Q&A: How do I Make Sure I’m Eating Right During Pregnancy?

Question: I just found out I’m pregnant, and want to make sure I eat well. How much do I need to eat, and what kinds of foods are best? How much weight should I gain?

Eating right during pregnancy

Prevent the 7 Threats to Men’s Health

Men’s Health Week is celebrated each year as the week leading up to and including Father’s Day. This year, Men’s Health Week runs from June 11th–17th. It is observed as part of the larger Men’s Health Month, which is celebrated during the month of June with screenings, health fairs, media appearances, and other health education and outreach activities.

National Men's Health Month

Sun Safety App Claims to Help Reduce Risk of Overexposure

Time frolicking outdoors in the sun is as an integral part of summer. However, sunlight contains ultraviolet (UV) rays that promote skin damage and aging, and increase the risk of skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation warns that sunscreen is critical during time outdoors, regardless of skin type. While new FDA sunscreen regulations promise to provide consumers with more accurate information about the degree of protection their sunscreen is providing, the CDC warns that sunscreen is only one part of the protective equation, and recommends protective clothing and judicious use of shade during intense sunlight hours.

Sun exposure reference app

Surviving Summer: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Summer is the hottest of the four seasons. At the summer solstice, which occurs on June 21st in the Northern Hemisphere and December 22nd in the Southern Hemisphere (when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere and vice versa), the days are longest and the nights are shortest. Summer is a great time to spend time outdoors and practice a healthy lifestyle. There are plenty of chances to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, get some sun, and get in shape, whether it be by playing a sport, exercising or just working around the yard.

Healthy lifestyle

Don’t Get Burned With Your Sunscreen

With summer upon us in full force, many people are eager to get out and enjoy some time in the sun. However, prolonged ultraviolet (UV) light exposure poses a threat during summer months. Indeed, for an increasing number of U.S. adults, sunburns are becoming more and more common [1]. Although sunburn can be the immediate result of the sun’s UV rays, repeated overexposure can lead to wrinkles, discoloration and other signs of premature aging of the skin, as well as skin cancer.

Protect yourself from the sun

Sunburn results when the amount of sun exposure exceeds the ability of melanin, the body’s protective pigment, to shield the skin. Using sunscreen regularly is one of the best ways to ensure protection from the sun and avoid skin damage. Sunscreen creates an effective barrier on the skin, absorbing or reflecting the sun’s UV radiation. With all the different sunscreens on the market, have you ever wondered how well your sunscreen works compared to other brands? A recent investigation by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit advocacy organization that provides useful health resources to consumers, evaluated 1,620 brand-name sunscreens and found that 60% offer inadequate protection from the sun or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns.