While some skin cancers appear to be influenced by heredity, most are caused by sun exposure. Although most occur in adults, studies have shown its' development may be related to our behavior as children. The two primary triggers are accumulated lifetime exposure to the sun and severe sunburns. This means the more we spend in the sun over our lifetime the greater the risks of developing skin cancer.

Protecting children is important since we get most of our lifetime exposure before the age of 18. Because of this children need to know how to “play safe in the sun” by finding shade, wearing coverup clothing, and using sun screen. One severe sunburn before the age of 18 appears to significantly increase the risk for developing Melanoma. Eye damage can lead to cataracts and blindness when older. Each time children go outside – think of the clothes they wear – clothes that cover the body like long pants vs. shorts, shoes vs. sandals, long sleeves vs. sleeveless, etc.

When going outdoors everyone should wear a hat with at least a 3” brim. This will help protect the head, ears, neck, and face. The use of sunglasses will protect the eyes. Using sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor SPF 15 will give 2 hour’s of protection. Both lotion and lip balm should be applied 30 minutes before going outside. Use broad spectrum products that protect against both UVA and UBA rays.

Remember, there is never a safe season against the sun— protect yourself year round. For programs on Sun Safety, please contact Buncombe County Cooperative Extension Center at 828-255-5522.

Disease of the Month - Everything You Need to Know About Rabies

What is Rabies?
Rabies is a preventable disease that is caused by a virus. The disease is usually found among wild animals; however it can be passed to pets and humans. Raccoons and bats are the most common carriers of rabies in Western North Carolina.

How is it spread?
The rabies virus is passed through the saliva of an infected animal, most often through biting or licking.

What are the symptoms of rabies in animals?
Some animals may show no symptoms at all. Others may have all of these symptoms:

Act unusually vicious
Stumble or fall
Refuse to eat
Doesn’t move for long periods of time
Wild animal may lose fear of people

How Can I Protect Myself?

Keep your pets and horses up to date on rabies vaccinations.

Call animal control to remove any stray or wild animals from your neighborhood. Do not try to remove or handle them yourself!
If you find a bat in your home, secure the room and call animal control to remove it. Secure your home and other occupied spaces to prevent bats from entering. Do not feed, handle or adopt wild animals.
Teach children not to handle wild animals and to avoid contact with animals they are not familiar with. If you are traveling abroad, avoid wild animals and dogs.

What if my pet or I are bitten?

If your pet is bitten by a wild animal take the pet to a veterinarian for care immediately. call animal control to search for the wild animal. If you are bitten or think you may have come in contact with a rabid animal wash your hands and affected areas immediately with soap and water;
call your doctor or Health Center right away; call animal control to remove the animal. If a child, a mentally disabled person or an intoxicated person is found in a room with a bat seek medical care for them immediately to be sure they have not been exposed to rabies.
call animal control to remove the animal.

What else is important to know?

Once symptoms of rabies appear, a person rarely survives.
If you suspect that you have been in contact with a rabid animal, call your doctor immediately!

Bites from bats can be very small and hard to see. Let animal control remove a bat from your home and test it for rabies.

For more information about rabies, visit www.cdc.gov/rabies.

Healthy Tip - Three Bs for Better Blood Pressure
What do broccoli, brown rice, and baked beans have in common? They're good sources of blood-pressure- friendly protein.

Because not just any kind of protein will do when you're trying to keep blood pressure under control. A diet high in vegetable protein -- not animal protein -- is key.

Amino Acids: The Answer?

Researchers aren't sure why veggie protein lowers blood pressure, but they suspect that the amino acids in veggies may simply be kinder, somehow, to blood pressure than the amino acids in animal protein. (Check out the top 10 most nutritious vegetables.) And the magnesium and other good- for-you nutrients found in veggies may enhance the blood-pressure-friendly effects by interacting synergistically with the amino acids. (Find more food sources of magnesium with this online tool.)
Source: www.realage.com