Health Highlights: Ditch sugary foods, add year-round sun safety
Sunburns and skin cancer don't have an exclusive partnership with hot months at the beach.
Ultraviolet rays are still present even in the middle of winter.
After a day of shoveling or playing in the snow, you may notice your face is a little red. People usually chalk this up to wind burn or just the cold.
Karen Boyd, an oncology nurse navigator with OSF HealthCare, says that isn't always the case.
“How do we know for a fact that that’s not the UV rays?” Boyd asks. “It may be from the reflection off the snow, and it could be sunburn as well."
One way to keep your skin healthy in the winter, along with any other month, is by using sunscreen and staying hydrated.
And something to avoid this New Year; those sugary, processed foods.
OSF HealthCare cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Philip Ovadia says to stick to the outer aisles when grocery shopping.
That's where you'll find fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy.
“You should be able to look at your food and know exactly what’s in it. It should have simple ingredients," Dr. Ovadia says.
He adds if you feel hungry soon after eating, that's a sign the food isn't giving the body the nutrition it needs.