Article Category: Prevention

Skin Cancer Risk Often Comes From Everyday Sun Exposure, Not Just Severe Burns

Routine outdoor work, driving, hobbies and missed spots like the scalp and ears can add up over time — so make sun protection a daily habit, not just during vacation.

One of the most common themes I hear from patients with skin cancer is not a single dramatic sun exposure — it’s years of routine, unremarkable exposure that never felt risky at the time.

Occupational exposure plays a big role. People who work outdoors — construction workers, landscapers, electricians, delivery drivers, mail carriers, farmers — accumulate significant ultraviolet (UV) exposure over time. Even pilots and cabin crew have roughly double the risk of melanoma due to chronic UV exposure at altitude.

Hobbies matter too. Activities like golf and fishing often involve hours in direct sun with little shade, and patients rarely think of them as “high-risk.”

Other Contributors to Cancer Risk

Another important contributor to skin cancer is immunosuppression. Patients with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease often are prescribed medications that dampen the immune system. Organ transplant recipients are at especially high risk — approximately 100 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma.

That risk often catches people completely off guard.

I hear versions of this story all the time: “I had one bad sunburn there only once … .” And that’s exactly where we end up treating a skin cancer.

Another pattern I frequently see is skin cancer along the hair part in younger women. The scalp — especially the part line — is one area of the body that is exposed most directly to the sun, but it’s often missed when applying sunscreen.

Another area to keep in mind is the left side of the body in drivers. In the U.S., we commonly see more sun damage and skin cancers on the left hand and forearm from years of incidental exposure through the car window. It’s not something people ever think about in the moment, but it adds up significantly over time.

Keeping Kids Safe in the Sun

Parents and guardians also have an important role to play here. Children’s skin is especially vulnerable to UV damage, and the habits they learn early can help lower their skin cancer risk later in life. Modeling sun-safe behavior — applying sunscreen before school, sports and outdoor play; choosing hats, sunglasses and protective clothing; and seeking shade when possible — helps make protection feel normal, not optional. Just as important, teaching kids to reapply sunscreen and to think of sun safety as part of everyday life, not just beach or lake days, can help those habits last into adulthood.

Make It a Daily Habit

For ourselves and people of any age, it’s very important to make sun protection part of one’s routine. That means:

  • Applying sunscreen on ordinary days — not just vacations
  • Covering high-risk areas people forget (the scalp part, ears, hands, even eyelids)
  • Wearing sunglasses — not just for comfort, but to protect the delicate skin around the eyes, where skin cancer surgeries can be especially challenging

Just as important is getting familiar with your own skin — and remember that you have skin from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Many skin cancers are first noticed by patients or their partners. Look for the “ugly duckling” — a spot that stands out — or anything that’s changing, bleeding or not healing.

Another point I always emphasize is this: There’s no such thing as a “healthy tan.” A tan is a visible sign of DNA damage in the skin.

Finally, when it comes to sunscreen, the best one is the one you’ll actually use. I encourage people to try a few (with a Sun Protection Factor, or SPF, of 30 or higher) and find something that fits easily into their daily routine — because consistency is what really makes the difference over time.

Make an Appointment

To schedule an appointment with Dr. McEvoy or another WashU Medicine dermatologist at Siteman Cancer Center, call 800-600-3606 or fill out this form, and our Patient Care Coordination Center will contact you.

Other Resources

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For Your Health: At any age, we can cut the risk of colorectal cancer

Recent headlines have pushed colorectal cancer back to the top of news feeds with the unfortunate passing of actor James Van Der Beek. Like Chadwick Bozeman, who died of the disease in 2020, Van Der Beek was diagnosed at a relatively young age — part of a troubling trend.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women in the U.S., and around 20% of cases are now found in those under age 55.

While the exact reasons for this shift are currently unclear, we do know that some important steps can help lower the risk of colorectal cancer. And most have benefits whatever our age — younger, older or in between.

Here’s what you can do:

Get Screened

Getting regular screening tests for colon cancer is the single best way to protect yourself from the disease. Screenings can catch cancer early, when it’s most treatable, and it can help prevent the disease by finding growths that could turn into cancer. Most people begin getting tested at age 45. Those with a family history of colon cancer or other important risk factors may begin younger and get tested more often. Colonoscopy and stool tests, like stool DNA or the fecal immunochemical test (FIT), are commonly recommended. Each screening test is different, so talk to a health care professional about which one may be a good fit for you. The best test is the one you get.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Being overweight increases the risk of at least 13 cancers, including colorectal cancer. If you’ve put on extra weight, a good first goal is to try to stop gaining weight — which has health benefits by itself. Then, for a bigger health boost, slowly try to lose some pounds. Being physically active, limiting sugary drinks, and getting enough sleep are some steps that can help.

Don’t Smoke

The best thing you can do for health is not smoke. Smoking causes colorectal cancer and many other serious diseases. If you don’t smoke, stay smoke-free. If you smoke, quit. It has huge benefits, which start shortly after your last cigarette. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit smokefree.gov for help. Talking to a doctor can double your chances of success.

Be Physically Active

Physical activity has wide-ranging health and wellness benefits, including lowering the risk of colorectal cancer. Try to get around 30 minutes or more of moderate activity each day. But any amount is better than none. Grab a friend and choose activities you enjoy — whatever gets you moving.

Limit Alcohol — Zero is Best

Drinking even small amounts of alcohol can raise the risk of colon cancer. And with alcohol’s other risks, not drinking is the overall healthiest choice. Fizzy water is a healthy option, and there is a growing selection of alcohol-free beer and wine.

Eat a Healthy Diet Filled with Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains

A diet rich in whole grains and fiber — and limited in red and processed meats — helps lower the risk of colorectal cancer. Try to get around 2-4 servings of whole-grain foods every day, like 100% whole-wheat bread and whole-grain cereal and pasta. Make other high-fiber foods a regular part of your menu as well, like fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans. And try to eat fewer than three servings a week of foods like bacon, sausage, steak and hamburger. The less, the better.

Also, if you ever have any possible symptoms of colorectal cancer, be sure to see a doctor. These can include blood in the stool, stomach pain, change in bowel habits, unplanned weight loss or ongoing fatigue. Don’t put it off because you think you might be too young for the disease. Get it checked out whatever your age. The earlier a cancer is found, the better it can be treated.

Cancer is caused by a combination of factors. Some we can’t control, and some we may be able to change. Up to 75% of colorectal cancers could be avoided with screening and healthy behaviors. Small healthy changes add up — and over time, they can make a real difference in our risk. And that’s a positive message even as news stories remind us how serious a disease it is.

It’s your health. Take control.

Dr. Graham A. Colditz leads prevention research at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine in St. Louis. Much of his work focuses on translating research findings into tools and tips that help people lower their risk of disease and improve their health — including the 8IGHT WAYS® to Prevent Cancer series.

For Your Health – Make Health Gains with Whole Grains

Moving toward a diet with more whole foods and fewer processed and fast foods is a great goal for everyone — and can have many health benefits. Adding more whole grains to our weekly menus can help us do just that.

If someone asked us to name five ways to improve our health and lower the risk of illness, “eat a healthy diet” would probably land on most of our lists. And it certainly belongs there. Research has shown that healthy eating could prevent over 80,000 cancer cases each year in the U.S. and help even more people prevent heart disease and diabetes.

While most of us have ways we could make our weekly menus healthier, eating more whole grains is one area where there can be a lot of room for improvement. As many as 90% of us aren’t getting the amounts recommended for our health and wellness.

Wheat, oats, rice, corn and barley are examples of grains. They offer the most benefit when they are whole grains — that is, when they include the three key parts of the natural grain kernel: bran, germ and endosperm. Bran and germ are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and other healthy compounds. When the bran and germ are removed during processing, they become refined grains.

The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans — along with those of other organizations —recommend focusing on eating whole grains over less-healthy refined grains. Whole-wheat bread and brown rice are classic whole-grain foods, compared to their refined versions, white bread and white rice.

Most adults should aim for 2-4 servings of whole grains a day, with one serving equaling a half cup of cooked oatmeal, a cup of dry breakfast cereal or a slice of bread.

One simple way to choose more whole grains is to look for foods that are labelled “100% whole grain,” “100% whole wheat,” “100% whole-grain oats” or something very similar. You can also look for “whole grain” listed as a first ingredient, which means whole grains are the primary ingredient in the food.

Try these options for working more whole grains into your day. See which ones might be a good place to start, then build from there — and add your own creativity to fit them into your favorite foods.

Snacks

  • Whole-grain pretzels, whole-grain pita chips and whole-grain crackers
  • Whole-grain granola with Greek yogurt
  • Air- or pan-popped popcorn

Breakfast

  • Oatmeal or whole-grain oat dry cereal
  • 100% whole-wheat toast
  • Whole-wheat or whole-grain buckwheat pancakes

Lunch

  • Whole-wheat spaghetti or whole-wheat pasta salad
  • Sandwich with 100% whole-wheat bread
  • Rice bowl with brown rice

Dinner

  • Soup or stew with added barley or brown rice
  • Burrito with whole-wheat tortilla and brown rice
  • Whole-grain veggie burger with whole-wheat bun

When eating out, ask about whole-grain options — for bread, buns, tortillas, fillings or side dishes. They may not always be listed on menus, or if they are, may not be highlighted. But they’re becoming more common options at many restaurants and can be an easy way to sneak more whole grains into our days.

It’s also good to choose whole-grain foods that are lower in added sugar, sodium and unhealthy fats. Some whole-grain breakfast cereals, for example, can still have a lot of added sugar and sodium. Choosing healthier options overall provides an even bigger nutrition boost.

Moving toward a diet with more whole foods and fewer processed and fast foods is a great goal for everyone — and can have many health benefits.

Adding more whole grains to our weekly menus can help us do just that. It can take a little extra time and effort to make the switch. But it’s 100% worth it.

For Your Health: You’ve Got This. Don’t Give Up on Quitting Smoking

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It’s a number to celebrate: 3.9 million. That’s the likely number of Americans saved from lung cancer since 1970 with efforts to curb cigarette smoking. Seen another way, this translates to over 76 million years added to people’s lives. It’s truly astounding and doesn’t even include the impact from lower risks of many other cancers and diseases caused by smoking.

Looking ahead, these gains will only grow as fewer youth and young adults take up smoking — and as more people who currently smoke, quit.

Quitting, though, isn’t easy — as anyone who’s done it can tell you. But thousands of people do it every day, and right now in the U.S. there are more people who used to smoke than who currently smoke.

For those who want to quit — or are just thinking about it — getting support can really help, doubling the chances of success. This can include reaching out to your health care clinic or provider for assistance.

There’s also free support at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) and smokefree.gov, which offers texting tools, an app and other services.

Support usually includes a mix of medication as well as in-person and virtual classes and programs. Medications can be prescription drugs, like bupropion, as well as nicotine replacement therapy, like gums and patches. These help with nicotine withdrawal and cravings. Programs and classes can help with developing skills and behaviors for staying smoke-free.

“Services like the smokefree.gov texting program provide encouraging, motivating daily messages,” said Dr. Li-Shiun Chen, director of smoking cessation at WashU Medicine and Siteman Cancer Center. “A lot of my patients love that. They wake up and get a text that says, ‘Hey, it’s a new day. Why don’t you take a walk outside instead of lighting a cigarette?’”

Along with such support, one of the most important approaches to quitting is simply to keep at it.

“On average, it takes a person seven to nine attempts to succeed,” Chen said. “One gentleman we worked with tried 13 times, but then he succeeded with help from a lifestyle coach and medicine. He said that support made all the difference. So, don’t worry about failure. It’s very important to keep trying, even just to reduce how much you smoke.”

FDA-approved products, like nicotine replacement therapy, have the best evidence for helping with quitting. But electronic cigarettes and vaping, which aren’t FDA-approved, may have a role in certain situations, Chen said. “In an adult who smokes cigarettes routinely, actually transitioning to safe vaping is harm reduction. ‘Safe vaping’ means just nicotine — not adding cannabis, not adding flavors. And this type of vaping can be an intermediate step to getting rid of tobacco.”

Vaping, though, is a double-edged sword, Chen warned. It has some inherent dangers, and kids should totally avoid it. Among other risks, it can lead to nicotine addiction and tobacco smoking. “If you’re a 12-year-old, vaping is really bad.”

No matter how long you’ve been smoking or how old or healthy you are — in almost any situation, really — there are important benefits to quitting. And these benefits start just days in and build over the years. Breathing quickly improves. Food starts tasting better. And wrinkles on the face from early aging can start to relax. Then, the risk of serious diseases like cancer, stroke, heart disease, lung disease and dementia begin to drop, with some eventually reversing to the same risk as someone who never smoked.

“Quitting smoking can add about 13 years of life back to a person, but it’s not only a longer life, it’s also a higher quality of life,” Chen concluded. “It’s an amazing opportunity to improve your health, and it’s the best thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones.”

Happy holidays, and happy New Year.

For Your Health: A fresh look at healthy goals in the New Year

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Heading into a new year, it feels like a great time to mix things up. So, after several years interviewing leaders in health and medicine to get their insight for this column, I thought it seemed only fair to turn the tables and have a colleague interview me.

The result was a great discussion that touched on issues big and small — and that may provide a peek behind the curtain of medical research and how I incorporate health recommendations into my own life.

Much of your work focuses on helping people improve their health and prevent diseases like cancer. What drew you to this?

When I was a medical student and we’d visit cancer patients, it seemed like lung cancer was everywhere, and no one really talked about tackling smoking as a way to prevent it. People were talking about how to prevent heart disease and high blood pressure, but not cancer. It looked like there was real potential to go after cancer prevention in a creative and impactful way.

If someone asked you for the top three behaviors they should follow to lower cancer risk, what would you recommend?

The top one is: Don’t smoke. Or, if you smoke, quit. Next would be to avoid weight gain. That may be surprising to hear, but extra weight increases the risk of many different cancers. Regular physical activity helps with controlling weight, as does my third top behavior: eating a healthy diet. Try to focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains — and limit fast and processed foods.

What’s something you do that’s pretty simple but can have a large payoff for health?

One easy thing has been building short walks into my daily life. A regular 15- to 20-minute walk to work or school or a nearby store can have amazing health benefits. I’m not perfect with it, but I’ve tried to make it a routine to walk instead of drive when it’s safe and pretty easy to do. I like to get longer walks in when I can, but it’s great to have this basic amount of activity built into my day.

Most of us can improve the way we eat. Do you have something you’ve been trying to work on recently?

One thing I started doing was switching to alcohol-free, or NA, beer. I’m Australian, and we’re known for liking beer. And the NAs are really good now — with a lot of options in stores and at bars and restaurants. So, I was like, “Let’s give it a go and switch.” It also felt important to do because we’ve tried to bring more attention to the message that zero alcohol is the best choice when it comes to cancer risk and overall health.

Health recommendations can change over time, whether it’s what to eat or drink or when we should get screening tests. Why this is?

This can feel frustrating, for sure. But we can also see such changes and say, “It’s really good news. We know a lot more now than we used to.” Looking at breast cancer screening, mammogram technology today is much better than what we used to have. The richness of the image is better. And we have more studies that have gone on for longer periods of time. So, we have more evidence on the positive impact of mammograms on women’s health. With this, we can revisit and refine recommendations for when women should start screening and how often they should have it. This also applies to many other health recommendations. They can be refined over time as we learn more.

Wrapping things up, do you have any specific health goals for the coming year?

I’d like to lose a few more pounds and get back into the normal weight range. As a nation, the weight issue stands out. It’s a driver of so many chronic conditions — not just cancer, diabetes and heart disease, but also mobility and memory problems. And we haven’t done a great job with policies and approaches that make it easier for people to be physically active and choose healthier foods. That’s a bigger goal for policymakers and health professionals like me. But on a more personal level, I’ll try to keep up with the steps that can help me get to a healthier weight in 2026.

That’s great. Thank you.

Thank you — and happy New Year!

For Your Health: Genetic testing for cancer is becoming more common. What should we know?



Of the many advances in science and technology over the past 25 years, genetic testing is arguably one of the most notable. Once a rare part of health care, it is now becoming much more common. And it’s possible that someone you know — or maybe even you — has had it done. Most often, people get genetic testing to settle curiosity about which parts of the world their ancestors may have come from or to connect with relatives from other branches of their family tree.

But genetic testing can also reveal important information about our health, including the risk of cancer.

“Genetic testing for cancer risk uses a saliva sample or blood sample to look for changes in specific genes — or pieces of DNA — that are associated with increased risk of certain types of cancers,” said Erin Linnenbringer, PhD, a board-certified genetic counselor and associate professor at WashU Medicine.

There are many genes that are related to cancer. Two of the most well-known examples are BRCA1 and BRCA2, Linnenbringer added. Women with harmful changes — known as “variants” or “mutations” — in these genes have a much greater risk of developing breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancer. Men with these mutations also have a greater risk of breast and pancreatic cancer as well as prostate cancer.

While most gene mutations don’t increase cancer risk as much as those in BRCA1 and BRCA2 can, they can still have an important impact. And knowing that can help with managing the increased risk from a mutation. Screening tests or regular health exams can begin at younger ages and be done more often, which can help find a cancer earlier when it’s more treatable. And, for some types of cancer, medication, surgery or screening can even help prevent the disease.

Right now, this type of genetic testing is typically ordered through a health-care professional and is done in people who have had cancer or have a strong family history of cancer.

“People who are diagnosed with an adult-onset cancer at a young age, such as having breast cancer before the age of 40, who have been diagnosed with an aggressive or late-stage cancer, or who have certain types of rare cancers, like ovarian cancer or pancreatic cancer, should consider having genetic testing,” Linnenbringer said. “The same is true if you have more than one relative on your mom or dad’s side of the family who has had cancer, or if your parent, brother or sister was diagnosed with cancer at a young age.”

If you have concerns about your family history and cancer risk, the first step is often sharing that with your health-care provider. “They may be comfortable reviewing your family history and ordering an appropriate genetic test, or they may refer you to a genetic counselor or other specialist,” Linnenbringer said. “You can also search for a counselor near you, at findageneticcounselor.nsgc.org.”

Genetic counselors are a great resource for thinking through the elements that go into deciding if genetic testing is right for you. “They are health-care professionals with specialized training in both genetics and patient communication and counseling,” Linnenbringer said. In addition to assessing cancer risk from your personal and family history, genetic counselors can also help with considering the implications of testing that might not immediately come to mind. This can include its possible effect on life insurance and emotional health, as well as other family members — who may have the same mutations that your testing could find.

If you don’t have a good idea of your family health history, the upcoming holidays can be a fantastic opportunity to connect with family members and get more details. Try to find out the types of cancer any relatives may have had, and around what age they were diagnosed. It can also be helpful to know if any have had genetic testing. This may not always be the easiest conversation, but it can be worth the effort — providing valuable information about whether genetic counseling or genetic testing may make sense.

Looking to the future, Linnenbringer feels the benefits of genetic testing will likely only increase as we learn more through continued research and expanded testing across a wider range of people.

For Your Health: How sleep and exercise can help kids’ health and grades

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Now that kids are back in school, families are settling into their new routines after a long summer break. It can certainly be a busy time for everyone. But this transition can also be a great opportunity to help our kids — and our households — build healthy behaviors that can carry through the year, and beyond.

While many behaviors are important for our children’s health and wellness, improving their sleep and activity habits can have especially wide-ranging benefits.

“It is vital for children to get enough sleep, exercise regularly and limit screen time because these habits are strongly linked to positive outcomes for their physical, mental, cognitive and social development,” said Dr. Mary Fournier, an associate professor of pediatrics at WashU Medicine in St. Louis.

Together, these behaviors can help boost heart health, immune function and bone health, among other physical health benefits, she said. But the specific benefits can also reach many other key parts of children’s health and development.

“Each of these behaviors is beneficial, but when all three recommendations are followed, the combined effect is even greater and helps lower a child’s risk of anxiety, depression and behavior problems,“ Fournier said. “And research has shown that children with these healthy habits tend to perform better academically, think more clearly and have stronger attention, memory and executive function skills.”

A good goal for school-aged children is at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day, but this can include a combination of activities, like playing with friends, walking with the family and sports or other activities. For screen time on phones, computers and TV, it’s generally good to keep it under one to two hours a day outside of schoolwork. And while healthy sleep needs can vary, school-aged children should generally get around nine to 12 hours a night.

Fournier offered these tips to help families meet these goals:

Healthy Sleep

  • Keep screens out of the bedroom — and stop all screen time 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.
  • Make bedtime the same each night and make it early enough to allow for sufficient sleep.
  • Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Dim the lights, put away screens and engage in soothing activities such as reading, drawing, writing, listening to quiet music or taking a warm bath or shower.

Limited Screen Time

  • Keep screens out of the bedroom, especially at night.
  • Plan non-screen activities. Play a game, read a book, draw a picture, put together a puzzle, or go outside to play.
  • Save screen time for a special treat or time, especially for younger kids.

Daily Physical Activity

  • Add physical activity to daily routines. Walk to school or the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, involve your kids in active chores like vacuuming or raking leaves.
  • Make it fun! Find activities that your child enjoys or that your family can do together.
  • Be a good role model. Kids need to see regular exercise as a normal behavior for everyone. Plan family activities where you and your kids can exercise together — daily walks, family bike rides or impromptu dance parties.

This can feel like a lot, especially when life with kids can be busy and often unpredictable. But healthy changes don’t have to happen all at once. So, while it’s good to keep longer-term goals in mind, Fournier highlighted the benefits of realistic day-to-day changes:

“While working on all three behaviors can have an amplifying effect on a child’s overall health, even small improvements in any of them can help.”

It’s your health. Take control.

For Your Health: 15 small steps with big rewards

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Surveys show that most of us place a high priority on our health and wellness. That’s probably not surprising to hear. But as common a goal as improving health is, it can sometimes feel like a mystery how we can actually work toward it, with busy days filled with work, family and other important activities.

Luckily, small changes can have meaningful health benefits, and those benefits grow over time.

Try these 15 simple tips that focus on behaviors most of us could start today.

  1. Stock up on frozen vegetables. They’re easy, ready when you need them and as healthy as fresh options when they have no added salt or sugar.
  2. Place fruit where you can see it — on the counter, top shelf of the refrigerator or your desk. Make it as easy as possible to choose these snacks over less-healthy ones.
  3. Keep a reusable water bottle filled and close by. Plain water is the healthiest and easiest way to stay hydrated.
  4. Add a mini walk — a micro break — to your day. Park at the far end of the lot, get off the bus a stop or two early, or walk to the end of the block and back. Any extra steps we take count toward better health and provide a little “me” time.
  5. Take a short phone break. Staying connected is important — so is time away from the phone, even for just a little while. Put your phone in another room or in a drawer and give yourself the chance to explore other ways to enjoy the day.
  6. Stand up for 10 minutes. Cutting back on sitting and other sedentary activities has a lot of benefits. If you spend much of the day sitting, try to take regular standing breaks.
  7. Make that doctor’s appointment you may have been putting off. Whether it’s for a health screening, to keep track of a condition, or to get you or your kids caught up on vaccines, these types of visits can have really important benefits.
  8. Read some ingredients lists. It’s best to cut back on ultra-processed food. And one way to do that is to avoid foods with long ingredients lists that are filled with words we don’t recognize.
  9. Go to a park. Spending time in green spaces has proven benefits for physical and mental health.
  10. Say “no, thank you” to whipped cream. Many coffee drinks can come with whipped cream and other extras. It’s best to enjoy coffee without these — at least most of the time. They can add a lot of sugar, unhealthy fats and calories.
  11. Give plain yogurt a try. It can take a little getting used to, but plain yogurt is usually better for us than the higher-sugar, highly flavored yogurts. A great way to start is by mixing half plain yogurt with half flavored yogurt or adding fresh or frozen berries for natural sweetness and flavor.
  12. Pick something new from the produce aisle. Break the regular routine and try a fruit or vegetable you’ve never had before. You may just find a new favorite.
  13. Set out your workout clothes the night before. Make it as easy as possible to get dressed and out the door for your morning walk or gym class.
  14. Say “yes” to sleep. Good sleep helps with many parts of health and wellness. So, when it’s time for bed, make it a priority so you can get the seven to nine hours most adults need.
  15. Visit smokefree.gov. If you smoke and want to quit — or are just curious about quitting — this is a great place to start. There are also resources for supporting family and friends who may want to quit.

A great thing about these small changes is that they can often be relatively easy to make as well as to keep up over time. While it’s good to have bigger, longer-term health goals — like walking 30 minutes every day or cutting out sugary drinks — these types of smaller changes help build toward those and can be a powerful start.

It’s your health. Take control.

For Your Health: Should you sip or skip your favorite summer drink?

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For something so simple, there can be something surprisingly enjoyable about a cold drink on a hot day.

It can quench our thirst, cool us down and just taste great.

And during these warm months when we need to drink more than usual to stay hydrated, it’s important to choose drinks that we like, but it’s also important to choose drinks on the healthier side.

Figuring out which drinks hit that sweet spot, though, isn’t always easy. To help with that, I spoke with Yikyung Park, a nutrition researcher and professor in the Division of Public Health Sciences at WashU Medicine, for her insight on which popular summer drinks are easy to say “yes” to — and which ones we should try to limit.

Plain water. “The best choice!” she said. Zero calories and refreshing, with nothing extra. From the kitchen tap or bottle filling station, it’s basically free — and easy to find. Keep a reusable, plastic-free bottle in your pack or on your desk, so water’s always in easy reach.

Fizzy water. “As good as plain water.” It can cost more but also be a nice twist on plain water. Choose unsweetened versions.

Iced tea and iced coffee. “A good choice, but avoid drinking too much.” There can be some health benefits from drinking coffee, but caffeine can be a problem with both tea and coffee. And try to keep milk, cream and sugar to a minimum. The calories and saturated fat can add up quickly.

Coconut water. “It has electrolytes, which can be helpful when we’re sweating a lot, but choose those with no added sugar.”

Fruit juice. “Good option, but be sure to choose 100% fruit juice, not a fruit-flavored drink.” And even for 100% juice, it’s best to drink it only once in a while. While 100% juice has some vitamins and minerals, it also has about as much sugar as soda.

Lemonade. “Very refreshing — and a summer classic — but watch out for sugar content.” Like juice, it can have as much or more than soda. So, it’s best to have it only sometimes.

Sugary soda, energy drinks and sports drinks. “These types of sugary beverages are not a good option. They’ve been linked to an increased risk of weight gain, diabetes and other chronic diseases. Many sodas and energy and sports drinks also contain a high amount of caffeine, which can be problematic for many people, especially children.” Combined with the warm temperatures of summer, the caffeine can also lead to dehydration. Sugary drinks are popular, but they’re best to avoid, particularly for kids.

Diet soda. “Since there’s no sugar in diet soda, it seems a better option than sugary drinks, but that’s not the case.” It’s best to limit them as well. Diet sodas contain caffeine and artificial sweeteners, which have been linked to poor health outcomes in some studies.

Blended coffee drinks. “These are an unhealthy combination of sugar and caffeine, plus they can be very high in calories!” Iced coffee or cold brew with just a splash of milk is a healthier alternative.

Bubble tea. “A fun drink for summer, but best to limit. It contains a high amount of caffeine and calories.”

Beer, hard seltzers and other alcohol. “Alcoholic beverages can lead to dehydration — and they have other well-known, serious health effects.” Alcohol increases the risk of cancer as well as injury, suicide, liver disease, mental illness and even infectious disease. As much as beer and other drinks can be a traditional part of summer celebrations, the healthiest approach is not to drink. Try nonalcoholic beer for a better option that tastes like the real thing.

Enjoying our favorite drinks with family and friends — or in a quiet moment alone — can be a special part of summer. Day-to-day, though, try to choose healthier drinks overall. It’s the best way to stay hydrated and can give a real boost to our long-term health.

“Except for plain water, it’s best to drink all other beverages in moderation or less,” Park concluded. “Most we shouldn’t drink every day.”

It’s your health. Take control.

For Your Health: Staying cool and sun-safe this summer

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Food sizzling on the grill is one of the classic sounds of summer — right up there with kids splashing in sprinklers and the crack of a bat at the ballpark.

That sizzling can also be a good stand-in for how we might feel outside on a sweltering day.

With a little planning, though, we can make our time in the sun feel cooler and more comfortable — and much better for our skin.

“Any amount of tan, and certainly sunburn, represents damage to the DNA of our skin cells,” said Dr. Aubriana McEvoy, a dermatologist at WashU Medicine in St. Louis. “And the more sun people get over their lives, the more of a chance there is for damaged cells to turn into skin cancer, which can affect our quality of life and, in some cases, the length of our lives.”

Too much sun can also lead to wrinkles, coarse skin and discoloration, making our skin look older than it is, she added.

Some simple steps can go a long way toward lowering the risk of skin cancer while keeping our skin looking healthier as well. And everyone can benefit, from those with fair skin to those with darker skin.

Sunscreen is a great place to start. Choose one with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 30 or higher and be sure to use a generous amount, about an ounce for an adult at the pool — reapplying every couple hours. There are a lot of sunscreen options these days, so try out a number of them to find one you and your family like.

“My favorite sunscreen is the one you will wear,” McEvoy said.

Clothes are another way to stay sun-safe. Long-sleeved shirts, pants and wide-brimmed hats do a great job covering skin and don’t need to be reapplied like sunscreen. And there are many inexpensive, lightweight options that are specifically made to protect from the sun and that have their own rating, called Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF). As with sunscreens, the higher the UPF number, the greater the protection.

The combination of clothes and shade from trees or sun shelters can be particularly important for kids. Sunscreen is not recommended for children under 6 months old. And older kids can be so active that it can be hard to keep them well-covered in sunscreen, McEvoy added.

Shade and lightweight, loose-fitting clothes can also help with staying cool and feeling good on a hot day summer day. And it’s hard to overstate the importance of drinking enough water. It can be easy to get behind on our hydration, especially on a fun-filled outing with family and friends. Try to keep a bottle close by filled with plain water or low-sugar sports drink mix. Make it as easy as possible for you and your family to stay hydrated.

For many of us, summer is the best time of year, in no small part because we get to spend so much time enjoying long days and warm weather outside. And that’s an important part of life, McEvoy feels. Also important, of course, is doing so safely and healthfully.

When asked for one of her favorite tricks for staying cool and sun-safe in summer heat, she replied:

“If I’m at the playground or park with my kids, I’ll wear a sun-protective shirt and just wet it down. That keeps me way cooler and protects me from the sun.”