May is National Skin Cancer and Melanoma Awareness Month. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.
From a beauty perspective, constant and unprotected sun exposure causes skin damage, aging, pigmentation, wrinkles, sagging, and leathering. Most of us know the general protective procedures to help prevent skin melanomas.
These procedures would include:
- Not to burn.
- Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths.
- To cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
- Use a high quality broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day. For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
- Apply of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating.
- Keep newborns out of the sun. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months.
- Examine your skin head-to-toe every month.
- See your physician every year for a professional skin exam.
Did you know healthy foods and supplements to also help with the fight against skin cancer? I had the pleasure of speaking with expert Dr. Mitch Gaynor. In the interview Dr Gaynor provides us with unconventional information on how to prevent malignant melanoma.
Dr. Gaynor
Here are some of Dr Gaynor’s tips on fighting Melanoma.
- Drinking 3 cups of green or black tea every day leads to a decrease in skin cancer.
- Eating more leafy green vegetables; kale, tomatoes, carrots
- Take a baby aspirin every day; cuts down inflammation.
- Turmeric, gives curry it’s yellow color, inhibits melanoma
- Blueberries (pterostilbene) & black raspberries are inhibitory against melanoma
- Magnolia Extract contains Manganol and Honokiol, which inhibit the formation and spread of melanoma.
About:
Dr. Mitchell has appeared on Dr. Oz and Martha Stewart Living. He is an assistant attending physician at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center and clinical assistant professor of medicine at Weill Medical College. He is also founder and president of Gaynor Integrative Oncology, where he practices an integrative team approach to oncology using the best of allopathic and eastern medicine to develop the best treatment plan for each patient.
For more information please visit please listen to the audio interview:
For more information on Dr Mitch Gaynor please visit:
Websites: http://www.gaynoroncology.com/ and http://www.gaynorwellness.com/