“Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97 … wear sunscreen. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.”
Remember that quote? From Mary Schmid of the Chicago Tribune, turned urban legend, turned pop song? Over a decade later, she’s still right. By now we are all aware of the damage that sun can do to our skin, but just in case:
Sunscreen 101: a remedial class:
· Sun Protection Factor (SPF) on the label can range from 2 to as high as 50, and refers to the product's ability to screen the harmful rays of the sun. If you use a sunscreen with an SPF 15, you can be in the sun 15 times longer before burning.
· Sunscreen photo degrades (breaks down) and rubs off with normal wear. It needs to be reapplied at least every two hours.
· Dermatologists generally recommend using a sunscreen with an SPF 15 or greater year-round for all skin types.
· Choose a "broad-spectrum" sunscreen that protects against UVB and UVA radiation which are two types of harmful rays:
o UVA (which can pass through window glass) can cause suppression of the immune system interfering with your ability to protect yourself against the development and spread of skin cancer, as well as age spots and wrinkling.
o UVB (which are blocked by window glass) are the primary causes of sunburn.
o *Memory trick: UVA = Aging UVB = Burning.
· Choose a sunscreen that is "waterproof" or "water-resistant," if you expect to be sweating or swimming.
· Don’t let the clouds fool you. Even on cloudy days, up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays can pass through the clouds.
o Sand reflects 25% of the sun’s rays.
o Snow reflects 80%.
· Apply sunscreen liberally, 15-30 minutes before going outdoors.
· Reapply! Reapply! Reapply!
Every time you tan, you damage your skin. The damage accumulates over time, and in addition to accelerating the aging process, also increases your risk for all types of skin cancer.
There is no safe way to tan. Listen to Mary. Wear sunscreen.
Source: American Academy of Dermatology
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunscreen - A Remedial Class (Summer 09 Issue)
Knights Riders (Summer 09 Issue)
Marianna Knights is a busy woman. She is busy as a wife. Busy as a teacher. Busy as a mother. And busy as an elite mountain biker. She and her husband Greg (also an elite mountain biker) were kind enough to somehow make time for me earlier this spring and invite me to their Collingwood home to talk to me about the sport and the lifestyle it has created for their young family.
MM: You’ve accomplished a lot in the last few years. Have you always been an athlete?
MK : Not so much. I’ve always been “energetic”, but never really found my sport. I don’t think I’m that coordinated (she is laughing as she says this) at ball or racquet sports. When I bought a mountain bike, I didn't know where to ride it.
MM: That’s not the case anymore. What changed?
MK: It took me a year. I finally got the courage to go to a local bike shop (Squire John's) where they had Saturday morning bike rides. While I was there I met my now husband - after getting over my not so initial attraction to "guys in spandex”. The next weekend we had our first date. Before we knew it we were riding every weekend and finally, riding away from the church on our wedding day.
MM: So you fell in love twice over - with the sport and with Greg. I won’t ask about Greg, but what is it about mountain biking?
MK: I instantly fell in love with the sport. I loved the fact that you can have so much fun, increase your heart rate and give yourself an adrenalin rush like you've never had before. And be proud of surviving the numerous endo's!
Marianna’s tip: The more flexible you are the better you recover from falls. Do yoga!
MM: You and Greg have managed not only to add competitive training into your own schedules, but have incorporated the sport into your family lifestyle as a whole.
MK: Yes. It has been a great family activity. My husband used to race but was away from it for a while. Then, seeing how I quickly embraced the sport, it sparked new interest in him. He saw that it would be enjoyable for us both to (re)discover the passion for the sport together.
Marainna’s Bio in Brief:
Mountain biking for 8 years
2003–04 club member, then sponsored racer with Fly Gurlz
2005-present Arrow Racing (a not-for-profit cycling team from the area).
Raced one year Elite2005 1st place Tag Team at 24hr Race
2006-08 2 years off to dedicate time to have baby
2008 2nd place at Nationals (Mt St.Anne Quebec).
MM: And now you have two children in the picture?
MK: Yes, now we have two young daughters: Caralina (4) and Maea (2). Obviously we have gone through changes in our racing, but it really just brings another element to it. I took time off to get pregnant then returned to racing. Greg took time off racing to allow me time to get competition ready again. Training can be challenging and we take turns a lot: “who will wake up at 5am for our 5:30 workout today” or “who will prepare dinner while the other trains”? Our daughters come to many of our events, and even ride in the kids divisions. In 2005, we raced the Tag Team 24hr Race and brought our 6 month old daughter. We were camping, and she was feeding in between laps - too crazy! We will sometimes bring along sitters or invite family & friends to races and make a day or weekend of it. This year there was a race on Mother's Day - I fought and placed 2nd and at the same time my daughter rode the kids course. What a great way to celebrate Mother's Day and the outdoors.
MM: What about the future? I think you said you had some big plans?
MK: I'd like to qualify and race in the World's Master's Mountain Bike Championships. Also our family is doing an Exchange to Australia next year and we plan to race there as well.
MM: But you’re coming back right?
MK: We have ridden all over Canada, US, in Italy and will have ridden in Australia. But we appreciate the community we have right here in Collingwood, and the excellent riding in the area. Three Stages and Kolapore in particular offer amazing training ground and fun for all levels and abilities. We wouldn't choose another home in a million years!! We live in a cycling Paradise!
MM: You’ve accomplished a lot in the last few years. Have you always been an athlete?MK : Not so much. I’ve always been “energetic”, but never really found my sport. I don’t think I’m that coordinated (she is laughing as she says this) at ball or racquet sports. When I bought a mountain bike, I didn't know where to ride it.
MM: That’s not the case anymore. What changed?
MK: It took me a year. I finally got the courage to go to a local bike shop (Squire John's) where they had Saturday morning bike rides. While I was there I met my now husband - after getting over my not so initial attraction to "guys in spandex”. The next weekend we had our first date. Before we knew it we were riding every weekend and finally, riding away from the church on our wedding day.
MM: So you fell in love twice over - with the sport and with Greg. I won’t ask about Greg, but what is it about mountain biking?
MK: I instantly fell in love with the sport. I loved the fact that you can have so much fun, increase your heart rate and give yourself an adrenalin rush like you've never had before. And be proud of surviving the numerous endo's!
Marianna’s tip: The more flexible you are the better you recover from falls. Do yoga!
MM: You and Greg have managed not only to add competitive training into your own schedules, but have incorporated the sport into your family lifestyle as a whole.
MK: Yes. It has been a great family activity. My husband used to race but was away from it for a while. Then, seeing how I quickly embraced the sport, it sparked new interest in him. He saw that it would be enjoyable for us both to (re)discover the passion for the sport together.
Marainna’s Bio in Brief:
Mountain biking for 8 years
2003–04 club member, then sponsored racer with Fly Gurlz
2005-present Arrow Racing (a not-for-profit cycling team from the area).
Raced one year Elite2005 1st place Tag Team at 24hr Race
2006-08 2 years off to dedicate time to have baby
2008 2nd place at Nationals (Mt St.Anne Quebec).
MM: And now you have two children in the picture?
MK: Yes, now we have two young daughters: Caralina (4) and Maea (2). Obviously we have gone through changes in our racing, but it really just brings another element to it. I took time off to get pregnant then returned to racing. Greg took time off racing to allow me time to get competition ready again. Training can be challenging and we take turns a lot: “who will wake up at 5am for our 5:30 workout today” or “who will prepare dinner while the other trains”? Our daughters come to many of our events, and even ride in the kids divisions. In 2005, we raced the Tag Team 24hr Race and brought our 6 month old daughter. We were camping, and she was feeding in between laps - too crazy! We will sometimes bring along sitters or invite family & friends to races and make a day or weekend of it. This year there was a race on Mother's Day - I fought and placed 2nd and at the same time my daughter rode the kids course. What a great way to celebrate Mother's Day and the outdoors.
MM: What about the future? I think you said you had some big plans?
MK: I'd like to qualify and race in the World's Master's Mountain Bike Championships. Also our family is doing an Exchange to Australia next year and we plan to race there as well.
MM: But you’re coming back right?
MK: We have ridden all over Canada, US, in Italy and will have ridden in Australia. But we appreciate the community we have right here in Collingwood, and the excellent riding in the area. Three Stages and Kolapore in particular offer amazing training ground and fun for all levels and abilities. We wouldn't choose another home in a million years!! We live in a cycling Paradise!
THE850race: Doing the Impossible (Summer 09 Issue)
Running two marathons a day - six days in a row?
Raising $1Million for charity doing it?
That’s exactly what Brain Culbert and David Battison plan to do this September.
Between September 13th and 18th, 2009, Brian and Dave will run from Niagara Falls to Tobermory, the 850km length of The Bruce Trail, in an attempt to raise $1 million for children’s health programs globally.
A Dream Team
Brian Culbert is a world class endurance athlete. Sharing his time between his Toronto home and his Wasaga Beach cottage, he has been competing at national and world level events as an endurance mountain biker for 5 years.
Dave Battison competed as a professional triathlete, and represented Canada three times at the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii, widely regarded as the most prestigious triathlon event in the world.
Dave also happens to be one of Canada’s top coaches, and has been given Professional title status from the Coaching Association of Canada, one of only five active coaches in the country with this designation.
If anyone can run the equivalent of a dozen marathons in six days and raise one million dollars doing it, these two can.
The Bucket List
Last fall, while on a 10 km trail run, Brian and Dave decided to create their own “Bucket List” like Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman had done in the film of the same name.
One of the list items was to run The Bruce Trail. The whole trail. All 850 kms of it.
If that wasn’t enough, the pair decided that they ought to do it in only six days - which, when you do the math, is like running two marathons a day, six days in a row. THE850race was born.
Challenging the Perception of Possibility
Running two marathons a day for six days sounds like an impossibility to most people, but so does eliminating global childhood poverty. Brian and Dave are setting out to prove those perceptions wrong and push the limits of possibility.
Brain’s own drive stems from his commitment to the The Hospital for Sick Children and their work for children everywhere. When Brain’s son was born, his family spent almost two weeks at SickKids and was witness to the seemingly insurmountable challenges faced by so many children testing their own physical limits daily. He suddenly understood courage in a way he hadn’t before; “God, give me my son and I’ll go help these children for the rest of my life. This is my covenant to you”.
Working in conjunction with The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the Global Child Health Program at HealthyKids International is a collective strategy for international outreach activities charged to solve the global paediatric healthcare crisis. By focusing on developing and training key healthcare workers, improving opportunities for health leaders and institutions to share knowledge, and creating healthcare delivery systems that reach out to the most underserved communities, the Global Child Health Program will ultimately improve the care received by the world’s most in-need children.
When Brian and Dave decided that running The Bruce Trail was their next goal, they also decided to turn the run into a fund raiser. They gave themselves an extremely demanding time frame and set their sites on raising $1 million in support of the Global Child Health Program run by the SickKids Foundation.
For more information go to http://www.healthykidsinternational.com/
Raising $1Million for charity doing it?
That’s exactly what Brain Culbert and David Battison plan to do this September.
Between September 13th and 18th, 2009, Brian and Dave will run from Niagara Falls to Tobermory, the 850km length of The Bruce Trail, in an attempt to raise $1 million for children’s health programs globally.
A Dream Team
Brian Culbert is a world class endurance athlete. Sharing his time between his Toronto home and his Wasaga Beach cottage, he has been competing at national and world level events as an endurance mountain biker for 5 years.
Dave Battison competed as a professional triathlete, and represented Canada three times at the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii, widely regarded as the most prestigious triathlon event in the world.
Dave also happens to be one of Canada’s top coaches, and has been given Professional title status from the Coaching Association of Canada, one of only five active coaches in the country with this designation.
If anyone can run the equivalent of a dozen marathons in six days and raise one million dollars doing it, these two can.
The Bucket List
Last fall, while on a 10 km trail run, Brian and Dave decided to create their own “Bucket List” like Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman had done in the film of the same name.
One of the list items was to run The Bruce Trail. The whole trail. All 850 kms of it.
If that wasn’t enough, the pair decided that they ought to do it in only six days - which, when you do the math, is like running two marathons a day, six days in a row. THE850race was born.
Challenging the Perception of Possibility
Running two marathons a day for six days sounds like an impossibility to most people, but so does eliminating global childhood poverty. Brian and Dave are setting out to prove those perceptions wrong and push the limits of possibility.
Brain’s own drive stems from his commitment to the The Hospital for Sick Children and their work for children everywhere. When Brain’s son was born, his family spent almost two weeks at SickKids and was witness to the seemingly insurmountable challenges faced by so many children testing their own physical limits daily. He suddenly understood courage in a way he hadn’t before; “God, give me my son and I’ll go help these children for the rest of my life. This is my covenant to you”.
Working in conjunction with The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the Global Child Health Program at HealthyKids International is a collective strategy for international outreach activities charged to solve the global paediatric healthcare crisis. By focusing on developing and training key healthcare workers, improving opportunities for health leaders and institutions to share knowledge, and creating healthcare delivery systems that reach out to the most underserved communities, the Global Child Health Program will ultimately improve the care received by the world’s most in-need children.
When Brian and Dave decided that running The Bruce Trail was their next goal, they also decided to turn the run into a fund raiser. They gave themselves an extremely demanding time frame and set their sites on raising $1 million in support of the Global Child Health Program run by the SickKids Foundation.
For more information go to http://www.healthykidsinternational.com/
A link between passion and common sense
Common sense.
It is such a simple, universally accessible concept yet regularly seems lacking in everyday life. The health care system is under fire - in both Canada and the US. Obesity is rampant. Chronic illness is common. There is ever more media chatter about this state of affairs, but it doesn't seem to penetrate deeply enough to have an effect on everyday lifestyle choices. Isn't it simple common sense: eat healthfully and in moderation & get and stay active. Your life will be better (and possibly a little bit easier). You might live longer. You may even tax the health care system and your loved ones less.
I have recently been writing for a publication that serves what they like to call a four season resort area - skiing and winter sports in the winter and a myriad of golf courses, mountain biking trails, and watersport in the summer. I have been meeting a variety of passionate and active minded people and have been profiling them in the publication. I wanted to share them here.
It is my opinion that it doesn't really matter what your passion is, so long as you have one. When you share passion, it is contagious. When someone is excited about something - genuinely and truely enthusiastic - it is hard not to absorb some of that energy and passion yourself, and perhaps a transfer of that passion might be inspirational to some. After all - trying to stay healthy is not rocket science. It's common sense.
It is such a simple, universally accessible concept yet regularly seems lacking in everyday life. The health care system is under fire - in both Canada and the US. Obesity is rampant. Chronic illness is common. There is ever more media chatter about this state of affairs, but it doesn't seem to penetrate deeply enough to have an effect on everyday lifestyle choices. Isn't it simple common sense: eat healthfully and in moderation & get and stay active. Your life will be better (and possibly a little bit easier). You might live longer. You may even tax the health care system and your loved ones less.
I have recently been writing for a publication that serves what they like to call a four season resort area - skiing and winter sports in the winter and a myriad of golf courses, mountain biking trails, and watersport in the summer. I have been meeting a variety of passionate and active minded people and have been profiling them in the publication. I wanted to share them here.
It is my opinion that it doesn't really matter what your passion is, so long as you have one. When you share passion, it is contagious. When someone is excited about something - genuinely and truely enthusiastic - it is hard not to absorb some of that energy and passion yourself, and perhaps a transfer of that passion might be inspirational to some. After all - trying to stay healthy is not rocket science. It's common sense.
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