July 4th Friday Five

Our lovely Louise always posts a Friday Five on the Health Cafe message board for our members to enjoy. This week's five is all about the July 4th holiday.

Here is the post. We hope you'll drop in and share your answers with us.

Leona

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Louise_WebMD_Staff
Fourth of July Friday Five

1. How will you celebrate the Fourth of July?

2. What was the best fireworks show you ever saw?

3. Have you ever been in a Fourth of July parade?

4. Which do you like better-the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution?

5. Do you wear any special red, white and blue clothes for the holiday?

Post of the Day: Sunscreen & Sunburn

Hi WebMD community peeps!

I've not been posting this week because I am actually on vacation! We took our family on a week-long beach excursion to Edisto Island, South Carolina. It's lovely here, but I just had to take a moment to pop in and see how all of our WebMD community members and fans are doing.

Almost everyone loves the beach, but we all know that, though the sun is fun, sunburn is extremely dangerous for our skin. We've been packing on the sunscreen all week, and trying to avoid the lobster look. The kids don't leave the condo without at least SPF 30 slathered all over. (Despite the insistance of my teens that they just DON'T NEED sunscreen that strong!)

So far, we've managed to avoid the burn.

To keep in line with my theme of fun in the sun, I found this post by one of our board moderators - Pam -- on the Skin Care: Share Your Tips board. Take a peek and share your thoughts about sunscreen and sunburn remedies.

Be good to your skin this summer!

Leona

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Pam_WebMD_Staff
Sunscreen? Sunburn Remedy?

The summer sun can be so damaging, and we all know it's important to use a good sunscreen. But there are so many to choose from! From PABA-free to Active Sprays to gels and pastes, I don't think we've ever had this many choices when it comes to UV protection.

I'm fair-skinned, and I live in Florida, so I opt for a high SPF all the time. I use a lotion most of the time, but if I'm working in the yard, or playing at the beach, I prefer a no-run active spray so that it doesn't get in my eyes. My youngest child likes the kind of lotion that goes on purple but dries invisible. It helps him apply it evenly.

What sunscreens work best for you and your family? Do you use different products for different situations?

And what do you do when you experience sunscreen failure and wind up with a burn? I've seen some interesting remedies, from fresh aloe leaves (my own favorite tried and true remedy) to Solarcaine spray or other commercial product, to sponging vinegar onto the burned area.

I pick fresh aloe and slice the spines off. Then I pop the leaves into the fridge for about 15 minutes before I split them open and rub the goop onto the affected area. So very soothing, even if it's not the nicest-looking or -smelling thing ever.

I look forward to hearing what works for you.
Pam_WebMD


Related Topics:

• Children's Sun Protection: Tips for Parents
• US Adults Skimp on Sun Care

Technorati Tags: sunscreen, sunburn, kids, sunburn remedies

Sun-damaged Skin Slideshow

We're doing a little maintenance on our message boards until tomorrow afternoon. So, in lieu of our Post of the Day today, I am featuring one of WebMD's NEW slideshows for your viewing pleasure.

Summer. For most of us, it's the favorite time of year. Time to go to the beach, play outside, cookout...enjoy the warm sunshine. Unfortunately, it's also the time of year for sunburns.

We're pretty rough on our skin, and as we age we need to keep an eye out for any changes that may herald wrinkles, freckles, age spots, and yes, SKIN CANCER.

This Sun-damaged Skin slideshow offers you a visual roadmap that will help you know if something is going on with your skin that may need your doctor's attention.

How many times in your life do you think you've been sunburned?

Have you noticed any of these changes?

What steps have you taken to turn back the clock on skin damage?

Here are some posts from members who are dealing with summer skin problems:

Aerosol Sunscreen

Grandma Forgot the Sunscreen!

Beach & Babes

Brown Spots & Thinning Skin

Best All-Day Sunscreen?

Have a GREAT summer, and remember your hat and sunscreen!

Leona

Related Topics:

• WebMD Skin Cancer Center
• Skin Care: Share Your Tips Board

Technorati Tags: skin care, WebMD, sunburn, skin cancer

Post of the Day: Tomatoes, Salmonella & You

Staff Photo

Not only is our food skyrocketing in price, but now there is yet one more scare from tainted vegetables. Several types of tomatoes are now being yanked from grocery store shelves because they may be harboring a deadly type of salmonella -- Salmonella serotype Saintpaul.

It's bad enough for all of us regular tomato lovers, but what if you were pregnant and CRAVING something with tomatoes? Ugh! That's what happened to WebMD member amee0812 from our Pregnancy: 2nd Trimester board. Check out her post below.

How has this latest "Frankenveggie" episode affected your family? Do you think there is a solution to keep our food safe?

We'd love to hear what you have to say!

Leona


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amee0812
not the same w/o tomatoes

Last night i had a bad craving for a chicago style hotdog but the closest james coney island is 25 min from my house and it was too late to get one. so today for lunch i when straight to james coney island ordered the hotdog then realized that i would have to say no tomatoes. I hoped that it would still satisfy my craving but of course it wasn't the same. I hate this I think i'm just gonna start growing my own vegetables from now on. I just had to let it out, i don't think non preggo people would understand me.

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And, here some links to other message board posts from WebMD members discussing the tomato scare:

Are you feeling better?

Salmonella Question

Tomatoes?

Two for Tuesday

Farmer's Markets


Related Topics:

• WebMD Pregnancy Community
• WebMD Health News

Technorati Tags: pregnancy, WebMD, tomatoes, salmonella

Post of the Day: Animals Sense Pregnancy?

Does your pet know that you're PG? WebMD member Beadlady78 from our Pregnancy: 2nd Trimester message board says her parakeet sensed what was going on in her expanding tummy.

Did your pet seem to know when you were pregnant? What was his reaction?

Read Beadlady78's post and share your own stories.

Leona

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Beadlady78
Animals sensing your pg

This is really cute. DH and I have a parakeet. We take her out everyday and talk to her and she sits on us while we watch movies and stuff. Well, on Saturday DH thought it would be funny to have her sit on my baby bump. He put her there and she would not get off! Any time DH tried to take her off, she would bite him and she is not the biting type of bird. While she was on my tummy, she would lean down as far as she could without touching my skin. Is this animal instinct that she knows I am pg or I am just loosing it! I know its just a bird, but she has NEVER acted this way before!


Related Topics:

• WebMD Pregnancy Community
• WebMD Health & Baby Center

Technorati Tags: pregnancy, WebMD, pets, pregnant

Be a Fan of WebMD on Facebook!

WebMD has recently created a page on Facebook. If you have a Facebook profile, you can become a fan of WebMD and see all the latest feeds from our health news, blogs, and more. You can be one of the first to find out about anything NEW here on your favorite Internet health destination.

Be sure to drop by and leave a note on our wall.

Leona

Related Topics:

• WebMD Community Home
• WebMD Health News

Technorati Tags: Facebook, WebMD, healthcare, health news

WebMD's Health Cafe -- Friends & Fun

Today instead of featuring a thread from our boards, I am featuring a whole board. Woo Hoo!

The Health Cafe is the forum at WebMD where members from all over our site can meet to talk about the latest health news, what's going on with their families, what's going on with a favorite TV show...you name it. There are no limits. It's a place where members who may have different reasons for belonging to the WebMD Community can meet new friends.



Our moderators and members are always starting stimulating conversations and polls there. Louise, who is the main moderator at the Cafe, posts a wonderful Friday Five poll at the end of each week to lead us into the weekend.

Whether you are already a dedicated member of another WebMD board or you are new to the community, we hope you'll stop by the Health Cafe, grab a cup of your favorite healthy beverage, and get to know us!

See you there!
Leona

Photo: (c)iStockphoto.com/1001nights


Related Topics:

• WebMD Community Home
• WebMD Health News

Technorati Tags: message boards, WebMD, Health Cafe, health news

Post of the Day: Too Late to Quit Smoking?

Is it ever too late to quit smoking? This is the question WebMD member 40Something1960 ponders on our Smoking Cessation: Support Group board.

Are you considering quitting? Maybe you've already quit? Chime in with some words of wisdom for this member and others.

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40Something1960
feeling like it's too late

Do you ever feel that way? and what do you do about it? I know in the quit smoking commercials they all say "it's never too late to quit smoking" but you can't exactly say that to someone who's already on an oxygen tank or already got cancer.

Sometimes I see posts from people who talk about other people who quit many many years ago but ended up with lung cancer anyway.

So what do you do if you feel like giving up because it's possible that it's already too late? Some times I feel like I am going through the torture of quitting for nothing.


Related Topics:

• WebMD Community Home
• WebMD Smoking Cessation Health Center

Technorati Tags: Smoking Cessation, Quit Smoking, lung cancer, cigarettes

Post of the Day: Husband & Online Porn

When one person in a relationship is addicted to online porn, how does it affect the other partner? What if the online antics appear to be headed offline?

WebMD member ygetmarried doesn't know what to do. Maybe you can offer her some helpful advice...

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ygetmarried
on line porn

I have read every concerns about porn. My husband loves to watch porn on line. I am not ok with that, now I notice he has asked one of the pron stars to meet him out of town. I do no understand what a man want with some one who show their body to the world. Can some one please tell me how to handle this problem?


Related Topics:

• WebMD Message Boards -- Full List
• WebMD Sex & Relationships Boards

Technorati Tags: WebMD, support groups

Post of the Day: Baby Vaccinations?

SAHM81, a mom on our Parenting: Newborn to 3 Months message board, wants to know how other moms and dads feel about vaccinating their infants.

Check out her post below and let her know what you think about this often controversial topic!

(Reminder: Be sure to respect the opinions of others.)

Leona

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SAHM81
poll: alternative immunization

are you doing the traditional AAP recomended immunization schedule or are you using an alternative schedule? Why?

if your using an alternative schedule what is is? why did you choose it?