The surprising reasons--and a lifesaving guide to keep your body healthy this, and every, summer
by Shaun Dreisbach


Tesh Patel Let's get the stats out of the way first--because they're shocking. Rates of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, have been rising in the United States, and no one has been more affected than young women. In the past few decades, the incidence of melanoma has shot up 800 percent among women ages 18 to 39, twice the rate of same-aged men. Says dermatologist David Kriegel, M.D., "I'm seeing three or four times more melanoma in young women than I used to." And the news on other skin cancers, like basal and squamous cell carcinomas, isn't much better: Rates have climbed 300 percent in the past decade.

The zillion-dollar question is: Why? Every girl and her cat knows the rules: You must wear (and reapply!) sunscreen, avoid prime sun hours, and cover up with shades and a hat. So why do skin cancer rates continue to soar? Our experts answer that very

It's National Immunization Week (April 20-27) here in the US, part of the World Health Organization's larger World Immunization Week (April 24-30). According to the Centers for Disease Control, "During WIW, all six WHO regions, including more than 180 Member States, territories, and areas, will simultaneously promote immunization, advance equity in the use of vaccines and universal access to vaccination services, and enable cooperation on cross-border immunization activities," all in the fight to end childhood disease around the world. The CDC notes, "Through immunization, we can now protect infants and children from 14 vaccine-preventable diseases before age two." They add, "Routine childhood immunization in one birth cohort prevents about 20 million cases of disease and about 42,000 deaths." 7 of the most common childhood diseases now preventable by vaccine are listed below, along with the homeopathic, sometimes strange and often ineffective ways people tried to treat them. We've

Happy 2nd anniversary, Kate and William! On April 29th, the royal couple will have been married for two years. They've come a long day since their wedding in 2011 (a.k.a, the day the world pulled an all-nighter to watch their televised nuptials) and the couple has been through a lot-photo scandals, numerous fashion statements, a controversial royal painting, and of course, Kate's pregnancy. How did they fare in year two? We asked two body language experts to weigh in.

Most people have stared down a pint of ice cream or a bag of chips and tried to figure out how much more they'd need to work out in order to work off the extra calories. Unfortunately, you can't really eat whatever you want and just work out a little more later. "No, it is not an even exchange," Franci Cohen, a personal trainer, certified nutritionist, and exercise physiologist in New York City, told Yahoo! Shine. "In fact, over-exercising will actually cause the muscles to break down instead of build up, and the metabolism slows down as a result of excess exercise as well." Still, a Texas Christian University study of 300 adults presented at the Experimental Biology 2013 conference in Boston this week found that learning how much more you'd need to exercise to burn off a burger was enough to make people pick a lower-calorie meal. Wondering what that candy bar is really worth? Here's what it would take to work off some of our favorite indulgences. -- By Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior

PeopleGwyneth Paltrow is the world's most beautiful woman, according to the latest issue of People Magazine.

The accolade, announced Wednesday, comes a mere two weeks after the actress topped Star magazine’s list of “Most Hated Celebrities.” Love her or hate her, Paltrow is clearly doing something right.

A rep for People told The Today Show that celebrities have to be more than physically beautiful to make the list and that Paltrow was chosen for the following hefty criteria: She’s stunning, her cookbook “It’s All Good” debuted number one on The New York Times bestseller list, she’s 40, she’s a mom, and oh yeah, she has a new movie out, “Iron Man 3” (which, ahem, hits theaters on May 3rd, a week after People hits newsstands) The rep also added that Paltrow has a good heart, a self-deprecating sense of humor, and doesn’t take herself too seriously. 

Oh, totally. Paltrow told the magazine that when her husband Chris Martin (of Coldplay) sees her dressed up, he has a giant revelation about whom

Expert advice that will help you see clearly for years to come. Plus, common questions about eye health.

By Amanda Pressner

Originally appeared on RealSimple.com

Leandro CastelaoIn a 2012 survey from the American Optometric Association, more than half of the respondents reported that they valued their eyesight more than their memory or ability to walk. However, you may be making little decisions every day that could be compromising your most indispensable sense. "Constantly interacting with screens, missing out on essential nutrients, forgetting your sunglasses-these innocent-sounding habits can stealthily take a toll on healthy eyes," says optometrist Hilary L. Hawthorne, a trustee of the American Optometric Association. Also, we often skip yearly eye exams, which puts not only our eyes but also our overall health at risk. Fortunately, it's relatively easy to turn things around. Many of these expert-recommended tips can be done in the blink of a you-know-what.

More on RealSimple.com: Why Does My Eye

By Jenny Brown

Photography student Jen Davis was hanging out on the beach with her friends on a sunny day in 2002 when she decided to snap a photo of herself. When the now 34-year-old developed the roll of film, she was stunned at the image which showed her looking uncomfortable in a one-piece swimsuit while her friends lounged in bikinis. From then on, Davis began documenting her life in a series of photos called "Self Portraits" snapping her most uncomfortable moments. "I had never really photographed myself but that beach shot made me realize that I had to step in front of the camera," she says. "I needed to look at myself." The result is an 11-year documentation of Davis' life, including her body transformation with weight-loss surgery, and an upcoming photography book (currently untitled, 2014). Here are some of Davis' more revealing photos.