Skin Cancer

Okay, that does sound a bit dramatic but what else would you call a type of cancer that kills 2,300 people in the UK every year? Let’s face it, us Brits tend to throw caution to the wind when we see a few rays of sunshine at home and we are often completely irresponsible in the sun when abroad.

Every day in the UK, 200 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed. This tragedy is sharpened by the fact that The British Skin Foundation reckons that as many as four out of five such cases are entirely preventable.

Small amounts of UV radiation from the sun are beneficial for people and essential in the production of vitamin D but most of us can get adequate amounts by spending some time outdoors in natural light. The amount of UV radiation we expose ourselves too whilst sunbathing can, cumulatively, be deadly and result in acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eye and immune system.

One mistake is believing that sunscreen is all you need to ward off the sun, and another is that the higher the SPF, the longer you can stay in the sun. I’m sceptical about sunscreens that advertise themselves as long-lasting or waterproof: SPF physically wears off with rubbing, sweating and water. The protection you get is more likely one hour to 80 minutes.

Always choose a sunscreen that has an SPF over more than 15 but don’t be fooled into thinking that a very high SPF will allow you to stay out in the sun for longer without consequences. An SPF 15 blocks 94 percent of UVB rays, while SPF 30 blocks 97 percent of UVB rays. Above SPF 30 you don’t get much additional protection from higher factors.

Look for sunscreens labelled ‘broad spectrum’ which aim to protect against UVA and UVB. Chuck out any old products that are past their use by dates or that have got hot in the sun: heat and time degrade the active ingredients.

Always consult with your GP if you notice any unusual changes in your skin or your moles. Any moles which become itchy or bleed, or change in colour, shape or size should be reported to your doctor.

TANNING MYTHS

A sun tan is healthy. A tan results from your body defending itself against further damage from UV radiation. A tan protects you from the sun. A dark tan on white skin only offers an SPF of about 4. You can’t get sunburnt on a cloudy day. Up to 80% of solar UV radiation can penetrate light cloud cover. You can’t get sunburnt while in the water. Water offers only minimal protection from UV radiation and reflections from water can enhance your UV radiation exposure. Sunscreens protect me so I can sunbathe much longer. Sunscreens are not intended to increase sun exposure time but to increase protection during unavoidable exposure. The protection they afford depends critically on their correct apapplication. If you take regular breaks during sunbathing you won’t get sunburnt. UV radiation exposure is cumulative during the day.

Movie Preview: Fast & Furious 8

On the heels of 2015’s Fast & Furious 7, one of the fastest movies to reach $1 billion worldwide in box-office history and the sixthbiggest global title of all time, comes the newest chapter in one of the most popular and enduring motion-picture serials of all time: Fast & Furious 8.

Now that Dom and Letty are on their honeymoon and Brian and Mia have retired from the game—and the rest of the crew has been exonerated—the globetrotting team has found a semblance of a normal life. But when a mysterious woman (Oscar® winner Charlize Theron) seduces Dom into the world of crime he can’t seem to escape and a betrayal of those closest to him, they will face trials that will test them as never before.

From the shores of Cuba and the streets of New York City to the icy plains off the arctic Barents Sea, our elite force will crisscross the globe to stop an anarchist from unleashing chaos on the world’s stage…and to bring home the man who made them a family.

For Fast & Furious 8, Vin Diesel is joined by a returning all-star cast that includes Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Elsa Pataky and Kurt Russell. In addition to Theron, the series welcomes newcomers Scott Eastwood and Oscar® winner Helen Mirren. The film is directed by F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton) and produced by returning producers Neal H. Moritz, Michael Fottrell and Diesel.

Get Rid Of Your Scales

Are you obsessed with your weight? Do you weigh yourself on a daily basis or close to it? If you do – STOP! Success is not measured solely by the numbers on a scale. Does the scale have any role in helping you reach your goals? Yes, but it is just one of many tools you can use to measure success. Unfortunately, it is probably one of the least helpful tools.

If you think you have a weight obsessed personality, here are better ways to measure your progress:

LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

Do you look better? Sometimes it can be difficult to notice small changes in the mirror because we see ourselves so frequently. But it can be one of the easiest and most gratifying measurement tools.

USE A TAPE MEASURE

Measure yourself with a MyoTape body tape measure. Measure the circumference of your waist, hips, arms, legs, and chest.

USE BODY FAT CALIPERS.

Take skin-fold measurements on your abs, obliques, triceps, back, legs, and chest. If these numbers are getting smaller on a weekly basis, you know you’re losing fat. All you need is a pair of body fat callipers to get the job done. Then read about how to take body fat measurements.

TAKE PROGRESS PICTURES.

Snapping some photos every couple of weeks under the same lighting is a great way to notice changes. Those small changes are much more noticeable when you have before and after pictures side by side on your computer.

THE SCALE IS NOT YOUR FRIEND

The reason a scale is not a good measuring tool is because your weight might not be going down, but you can still be losing fat. This happens when you both lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. In other words, it does not measure body composition, which is more important than weight. For example, somebody who is 180lbs at 20% body fat carries 36lbs of fat. Let’s pretend that after months of working out he weighs himself again, but this time he’s still 180lbs. The scale would seem to suggest that he just wasted months of hard work because he didn’t lose any weight. What the scale doesn’t show you is that his body fat percentage dropped to 15%. So now he’s only carrying 30lbs of fat on him. That’s a loss of 6lbs of fat and a gain of 6lbs of muscle! Having that additional information is enough to take you from discouragement from seeing no weight change to encouragement now that you know your hard work is paying off. Don’t become obsessed with weight. It is only one of many tools you can use to measure your progress with. Stay off the scale and give one or more of the alternate measuring techniques a try.

Spring Has Arrived

At long last, spring has arrived! (or has it?) There is so much to do in every corner of the yard this month that it is difficult to know where to start. In my opinion, the first and foremost thing to do is to stand back for a moment, and simply enjoy the beauty that Mother Nature has given us....

Listen to the birds as they sing you a spring melody... dream a little... and then put on the gardening gloves and head out to make your dream garden a reality! As you begin your quest for the perfect garden, don’t overdo it! It’s probably been a few months since you gave those muscles and bones a good workout, so start out slowly and avoid that Monday morning backache.

Caring for Your Annuals, Perennials & Bulbs

April is the month for planting summer flowering bulbs like Dahlias, Gladiolas and Lilies. Mix bulb fertilizer, processed manure and peat moss into the planting soil. Tuberous Begonias and Canna should not be set outdoors until all danger of frost has passed, so wait until next month. Plant annual seeds of Asters, Cosmos, Marigolds and Zinnias in the garden. When all frost danger has passed you can move your stored Fuchsias and Geraniums outdoors. Trim them back, feed and re-pot if necessary. Water them well. When they have finished blooming, you should deadhead your spring flowering bulbs. Divide perennials like Daylilies, Delphiniums, Iris, Chrysanthemums, Daisies,and Phlox. The additional plants you create can be traded or given to friends, or moved to a new area of the garden.

April Lawn Care

The application of a spring type of lawn fertilizer should perk up the lawn and improve its over-all color and appearance. If there is moss growing in the lawn, use spring lawn fertilizer that has the moss-killer included, so you can do both jobs in one easy application. Spring is also a good time to thatch and overseed the lawn. Over seeding will help fill-in the lawn and deter the re-growth of moss and weeds.

Strawberry Rhubarb Torte

Ingredients

2 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb • 1/3 cup water 2 tbsp and 4½ tsp sugar (separately) • 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream 3 tbsp and 1 tsp strawberry gelatin (separately) • 14 ladyfingers, split ¼ tsp vanilla extract • 1 tsp cornstarch • 1 tsp cold water 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Method

1. In a small saucepan, bring the rhubarb, water and 2 tablespoons sugar to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes or until rhubarb is tender. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate 1/3 cup rhubarb liquid for glaze.
    
2. Place rhubarb and remaining liquid in a blender; cover and process until pureed. Return to saucepan. Bring to a boil; stir in gelatin until dissolved. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
    
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add vanilla; beat until sti… peaks form. Fold whipped cream into rhubarb mixture.
    
4. Arrange half of the ladyfingers on the bottom of an ungreased 6-in. springform pan. Spread half of the rhubarb mixture into pan. Arrange remaining ladyfingers over rhubarb mixture; carefully spread with remaining rhubarb mixture. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
    
5. Transfer reserved rhubarb liquid to a small saucepan; stir in remaining sugar. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Spread over rhubarb layer. Arrange strawberry slices over glaze. Remove sides of pan.