Blog Posts by The Editors at Sharecare

Don't get burned by your sunscreen.You should use sunscreen year-round, but chances are you're using a whole lot more of it these days. If not, here's some motivation for you: A recent study revealed an eightfold increase in melanoma cases in women under 40 (due in part to tanning bed use) and a fourfold increase among men. But here's the good news: Last year, an Australian study found that using sunscreen daily can cut your risk of melanoma -- the deadliest kind of skin cancer -- in half.

Is sun damage aging your skin? Take the Skin's RealAge Test.

Even if you're good about using sunscreen, you want to be sure you're using the right kind. Not all sunscreens are created equal, according to the 2012 Skin Deep Sunscreens report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Some may even pose a health risk. Here's what to look for -- and avoid -- in your sunscreen.

Use a mineral sunscreen. Look for a full-spectrum sunscreen (the kind that protects from both UVA and UVB rays) made with micronized zinc oxide.

Read More »from Is Your Sunscreen Safe?

Take good care of your eyes now, and you'll see clearly for a long time to come.Your eyes can process 36,000 bits of information every hour. That's why it's so important to protect your vision with good eye-health habits. If you want to see clearly for years to come, follow these 10 steps to prevent vision problems.

How are your peepers doing? Take this eye health quiz to find out.

1. Know Your Family's Eye Health History
Does glaucoma run in your family? Does anyone have cataracts? Many eye problems are hereditary. If you know you have a high risk for developing an eye disease or eye condition, you can take steps to prevent it.

2. Schedule an Eye Exam
It's important to have an eye exam to make sure your eyes are healthy and seeing their best. A visual acuity test will help your optometrist determine if you need eyeglasses or contact lenses for vision correction. A dilated-eye exam should also be done to check your eyes for any damage or signs of disease, such as glaucoma, cataracts, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Are you

Read More »from 10 Ways to Protect Your Eyes

By Michael F. Roizen, MD

Are routine dental x-rays a smart idea?If you're always looking for a reason to cancel your dentist appointment for fear of another dental filling, radiation from dental x-rays might be another good excuse. Although dental x-rays are generally safe, nobody needs extra radiation. You and your dentist can reduce your (and your kids') radiation exposure several ways. At your next dental checkup, ask these three questions:

Wondering what your smile says about your health? Take the new MouthAge Test!

1. Do you use high-speed film? You want your dentist to use faster E- or F-speed film for conventional dental x-rays. Older, slower D-speed film delivers about 50% more radiation, though it's still widely used. (Digital imaging is even better, but it's not common yet.) Always ask for a lead apron with a thyroid shield or collar. The thyroid gland is extremely sensitive to radiation, especially in kids.

2. When do you take 3-D scans? While a 3-D scan -- called a dental cone-beam computed

Read More »from Are Dental X-Rays Dangerous? 3 Questions You Should Ask

Rev up your workouts with interval training.We know how it goes -- a hectic day of work, carpools, and putting dinner on the table easily gets in the way of your exercise routine. So, should you leave your workout until tomorrow or try to squeeze at least some exercise? Here's a secret to turbocharging a short workout so you burn more calories, even on a tight schedule: interval training.

Learn how interval training helps you burn more calories after working out.

Long beloved by athletes as a way to build speed and stamina in a hurry, interval training can help you burn more belly fat in less time. It's easy, too. You can add interval training to any workout, whether your thing is walking, running, swimming, or cycling -- even inline skating.

Marc Gillinov, MD, and Steven Nissen, MD, deliver the hows and whys of interval training in their new book, Heart 411 (Three Rivers Press). Here are their recommendations:

• Alternate periods of puff-hard-can't-talk-effort with periods of recovery. If you're walking, step up

Read More »from Rev Up Your Workouts for a Faster Way to Melt Belly Fat

Got a cut that won't heal? Get checked for diabetes.Could you have diabetes? Some diabetes symptoms are well known: unrelenting thirst, frequent urination, and always feeling tired are surefire tip-offs that something's amiss. But other symptoms are more subtle. In fact, many people may have no symptoms at all until a blood test tells them they have diabetes. This matters because the earlier you catch diabetes, the sooner you can control of it and prevent complications. Here are 10 signs that point to diabetes.

1. You feel "fine." Early on, diabetes symptoms can be vague, so you dismiss them or confuse them with other problems. That means even subtle changes in the way you feel can be a good reason to see your doctor.

Could it be diabetes? Take this risk assessment.

2. You always have to pee. People with diabetes may urinate as much as 20 times a day, says Melvin Stjernholm, MD, an endocrinologist in Boulder, Colo. When you have extra glucose in your blood, due to diabetes, your kidneys work overtime to get rid of it. As

Read More »from 10 Surprising Signs of Diabetes

Lentils and fish are two foods that can help fend off allergy symptoms.Are you sneezing, sniffling, and suffering through the worst seasonal allergy season in years? So are a lot of us. Here's a tip for smart allergy relief: Load your plate with foods from the Mediterranean diet to help reduce allergy symptoms. In several studies, people who ate a Mediterranean diet had fewer allergy symptoms than those who didn't. These 6 Mediterranean-style foods may help boost your allergy relief:

What's causing your allergies? Take this quiz.

1. Fruits and vegetables. Fresh produce is a key part of the Mediterranean diet. Red, yellow, and orange varieties are especially high in carotenoids -- antioxidant compounds that may have anti-allergy qualities, according to some research. A mix of carotenoids works best, so shop for an array of red peppers, tomatoes, dark leafy greens, carrots, squash, cantaloupe, and tangerines.

Red vs. orange tomatoes: Which are best?

2. Red grapes. We know -- grapes count as fruit, but this Mediterranean staple is a

Read More »from 6 Foods for Allergy Relief

Those fancy flip-flops might be hurting your feet.By Deborah Wilburn

Spring is here, and so are chic ballet flats, flip-flops, and sky-high platform sandals. They're comfortable shoes, and trendy, too, but are they good for your feet?

Not so much, says Dawn Olsen Figlo, MD, a certified foot surgeon in New York City. Even though many women think flats are a foot-friendly alternative, "ballet slippers are the worst shoe anyone can wear," she says. "There's no support whatsoever and the ankle can turn in too much or turn out."

Easy fix for foot pain

Does that rule out flip-flops, too? "It's not great to be in a super-flat shoe," says Figlo. "It overstretches the plantar fascia -- the tissue that covers the bottom of the foot -- and can cause plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of that tissue." In terms of flip-flops, "the cheap ones with a flimsy strap and no support throw your body off [balance]," she says. Your toes need to grip the shoe in order to keep it on, which strains your foot.

Her

Read More »from Warning: "Comfortable " Spring Shoes Can Be Bad for Your Feet

Which cities have the best diets?Which cities have the best diets, and which have the worst? To find out, we considered two dietary factors in our RealAge 2012 Youngest & Oldest Cities in America Report: fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Eating these nutritious foods can help your body feel up to 6 years younger by helping prevent weight gain, diabetes, and hypertension.

10 best foods to fight diabetes

Did your town make the best-cities list, or is it among the worst?

5 Best Cities for Nutrition

1. San Francisco. Did you know that San Francisco allows community gardens in its public parks? That could be why Bay Area residents rank number one for eating plenty of fruits and veggies. They're also second in the nation for eating whole grains. That helps keep their cholesterol and blood pressure down to fend off heart disease and diabetes.

2. Minneapolis. This city was once the world's flour-milling capital, and its residents still love their grains. They take the nation's top spot for Read More »from Cities with the Best and Worst Diets