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Dance into Health
By Staff Writer
Ballet is one of the hardest dances out there but it can give your body benefits, especially in keeping it fit. Aside from being a wonderful form of art, more and more people are taking ballet classes because the training can help them achieve the body frame they want.
Unlike other dances that involve free movements, ballet requires precise steps and specific movements. This mastery in precise movements can only be achieved when you undergo training with various ballet techniques. These techniques are composed of well-defined positions and flexible movements, which are standard in most ballet schools worldwide.
Ballet As A Form Of Exercise
Today, ballet has become a wonderful means of improving physical fitness for most women. Although magnificent footwork is the major benefit of dancing ballet, more and more women use it as a form of exercise to maintain their ideal body shape and weight.
The major physical benefit of ballet is that it enhances your flexibility. Since the training in ballet involve various stretching and toning of muscles, the body becomes more and more flexible as each training day passes. With regular ballet exercises, the muscles in the neck, back, arms and legs will be flexible enough and will enable you to do things you never thought of doing.
Aside from making the body flexible, ballet also increases your strength. A lot standing up and extreme positions are done in ballet. If you aren't strong enough, you won't be able to endure the rigorous exercises. But, you will realize that the more that you endure the exhaustion from those tiring positions you are slowly conquering your lack of strength.
Among the most wonderful health benefits of ballet is that it teaches a person to balance him or herself. For people who have lost their sense of balance and body awareness due to stress brought by the modern world, ballet can be an effective exercise for you to regain them. Since balance is very important in carrying out various steps, the exercises during lifting, twirling, leaping, and spinning can help you get balance not only for the dance but for your everyday life as well.
For people who have problems in posture, ballet can be a perfect solution because it helps the person to stand up straight the proper way. The training used in ballet is designed to perfect the posture of the dancer by aligning and positioning the legs and shoulders properly. If you enroll in ballet, you not only get toned muscles, ideal weight for body structure, proper blood circulation through stretching but also it veers you away from bone problems such as osteoporosis.
Sunblock vs. Sunscreen: Best Ways to Prevent Skin Cancer
By Alan Haskvitz
Americans spend well over $500 million each year on sunscreen products that may not be the proper type or be used properly. Sadly, the result is that there are about 69,000 new cases of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, every year, and a reported 8,650 deaths. Especially at risk are those under 30 where melanoma is the second most common form of cancer.
The causes of the continued rise in skin cancer cases are especially worrisome since it can be avoided with some commonsense strategies. For example, knowing what sunscreen and sunblock do and the need for it to be applied and reapplied even on overcast days as well as wearing long sleeve shirts and pants and wide brimmed hats. A tee shirt only provides the equivalent of a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 5 rating and if it is wet even less. Higher SPF numbers indicate more protection.
The main differences between sunscreen and sunblock is that the former acts as a filter that allows a limited range of ultraviolet (UV) light to be absorbed into the skin depending on the SPF number, while the latter reflects UVA and UVB rays and, as its name implies, blocks them from the skin. Sunblocks are frequently thick, opaque, and usually white in color. It is crucial to note that many lotions contain both a sunblock and a sunscreen so read the label carefully. It is also very important to check the expiration date of the lotion. Regardless of what protection you select, it is essential that it is used on a regular basis and this is equally significant for young children. Since ultraviolet rays penetrate the skin, they can alter the structure of the skin cells and cause malignancy. There are three types of UV rays; A, B, and C. UVA is said to cause connective tissue damage and increase a person's risk of skin cancer. UVB rays are normally absorbed into the ozone layer, and the very harmful UVC rays are absorbed by the stratospheric ozone layer.
Always check with your doctor before for a recommendation as to the type of sunblock or sunscreen that you and your family need. A trip to the dermatologist is recommended to check any black, irregular mole for cancer and to get advice as to the latest sunblock and sunscreen ratings.
Frequently, the media offers as UV Index rating that was developed by the National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency as a way to warn individuals as to the severity of ultraviolet rays on a daily basis with 0 being the least harmful and a10 rating carrying the most danger. However, you need to know your skin type and there are six of them. A type 1 always burns and is very sensitive to the sun. Type 2 burns easily with a minimum tan. Type 3 burns moderately and tans gradually. Type 4 burns minimally, but tans to a moderate brown color. Type 5 rarely burns, and tans darkly. Type 6 doesn't burn, is deeply pigmented, and is the least sensitive to UV rays.
Two other areas that are sensitive to the sun and deserve attention are the lips and the eyes where it is imperative that sunglasses that reflect all UV rays be worn as they may cause cataracts.
Consumer Search reports that a good sunblock for children is Neutrogena Sunblock Lotion Sensitive Skin SPF 30. For products with both a sunblock and sunscreen, they recommend Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion SPF 45, Banana Boat Sport Ultra Sweatproof UVA & UVB Sunblock Lotion SPF 30, and Bull Frog SuperBlock Sunblock Lotion with SPF 45. Highly rated sunscreens for those with sensitive skin and babies are Blue Lizard Sensitive and Blue Lizard Baby.
Sunscreen reviews indicate Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock I is good, especially with the SPF 55 formula. No-Ad Sunblock offers similar security.
Healthy Happenings
Free Health Screenings
Noon – 4 p.m. Free health screenings offered by Northridge Hospital Medical Center at the Northridge Fashion Center. August 14: Breastfeeding 101. August 15: Advance Directives. , September 11: Prostate Cancer. Northridge Fashion Center, 9301 Tampa Ave., Northridge.
(818) 885-9700
www.northridgefashion.com
Carbohydrate Counting
Ongoing. Class for individuals who want to improve blood sugar control through carbohydrate intake. Providence Tarzana Medical Center's Tarzana Campus, 18321 Clark St., Tarzana.
(818) 345-8955
Young Onset Parkinson's Disease Support Group
2nd Sat. each month, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. A free "Young Onset Parkinson's Support Group. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(866) 499-2732
Brain Injury Support Group
2nd Wed. each month. Free. Provides encouragement and education. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 885-8500 ext. 2833
Mental Health Support Group
1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Free. Support group for family members of those with mental illness. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 994-6747
Brain Tumor Support Group
Second Wednesday each month, 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Support for those suffering with brain cancer. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 885-8500, ext. 2833
Breast Cancer Support Group
Second and Fourth Tuesday each month, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Meet with other breast cancer patients to discuss treatment options and mental comraderie.
Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 885-8500, ext. 2833
Breastfeeding Support Group
Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Meet with other new mothers. Northridge Hospital Medical Center, 18300 Roscoe Blvd., Northridge.
(818) 885-8500, Ext. 2298