Costco Connection - June 2006

for your

Sun safety
health

UV rays from your skin.

Wear proper sunglasses. Sunglasses that provide 99 to 100 percent UVA and UVB SOAKING UP THE SUN is one of life’s little (two types of UV radiation) protection will pleasures. Unfortunately, ultraviolet (UV) greatly reduce sun exposure that can lead to light from the sun can damage your skin— cataracts and other eye damage. The label on and increase the risk of cancer—in as little as the sunglasses should give this information. 15minutes. Always use sunscreen. Liberally apply The U.S. Environmental Protection sunscreen with a sun protection factor (often Agency offers these “Sun Wise” steps to help noted as “SPF” on the label) of at least 15 or you protect yourself from overexposure. higher to exposed skin. Reapply every two Limit time in the midday sun. The sun’s hours, or after working, swimming, playing rays are strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or exercisingoutdoors. Even waterproof sun-Limit your exposure during these hours. screen can come off.

Seek shade. Some things, such as trees Watch for the UV index. This index and umbrellas, don’t offer complete sun pro- indicates how strong the UV radiation from tection. Here’s a tip: If your shadow is shorter the sun is at a particular place. Any index than you, the intensity of UV radiation from higher than 3 (on a 0 through 11 scale) is the sun is more likely to cause sunburn. So if considered potentially harmful. The index is you have a short shadow, seek shade. issued daily in major cities.

Cover up. Wearing tightly woven, loose- For more sun-protection tips, see www. fitting and full-length clothing keeps harmful epa.gov/sunwise.—Tim Talevich

IN WHEELCHAIRS and hospital beds, between radiation treatments and while in remission, more and more people with cancer are turning to yoga. Hospitals, cancer centers and yoga studios all over are offering yoga classes, such as the ones Costco member Lisa Holtby taught Cancer Lifeline clients for two years in Seattle. _Yoga _offers _help _for _people _withShe saw how valuable yoga was for people with _cancer _and _other _diseases.any cancer at any stage, and wondered: What if they wanted to learn yoga on their own? circumstances. Particularly for people with So Holtby, now an instructor at Seattle cancer, yoga increases a sense of well-being, Yoga Arts, wrote Healing Yoga for People Living comfort and peace.” with Cancer (Taylor Trade Publishing, 2004). “I adapted principles of yoga for people facing Claire Sykes is a freelance writer in Portland, the anxiety, fear and physical difficulties of liv- Oregon. She covers the arts, health and fitness, ing with chronic disease,” she says. business and general interest for dozens of mag- Using photos and text, Healing Yoga pro- azines in North America and abroad. vides four yoga sequences, each with 10 poses, or asanas, that relax, energize and strengthen. It begins with meditative breathing, the core of any yoga practice. Fatigued, or unfamiliar with yoga? Pull up a chair for gentle, seated poses that “ integrate your intention, breath and movement,” says Holtby. Another chapter helps you cultivate ease with relaxing poses “to help allay the fears and uncertainty of living with cancer.” Additional non-standing poses fortify abdominal muscles, preparing you for the more intense sequences. “Doing yoga helps you connect with your inner resolve,” says Holtby. While writing her book, she adds, “I was touched by my clients’ gratitude for life in the face of tough