Tanorexic?

With everyone trying to either get a 'base' for the tan they hope to build upon when they get to their holiday destination or keeping it up after their return, tanning beds appear to be more popular than ever.

It seems like the public health effort to educate people about the dangers of tanning has fallen on deaf ears (likely sunburned ones at that.)

According to a literature review in the American Journal of Health Behaviour, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. accounting for half of all cancers, with over a million new cases diagnosed annually. Ninety percent of these cancers are attributed to ultraviolet radiation (UVR).

The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report in 2003 that states that "consequences of regular sunbed use could include pain and suffering, early death and disfigurement, as well as substantial costs to national health systems for screening, treating and monitoring skin cancer patients."

Something to ponder the next time you're tempted to climb into the cancer coffin....

Regular Checkups-Continued!

Another area to save $

Optometrist

Unless you wear glasses or contact lenses, have a family history of degenerative eye disease, high blood pressure or diabetes annual checkups are unnecessary. If you’re not part of the previously mentioned categories and are under the age of 65 the American Academy of Opthamology recommends an eye exam once in your 20s, twice in your 30s, at age 40 and thereafter as needed!

Regular Checkups

With the current state of the economy many people are looking to save their hard-earned dollars. Healthcare is important and expensive, yet there are areas where you can be thrifty without adversely affecting your health.

Dentist

If you don't have have any chronic dental conditions such as gum disease, you really can get by on only one cleaning/scaling a year, if not less. If you're doing your job at home, i.e. regular brushing and DAILY flossing (yes, daily!) there is no perceptible difference to the trained eye between patients who have a cleaning every six months and those who do so annually. Although the dental hygienist is basically taught to guilt-trip you into coming in every six month by telling patients they have all sorts of 'build-up', believe me if you're flossing and brushing properly the hygienist really is bluffing. A recent review of dental studies from researchers at the University of North Carolina and in the UK confirms this by failing to establish an advantage in more frequents visits. The review couldn't detect a difference between getting a cleaning once every six months and once every TWO years!