summer health
by Gabriella Ring
break the habit
think twice before wearing those flip-flops and not using sun block.
t's summertime! No homework, no studying.
But summer can bring a slew of health risks.
From flimsy flops to sizzling sunburns, some
guilty pleasures can be bad for you.
Warmer weather lets us expose our toes and
splurge on cute shoes, but most summer footwear
does not provide proper arch support and can
damage feet long-term. That means flip-flops.
"They don't have any support," said podia-
trist Dr. Arnold Gross, who practices in Bingham
Farms. "It's as bad as going barefoot, which is bad
for some people. Shoes should protect your feet;
shoes should feel good; they shouldn't have a high
platform or heel; they shouldn't cause any blisters or
red marks on your foot after you've worn them."
He suggests wearing sandals that have good sup-
port and arch. And he warned against high heels
that put the foot in an abnormal posture. They put
pressure on areas where there shouldn't be pres-
sure. Wearing them for short periods is acceptable.
Dr. Gross sees most teen patients because they
develop problems from going barefoot, which in-
creases the skin's exposure to infections and viruses.
"We see more people with athlete's foot and warts,"
he said. "We also see more injuries, like puncture
wounds from stepping on things or pieces of glass.
We see more strains and sprains and tetanus be-
cause people are more active."
Ladies, pedicures are safe, but Gross cautions
no regulations control sterilization of instruments.
For healthy people, pedicures are not high risk; but
those prone to infection should not risk it.
hot! qi7zle!
With temperatures creeping to 90 degrees and
above, nothing is more imperative than properly
protecting the skin from the sun's intense UV rays.
Overexposure can lead to the onset of skin cancer.
"Most studies show most people don't put on
enough sun block," said dermatologist Dr. Michael
Dorman, who practices in West Bloomfield. But no
clear consensus exists as to an appropriate amount.
Some experts advise using as much as a shot glass,
but it depends on how well it's applied.
Dorman recommends using SPF (Sun Protection
Factor) 30 or higher, and reapplying often, es-
pecially if you sweat excessively or swim. He
says not to forget the ears and the back of the
neck.
"The sun is intoxicating," he said. "Apply
liberally and often, and still enjoy outside ac-
tivities."
Another option is to wear lightweight cloth-
ing made of special sun-blocking fabric. Several
companies, like Coolibar and Solumbra, offer
stylish, comfortable clothes that block against
the sun.
Self-tanning lotion that dyes the skin does not
protect against UV rays, Dorman warns. Also, cos-
metics that claim UV protection do not last all day.
If you do burn, you will experience slight irrita-
tion and feel hotness in the body. Rub aloe vera
lotion or gel on the burn to cool down the skin. Re-
member you can still apply sunscreen over a burn
to prevent further burning.
1-120h my, you need water!
When the body sweats, it loses wa-
ter. Drinking replenishes the sup-
ply and keeps you hydrated. And,
best of all, it has zero calories, so
drink up! I )
Gabriella Ring, 16, will be a junior at
Berkley High School.
helping others
by Gabriella Ring
mitzvah mosaic
teen and friends create artwork for Yad Ezra kosher food pantry.
esse Adler, 13, of Farmington Hills and her family
commissioned a mosaic at the Yad Ezra kosher food
pantry in Berkley in honor of her May 23 bat mitzvah
at Congregation Beth Ahm in West Bloomfield.
The rising eighth-grader at Hillel Day School of Met-
ropolitan Detroit in Farmington Hills chose Yad Ezra for
her mosaic partly because her father, Jeffrey Adler, was
very active with the pantry when it first opened. But she
had her own reasons, too.
"I feel feeding the hungry in the Jewish community is
very important and, really, it's just so the whole Jewish
community is better," Jesse said.
Family friends and artists Gail Rosenbloom Kaplan
and Dani Katsir designed the work, which features a car-
ton of eggs, a Chicken of the Sea tuna can, bananas and a
B2 teen2teen July 16 • 2009
Mott's apple juice bottle, among other foodstuffs. Guests
helped assemble the art during the party and parents
picking their kids up joined in, too.
When Jesse saw the finished mosaic, she was speech-
less.
"I was in awe," she said. "It was so gorgeous. I had no
idea it would turn out like this. It was amazing."
The mosaic frames a window peeking into the ware-
house from the intake room.
This mosaic was not the Adlers' first to commemorate
a b'nai mitzvah. Rosenbloom and Katsir also designed
brother Mitch's mosaic at the front desk
of Fleischman Residence/Blumberg Pla-
za in West Bloomfield and sister Eden's
mosaic in the Holocaust Memorial Cen-
ter in Farmington Hills.
The Adler family: Jeffrey, Jesse, 13, Eden, 16, Mitch, 19, and Nancy
Gabriella Ring, 16, will be a junior at Berkley
Adler, all of Farmington Hills, pose in front of the completed mosaic.
High School.
visit JNt2t.com