Tuesday, July 12, 2011

HEALTHY LIVING WITH JANICE - EAT YOUR WAY TO A GREAT TAN

Health editor Janice Kerr is here today with a tip that will make you healthy inside and out. -- AP

Thanks, Anastasia! By now everyone should know that basking in the sun to get a tan is NOT healthy. Neither are using tanning beds. Both can give you skin cancer. If you don’t know that, you’ve probably been living on the moon all your life.

And have you ever tried tanning products? Most people I know who have used them wound up with either orange skin or uneven streaks and stripes. Unless you can afford a professional spray tan, it’s almost impossible to apply tanning solutions evenly.

So why not eat your way to a great tan? Red, yellow, orange, and dark green fruits and veggies -- like bell peppers, carrots, spinach, peaches, strawberries, and blueberries -- contain carotenoids which are absorbed into your skin. Eating them can give you a safe, all-natural golden glow or what some people have called a “veggie tan.”

What’s more, besides the fact that eating more fruits and veggies will help you lose weight, the carotenoids boost your body’s immune function and protect your skin from UV damage. So try to eat 2-1/2 cups of colorful fruits and veggies a day for a healthier you -- inside and out.

Thanks, Janice! Who knew, right readers? What do you think? Let's hear from you. Post a comment to enter the drawing for a book from our Book Club Friday guest author this week. -- AP

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