Your body on the juice cleanse detox diet

The article was republished from Bel Marra Health.

For many people, juice cleanses are too difficult to endure as the temptation to simply carry on with your regular eating habits becomes too strong. Additionally, as mentioned, many individuals may feel almost sickened for a few days as your body begins to detox. Here is what you can expect while on a juice cleanse.

Day 1: Your bowels will still remain regular this day, but you may be thinking about all the foods you could be eating instead. You may miss chewing and may feel yourself unsatisfied.

Being on a juice cleanse detox diet also significantly reduces your calorie and carbohydrate intake, so your sugar can take a dip, leaving you feeling dizzy and sluggish. Avoid intense exercise on your first day and take more time to rest.

Day 2: On day two, you may already start feeling lighter and even more energetic despite not consuming solid food. Your body isn’t using its energy to break down food, leaving you with far more of it to use.

You may also find your health improve in other ways as many individuals who embark on a juice cleanse detox diet unknowingly uncover a food allergy once they stop eating that food. If you feel dramatically better, you may want to speak to your doctor about uncovering an underlying food allergy.

If you’re a regular caffeine drinker, you may be experiencing headaches and other pains – this is known as withdrawal.

Lastly, you will find you are going to the bathroom much more often as you are not intaking fiber to slow down your bowels.

Day 3: You would think day three is a breeze, but this is when many individuals go back to intense cravings. Even though you have flooded your body with many nutrients, juice cleanses do not provide fat and protein, and so by day three you may find it hard to function – it is not advised to complete a juice cleanse for over three-day span as it can result in muscle loss.

A surprising bonus on day three of a juice cleanse is a boosted libido. Not being bloated or gassy can make you feel more confident, thus promoting a higher libido.

Health benefits of juice cleanse (including detox and weight loss)

As mentioned, juice cleanse detox diets can offer many health benefits, including weight loss. Juice cleanses have grown in popularity over the last little while with many celebrity figures boosting them as well. Many suggest that juice cleanses can aid in detox, boost nutrient absorption, improve skin appearance, promote energy, and improve overall health. And yet many individuals are still skeptical about this newest craze.

It is justified to be a skeptic when it comes to juice cleanses as there is a lack of peer-reviewed evidence to support this type of diet. Many experts do agree that embarking on a juice cleanse is unnecessary, as our liver and kidneys are our own built-in detox and filtration system, so there isn’t much of a need to do something different to aid this along. The idea of only drinking juice and forgoing the consumption of saturated fat and sugar is probably where juice cleanses really get their hype from, but you don’t necessarily need a juice cleanse to do that – you can simply remove junk food from your diet and get similar results.

But even with that in mind, a juice cleanse is still a good idea to get in essential nutrients, which your current diet may very well be lacking. Furthermore, committing to a three-day juice cleanse could be the kick-start you need in order to begin a healthier lifestyle.

For some, the psychological effects of a juice cleanse are more benefiting than the physiological, as it changes their state of mind and breaks bad habits to start new healthier ones.

Weight loss is a large reason why a person may embark on a juice cleanse, and although many juice cleanses do not promise weight loss many people still experience a drop of a few pounds. Unfortunately, if you resume your unhealthy or normal eating patterns, this lost weight will come back quite quickly and in some cases with a few more pounds. It’s important that you change your style of eating after your juice cleanse as it is not a permanent fix.

Here are some other benefits you can obtain whilst being on a juice cleanse:

Nutrition: Consuming only juices from whole fruits and vegetables, you will get a boost in vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.

Weight loss: Although not promised, reducing calorie intake can lead to weight loss.

Maximum detoxification: Without food to break down, your liver and kidneys can use their energy to better detox the body and eliminate toxins found in cells.

Liver health: Your liver does not have to work so hard when there is no food to break down. Instead, it becomes flooded with nutrients to help make it better. Think of it as a mini vacation for your liver.

Harmful foods eliminated: A juice cleanse is an easy way to instantly remove harmful foods in your diet and hopefully kick-start a life without them. A juice cleanse may also make you aware of a possible food allergy or intolerance, as you may feel better once you stop eating certain foods.

Stomach rest: Not consuming solids means the stomach doesn’t have to produce acid in order to break food down.

Gut repair: Our diet can cause damage to the gut and cause our gut bacteria to go awry. Not having to do so much work, the gut can begin to repair itself.

Reduced appetite: You may find your appetite has reduced after the cleanse as you’ve got used to not eating as much.

Easier food decision-making: Now that you’re used to consuming healthy foods, you can make easier, better food choices as you know that eating well is enough to feel full and healthy.

Improved energy: Once you have become adjusted to only consuming liquids, you may experience greater energy and clarity as your organs are not using your energy to perform their functions such as digesting food.

Rehydrated body: Many of us do not drink as much water as we should, and so this is a good way to get into the habit of drinking more fluids.

Reduced physical problems: You may notice a reduction in headaches, rashes, aches, and pains, along with bloating and cramping. These are ways that our body fights off irritants, so by taking on a juice cleanse you are giving your body a break.

Reversed cell damage: Cell function starts improving as cells are able to repair themselves.

Digestion: As previously mentioned, no food means no digesting, which means your digestive system as a whole is not overworking to break down the bad food. Thus, it gets a break, too, and can heal itself by the time you start eating once again.

Heart health: Juice cleanses help relax blood vessels with the influx of nutrients, which boosts circulation.

Read more on Juice cleanse guidelines (Pre, Post & During Cleanse)

Fibromyalgia symptoms in men often go undiagnosed

Fibromyalgia can be a complex problem to diagnose, especially in men, as symptoms often go unreported. Information on men and fibromyalgia is far scarcer than on women and fibromyalgia, and women are far more likely to receive a fibromyalgia diagnosis, compared to men.

Lead author Ann Vincent said, “Health care providers may not think of this diagnosis when face to face with a male patient with musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. These findings need to be explored further.”

The researchers identified over 3,000 patients, whose medical records looked as if they may have fibromyalgia. The researchers also randomly surveyed adults using the American College of Rheumatology’s fibromyalgia research survey criteria, which cover the main characteristics of fibromyalgia. There were 830 survey respondents, and 44 of them met the criteria for fibromyalgia, even though only a dozen had been diagnosed.

Based on the research, the investigators estimated that 6.4 percent of people over 21 have fibromyalgia – which exceeds the number of patients who have been actually diagnosed with the condition.

Moreover, the researchers found that this discrepancy was the largest in men, with a smaller number of male patients being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, compared to the number of men who actually had it. Coauthor Daniel Clauw said, “It is important to diagnose fibromyalgia because we have effective treatments for the disorder.” Dr. Clauw suggests proper diagnosis of fibromyalgia is important as it helps reduce health care costs.

Read more at Source

Fibromyalgia incidences low in acute whiplash injury: Study

Fibromyalgia incidences are low in acute whiplash injury. Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition, which affects women more than men. Little is known about the exact cause of fibromyalgia, but there are many circulating theories behind the cause. Continue reading…

Fibromyalgia, the risk of migraine and other primary headaches

People who have fibromyalgia experience various symptoms, including pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, mental fog, and morning stiffness. Another common complaint among sufferers is migraines. Research shows that almost all people with fibromyalgia will suffer a migraine at some point; some will experience headaches on a regular basis. Migraine headaches, along with the symptoms of fibromyalgia, can be very difficult to cope with. Continue reading…

Fibromyalgia risk in women increased with poor sleep habits, new treatment uses potential drug targets for poor sleep

Fibromyalgia risk in women is increased with poor sleep habits, but a new treatment uses potential drug targets for poor sleep to reduce the risk of fibromyalgia. The findings come from researchers in Norway who uncovered the association between fibromyalgia risk and poor sleep. The researchers found that the risk of fibromyalgia continued to rise with severity of poor sleep, and the association was strongest among middle-aged and older women.

Women are much more affected by fibromyalgia than men and the prevalence of the pain disorder is roughly three to five percent in the general population. Alternative studies have found that insomnia, nocturnal awakening and fatigue are common symptoms of fibromyalgia, but it has long been unknown if sleep problems could increase the risk of fibromyalgia.

The researchers examined women participants in a large health study, which included questionnaires and clinical examination. The researchers focused on 12,350 women free of musculoskeletal pain and movement disorders.

Dr. Paul Mork said, “Our findings indicate a strong association between sleep disturbance and fibromyalgia risk in adult women. We found a dose-response relation, where women who often reported sleep problems had a greater risk of fibromyalgia than those who never experienced sleep problems.”

The researchers suggest additional research is required to better understand the association between fibromyalgia and sleep disorders.

Read more at Source.

Fibromyalgia symptoms in men and women, symptoms checklist, and tender points identified

Fibromyalgia symptoms can vary greatly and overlap with many other health conditions, which can make it much more difficult to diagnose fibromyalgia – especially because the underlying mechanisms still aren’t fully understood.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a specific test for fibromyalgia, and that is why it’s so important to fully understand the symptoms in order to distinguish a fibromyalgia diagnosis from other ailments.

Fibromyalgia diagnosis also relies on tender points – these are areas of the body where additional pain is felt when pressure is applied. There are 18 tender points that are tested, and previous testing relied on 11 tender points to show positive in order to make a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, this isn’t very reliable as tender points can come and go in fibromyalgia patients, so one day they may experience 11 and other days it may only be five.

Although tender points may still be used in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, there is now more widespread testing, which is used to get a better diagnosis.

Fibromyalgia symptoms in men

Although fibromyalgia is far more common in women than men, men can still experience fibromyalgia, and they may have differing symptoms compared to women. Primary symptoms of fibromyalgia in men are chronic pain and an increase in pain sensitivity.

In men, lower pain intensity, lower tendon-point count, lower depression rates, and longer duration of symptoms are generally reported, along with overall disability due to symptoms.

The differences in symptoms may be attributed to differences in hormones, as fibromyalgia flare-ups in women are often linked to their menstrual cycles. Unfortunately, there is insufficient information on the role of hormones in fibromyalgia, so it is still unclear how exactly male and female hormones may cause differences in fibromyalgia symptoms.

Fibromyalgia symptoms in women

Once again, the primary symptom of fibromyalgia is pain. Other fibromyalgia symptoms in women include:

• Pain – some pressure points include back of the head, between the shoulders, front of the neck, top of the chest, outside of the elbows, top and sides of hips, and inside of the knees.
• Fatigue – fibromyalgia causes sleep difficulties, thus contributing to chronic fatigue.
• Fibromyalgia brain fog – lack of concentration, inability to find the right words or phrases, forgetfulness, etc.
• Headaches.
• Painful menstrual cycles.
• Irritable bowel and bladder.
• Restless legs, especially while sleeping.
• Sensitivity to changes in temperatures, bright lights, sounds, etc.

Continue Reading at Source on Common symptoms in women

Congressman exposing the CDC deception by a whistleblower

According to a report, it is estimated that autism spectrum disorders could cost the US government $1 trillion in expenses by 2015. What is the reason for this rise. There is a great debate among the general population about whether its linked to vaccines.

I think its high time the truth be disclosed.

A U.S. representative and a CDC doctor whistle blower have courageously called for an investigation after learning doctors threw into garbage cans important research evidence about MMR vaccine’s relationship to autism that has cost $3 billion in injury compensations. Below is a transcript published Monday in Vaccine Reaction Medical Journal of a statement read on the floor of the United States House of Representatives on July 29, 2015 by U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-FL) of Florida’s 8th District regarding vaccine study tampering and autism

Video trancript

It’s troubling to me that in a recent Senate hearing on childhood vaccinations, it was never mentioned that our government has paid out over $3 billion to a Vaccine Injury Compensation Program for children who have been injured by vaccinations. Regardless of the subject matter, parents making decisions about their children’s health deserve to have the best information available to them. They should be able to count on federal agencies to tell them the truth. For these reasons, I bring the following matters to the House floor.

In August 2014, Dr. William Thompson, a senior scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, worked with a whistleblower attorney to provide my office with documents related to a 2004 CDC study that examined the possibility of a relationship between mumps, measles, rubella vaccine and autism. In a statement released in August 2014, Dr. Thompson stated:

I regret that my co-authors and I omitted statistically significant information in our 2004 article published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Mr. Speaker, I respectfully request the following excerpts from the statement written by Dr. Thompson be entered into the [Congressional] Record. Now quoting Dr. Thompson:

My primary job duties while working in the Immunization Safety branch from 2000 to 2006 were to lead or co-lead three major vaccine safety studies. The MADDSP MMR autism cases control study was being carried out in response to the Wakefield Lancet study that suggested an association between the MMR vaccine and an autism-like health outcome. There were several major concerns among scientists and consumer advocates outside the CDC in the fall of 2000 regarding the execution of the Verstraeten study.

One of the important goals that was determined upfront in the spring of 2001 before any of these studies started was to have all three protocols vetted outside the CDC prior to the start of the analyses so that consumer advocates could not claim that we were presenting an analysis that suited our own goals and biases. We hypothesized that if we found statistically significant effects at either 18- or 36-month thresholds, we would conclude that vaccinating children early with MMR vaccine could lead to autism-like characteristics or features.

We all met and finalized the study protocol and analysis plan. The goal was to not deviate from the analysis plan to avoid the debacle that occurred with the Verstraeten thimerosal study published in the Pediatrics in 2003. At the September 5th meeting, we discussed in detail how to code race for both the sample and the birth certificate sample. At the bottom of Table 7 it also showed that, for the non-birth certificate sample, the adjusted race effect, statistical significance was huge.

All the authors and I met and decided sometime between August and September 2002 not to report any race effects for the paper. Sometime soon after the meeting, we decided to exclude reporting any race effects. The co-authors scheduled a meeting to destroy documents related to this study. The remaining four co-authors all met and brought a big garbage can into the meeting room and reviewed and went through all the hard copy documents that we had thought we should discard, and put them in a huge garbage can.

However, because I assumed it was illegal and would violate both FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) and DOJ (Department of Justice) requests, I kept hard copies of all documents in my office and retained all associated computer files. I believe we intentionally withheld controversial findings from the final draft of the Pediatrics paper.

End of the doctor’s quote.

Thyroiditis: What I need to know

The number people having a thyroid problem is constantly increasing. If you look at a graph showing the number of thyroid cases over the past decade there is only a flight in the graph and never a dip.
The Thyroid, a butterfly shaped gland assists in many functions related in our body. It assists in the function of many vital organs  like the heart, brain and lungs.
There are many illnesses that can affect the thyroid and disrupt normal bodily functions. One in particular is called thyroiditis. Thyroiditis refers to inflammation of the thyroid gland.

Here are the different types of thyroiditis:

Hashimoto’s disease: This is the most common form of thyroiditis. The immune system begins to attack the thyroid gland and can lead to hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid, which leads to slower growth and mental development).
Postpartum thyroiditis: Occurs when the thyroid becomes inflamed after giving birth. The result is thyrotoxicosis – high amounts of thyroid hormones in the blood. This can speed up the metabolic rate and disrupt regular bodily functions. It is not a common form.
Subacute granulomatous thyroiditis: This form of thyroiditis can result in pain as well as respiratory infections.
Subacute lymphocytic thyroiditis: This form of thyroiditis can also be referred to as silent thyroiditis, because there is little to no pain when the thyroid gets bigger. Typically, women go through a short period of hyperthyroidism followed by what can become permanent hypothyroidism. This disorder is most common on postpartum women.
Drug-induced thyroiditis: This is commonly caused when drugs interfere with the thyroid.
So What are the main causes of thyroiditis.
Generally the cause of thyroiditis is the immune system attacking the thyroid, which leads to inflammation. This in turn can leave damage to the cells in the thyroid. Thyroiditis can be referred to as an autoimmune disease, similar to juvenile diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis.
It is unclear as to why a person’s body may produce antibodies that attack the thyroid, but it’s been speculated that thyroiditis runs in families.

Signs and Symptoms of Thyroiditis
Different types of thyroiditis present themselves differently, but there are some common signs and symptoms to look out for. They include:
·Firm or enlarged thyroid
·Enlarged and painful thyroid – pain may travel up the jaw to the ears
·Cool, dry skin
·Slowed heartbeat (fewer than 60 beats per minute)
·Swelling around the eyes
·Hoarseness
·Slowed reflexes
·Reduced appetite
·Fatigued and lethargic
·Slight fever
·Constipation
·Intolerance to heat
·Rapid heartbeat, anxiety and sweating
·Weight loss

Postpartum thyroiditis in particular can be difficult to diagnose because it occurs within a year after childbirth. Often the symptoms are attributed to the stress of having a newborn or postpartum depression.
What can one do in terms of Nutrition and Prevention
Medication, and in rare occurrences, surgery may be used for treatment. But to supplement medical treatments it’s important to maintain proper nutrition.

Just as our body requires nutrients for it to function properly, so does the thyroid either. This is why thyroiditis and diet is so important for proper management.
There are certain types of food which are best for thyroid. They are iodine rich foods and selenium rich foods.

Hypothyroidism is something you can live with. Along with medications, a hypothyroidism diet can greatly improve your everyday life and assist your thyroid. Enjoying these foods to help hypothyroidism is a great way to boost iodine and selenium – both essential for a healthy thyroid. Lastly, ensuring you’re not consuming the foods to avoid for hypothyroidism can help you feel better in the long run and make your thyroid hormone replacement that much more effective.

Can intermittent fasting help you lose weight?

Growing up you probably played with a yoyo. It would go down and up. Down and up. Sure it entertained us but the idea of a yoyo can greatly compare in our efforts to lose weight. It can go down and up, more so with age as our body just doesn’t function as it used to in our younger years.

Our metabolism has slowed down and it seems out bodies just don’t break down food like before. It can be all too frustrating especially because weight gain has been linked to numerous health concerns. Even when you visit your doctor they probably stress the importance of managing your weight.

It can be quite frustrating trying to keep the number on the scale down and you may have tried everything at this point to do so. There may be one thing, though, which you haven’t tried yet and in regards to weight loss it’s been showing some promise.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is a form of eating which challenges the concept of consuming three to six meals a day. Instead, you cycle days of fasting with days of eating.

Unlike other diets which specifically outline what foods to eat, intermittent fasting cares more about when you eat rather than about what you eat. Although, it is important to note that healthy eating is always recommended – so no binge-eating burgers and fries!

There are different modes of intermittent fasting, which we will explain later on to give you a better understanding. But first let’s explore intermittent fasting and its role in weight loss.

Role of intermittent fasting in weight management

Read article at Source

Measles death in Washington state 1st in U.S. since 2003

Source: CBC News

A Washington woman died from measles in the spring — the first measles death in the U.S. since 2003 and the first in the state since 1990, health officials said Thursday.

The woman lacked some of the measles’ common symptoms, such as a rash, so the infection was not discovered until an autopsy, Washington State Department of Health spokesman Donn Moyer said.

This is the 11th case of measles in Washington — and the sixth in Clallam County — this year, Moyer said.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. However, dying from it is extremely rare, Moyer said.

Officials didn’t say whether the woman was vaccinated, but they did note she had a compromised immune system. They withheld her age to protect her identity but said she was not elderly.

The woman was hospitalized for several health conditions in the spring at a facility in Clallam County, which covers the northern part of the Olympic Peninsula.

She was there at the same time as a person who later developed a rash and was contagious for measles, Moyer said. That’s when the woman most likely was exposed.

Immunization provides community protection

She was on medications that contributed to her weakened immune system, he said.

After being treated in Clallam County, the woman was moved to the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, where she died. An autopsy concluded the cause of death was pneumonia due to measles.

“This tragic situation illustrates the importance of immunizing as many people as possible to provide a high level of community protection against measles,” Moyer said.

“People with compromised immune systems cannot be vaccinated against measles. Even when vaccinated, they may not have a good immune response when exposed to disease; they may be especially vulnerable to disease outbreaks.”

The last active case of measles in Washington was reported in late April.

It’s possible to develop measles within three weeks of exposure. Since three weeks have passed since the last measles case, no one who had contact with the known cases is at risk, Moyer said.

Get healthier, fuller eyelashes naturally

Every lady out there wishes for those Long, thick, healthy eyelashes and didn’t you wish it fluttered like a butterfly.

Eyelashes help to protect your eyes from particles in the air, like dust and sand, and keep sweat and moisture away. They signal your eyelids when to shut to keep particles and bugs out, much like a cat’s whiskers sense danger.

Purpose and beauty aside, what happens if you didn’t get luscious lashes from the start, what are you to do?

Makeup companies have created all sorts of mascaras which promise thicker, fuller lashes. But mascara can be quite taxing on your lashes, especially if it’s not removed safely and properly. When the product dries out or gets clumpy, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, so you need to toss it every three months.

Then there is the option of eyelash extensions, but even that can get quite pricy and high maintenance. There has to be a better way!

The growth of eyelashes

Before we provide you with ways to promote eyelash growth naturally, let’s explore how eyelashes came to be those mini hairs which rest on our eyelids.

Just like the hair on our head, arms and basically anywhere on our bodies, eyelashes grow in cycles. The phase in which the eyelash grows is called anagen and it differs among individuals because of genetics and sex.

After the growth phase we enter catagen, or the short resting phase. Neither growth nor pigment occurs during this phase and it can last between two to three weeks.

Post the rest phase we begin the shedding phase – telogen. This is when new hair begins to grow and so the old hair starts to shed. These hairs are easily removed and won’t hurt if tweezed. This is the phase, for example, when the hair on your head easily comes out – and no, it’s not a sign of balding. Shedding occurs naturally so that new hair can emerge. Eyelashes can stick around between four to six weeks before a new one grows, unlike eyebrows which can take up to 64 days.

Lastly, if you’re concerned that your eyelashes tend to fall out more, once again this isn’t a sign that they won’t grow back. Once a hair leaves a follicle another takes its place in the same follicle. As you can see, hair growth, no matter where it occurs, is a continuous cycle that relies mainly on your genes, not your plucking.

Remedies for thicker, longer, healthier eyelashes: Natural versus artificial

As we mentioned, there are products you can purchase which can promote eyelash growth and thickness. For starters, there is the option of mascara. Although this is not a permanent solution, it can temporarily provide you with the look you desire.

Another option is lash extension. These come in a few forms. There is one option where you glue a row of lashes on your eyelid to create fullness and thickness. Another option is to get individual strands bonded on your eyelid to create a more natural look. Both products use a bonding agent, a type of glue, and can be quite costly depending on quality.

Lastly, there are prescription options to achieve longer, thicker eyelashes. These options take months before you begin to notice results and once again can be quite costly. But as with any prescription medication there are some side effects. Some listed side effects for a mainstream prescription eyelash medication are:

• Itchy, red eyes
• Dry eyes
• Darkened eyelids
• Darkened pigmentation of the iris (the colored part of the eye)
• Hair growth around the eye.

Unfortunately, some of these side effects can end up being permanent. And not to mention that whenever we ingest medications, whether orally or absorbed by the skin, it gets processed through our liver, potentially creating a health risk there as well. Although medications may be effective, sometimes the risks outweigh the benefits, therefore not making them a great option.

Natural remedies, on the other hand, are often much cheaper and readily available. They tend to be safer for individual use as well. So if you’re looking for how to promote eyelash growth, choose the natural route.

6 Best natural remedies for thicker, longer, healthier eyelashes

Most People Don’t Know How To Read A Sunscreen Label, According To Study

Source: Huffington Post (By: Elizabeth Palermo)

You know you should wear sunscreen, but do you know what to look for in a sunscreen? If you answered “nope” to that question, you’re not alone. Lots of people have trouble picking out a bottle of sunblock, a new study suggests.

Fewer than half of the 114 study participants could correctly identify how well a sunscreen protected against health problems such as sunburn, photoaging (premature aging of skin) caused by exposure to sunlight) and skin cancer just by looking at the product’s label, according to the researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago who conducted the study.

Only 49 percent of the participants surveyed knew what the letters “SPF” on a sunscreen bottle stood for. (It’s an acronym for “sun protection factor.”)

And it’s not just the small sampling of people who participated in the study who have trouble deciphering sunscreen labels, said Dr. Jennifer Stein, an assistant professor of dermatology at New York University’s Langone Medical Center who was not involved in the study.

“At least half of the patients I see — especially this time of year — ask me questions about sunscreen,” Stein told Live Science. “Very frequently, people are confused about the different kinds of protection they can get from sunscreen. And everybody wants to know what to look for.”

One of the reasons people might have trouble deciphering sunscreen labels could be that, prior to 2012, these labels looked a bit different from how they appear now. In the past, sunscreen manufacturers were required to display only one bit of information — the SPF rating, which shows how well a product protects against ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. UVB rays are the kind that can ruin a day at the beach, causing sunburns and, by extension, skin cancer.

SPF ratings are pretty straightforward, said Dr. Roopal Kundu, an associate professor of dermatology at Northwestern, who supervised the study.

“An SPF of 30 will filter about 97 percent of UVB rays. An SPF of 50 will filter about 98 percent of UVB rays,” Kundu told Live Science.

Although most of the participants in Kundu’s study didn’t know what SPF stood for, or how the number was related to UVB rays, most did understand that sunscreens with higher SPF ratings offered more protection against sunburns and skin cancer than sunscreens with lower SPF ratings, Kundu said.

However, what’s still confusing to people is that a high SPF rating doesn’t mean a sunscreen will protect your skin against the ultraviolet A (UVA) rays that cause photoaging and can also lead to skin cancer. (Only 29 percent of study participants knew this.)

So, how can you find a sunscreen that protects you from all the rays that can damage your skin? Look for one labeled “broad spectrum,” Kundu said. Under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s current sunscreen labeling guidelines, only products that protect against both UVA and UVB rays can receive the “broad spectrum” label.

In addition to choosing a sunscreen that protects your skin from both kinds of damaging rays, there are a number of other steps you can take to reduce your risk of skin damage from the sun this summer, according to both Kundu and Stein:

• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after every dunk in the pool or ocean.
• Limit your exposure to the sun, especially during the middle of the day, when the sun’s rays are strongest.
• If you have to be outside midday, find some shade, like an umbrella or a tree.
• Cover up with long sleeves, pants, a hat and sunglasses whenever possible.

If covering up completely seems too extreme, consider at least wearing a shirt to cover sunburn-prone areas like the chest and shoulders.

“It’s been a long, cold winter, and people are really excited to be outside,” Stein said. “There’s no reason to be a vampire. You just have to do it in such a way that’s a little safer.”

The results of the sunscreen survey were published on June 17 in the Journal of the American Medical Association Dermatology.