors so that you won't sweat it off, and be sure to apply to your face and ears! Make sure your sunscreen offers UVA and UVB protection. When buying protective clothing, look for clothes with a UPF label, which will tell you how well it protects from ultraviolet rays. Lastly, be careful of non-steroidal anti-inflammatories like Ibuprofen and Naproxen, which make your skin extra sensitive to the sun. (Skin Cancer Foundation)

Get more healthy lifestyle, anti-aging and beauty tips from the Skin Cancer Foundation here.