You may not know this, but sunscreen has been around since the mid 1940s. This product was developed during the height of World War II, when soldiers based out in the Pacific started noticing the dangers of overexposing their skin to the sun. It became widely used in the 1960s. Still, it was only recently that the manufacturers started seriously thinking about UVA rays as well as UVB rays. I was surprised by that, given that UVA rays can be so dangerous. For a long time, many people probably had a false sense of security with their UVB protection alone.

So, SPF means sun protection factor. Most people know that. More specifically, an SPF of 15 means it will take 15 times longer to develop an area of redness on your skin if you wear the sunscreen. That offers obvious protection against sunburns, which are caused by the UVB rays. The problem is the UVA rays dive even deeper under the skin and cause tanning, as well as disruption of collagen, wrinkling and premature aging. Doesn't sound so attractive when I put it that way, right?

Now, new guidelines have been proposed to both mandate UVA protection and to label specific products with the amount of UVA protection they offer. The system will use stars for the ratings, with one star being the lowest protection and four stars being the highest. Products that have no UVA protection will clearly state that there is "no UVA protection" in the bottle. There will also be warnings on the bottles reminding people that too much sun can cause skin cancer. (Full Story)

The fact of the matter is though, no matter the product, people have to actually use it to have any effect whatsoever. (Watch video) You need at least a shot glass amount to cover a normal-sized body and a full teaspoon to cover your face. I have always been surprised by the number of people who improperly use sunscreen. I still see young children with deep, dark tans and adults with sunburns all the time. That's scary given that just a few sunburns can double your risk of skin cancer. So, why do you think that even with all the information about the risks of skin cancer, so few people use adequate sunscreen?

As it stands now, diabetes is one of the more vexing problems that health care professionals deal with. At once, it is frighteningly common with 20 million carrying the diagnosis and the number still growing. In fact, around 6 million people don't even know they have it. The disease is linked to heart problems, stroke, blindness and kidney disease. At the same time, though, it is an extremely manageable problem, perhaps more so than many other diseases.

For diabetics, there are really five important tips to keep in mind:

1) Know your medications. Be familiar with the medications and understand their interactions and side effects

2) Build a power team of health care professionals, including doctors, nurses and nutritionists. Doctors are important but it is the nurses and nutritionists who will really help manage your disease day to day.

3) Keep levels in check. Certainly, if you are at risk for diabetes because of your weight or family history, get a fasting glucose test. A normal level should be less than 100. If you are diabetic, make sure to get something known as A1C tested which gives a longer-term look at your blood sugars. Of course, know your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. A1C should be less than 7 percent, blood pressure less than 120/80 and cholesterol levels less than 200 - some doctors say even lower. Also, make sure to get a proper eye exam every year and check your feet every day for any non-healing sores.

4) Stay active. Diabetes is not a death sentence. Get active and stay active. A diabetic can benefit from as little as 30 minutes of exercise five days a week.

5) Finally, a good diet. You will read a lot about diabetic diets, and it is important to pay attention to the basics of glucose control. Make sure, though, to get plenty of fruits and veggies and watch your risk factors for heart disease as well.

Truth is, we do have a problem with diabetes in this country and it can lead to heartache and suffering. Still, with what we already know, we can greatly reduce death and disability and give people back normal and healthy lives. Are any of you diabetics? How have you been able to manage your disease?

It was a sound I didn't recognize at first. I batted at the smoke detector with my dishtowel (hey, I'm only 5 feet 2 - what can I do?) but then I realized it wasn't the source of the piercing tone that filled the apartment.

I finally figured it out. The carbon monoxide detector was going off. Now what?

First of all, I'm just glad to know our little monitor - previously ignored, since we didn't even realize our landlord had installed one -- works. The five young Virginia Tech students who were hospitalized after falling ill on Sunday didn't have CO monitors in their off-campus housing, according to Dr. Bret Stolp of Duke University (he's one of the docs who treated the students). Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas, often called a "silent killer." So the students, and the 18 others affected in the incident, probably had no idea there was a leak before they passed out in their sleep. (Full Story)

Back to the beeping. It made me panic. I knew that if it was the smoke detector, I could be sure there wasn't a fire because I'd smell smoke or see flames or something. But with CO, how do I know it wasn't leaking all night and that I'm not about to pass out any moment? Or potentially worse, suffer any sort of neurological damage?

The first thing you should NOT do is ignore the beeping, advises Stolp. Open all windows and turn off any appliances such as your gas-fired furnace or a running generator. And if you have any sort of symptoms such as headache, nausea, dizziness, or confusion, you must get to a hospital ASAP.

Luckily, it turns out the beeping was the monitor telling us that its batteries needed to be replaced. That's another thing too - you have got to make sure the darn thing actually works, in order for it to protect you and your family.

Have you ever had a carbon monoxide scare? What did you do, and how were you affected? Did the recent carbon monoxide scares prompt you to install a monitor in your home?

Today, students at Virginia Tech are scheduled to start their fall semester. It's hard to believe that only about four months ago 32 students and faculty were shot dead by a student who then killed himself.

My mind keeps drifting back to their seemingly idyllic college campus. I was one of the many journalists who came to Blacksburg in the days after the shooting. Now, I keep picturing the students walking along the pathways and rolling hills, trying to get back to normal, trying to get back to life as it was before the tragedy. As much as I can't help but think about that day, I wonder what it must be like for the students who so proudly call themselves Hokies.

Do any of them suffer from flashbacks, intense memories, nightmares, or even terror? How many of them will deal with post-traumatic stress disorder?

PTSD is a complex condition. According to the latest research, one out of every 10 people will develop it in their lifetime. Patients can also suffer from outbursts of anger, emotional numbness, sleep disturbances, depression, anxiety and sometimes survivor guilt. Often, the symptoms are triggered by sights, smells or sounds that remind a person of the trauma.

It's no surprise that most people who endure a traumatic event suffer from some symptoms of PTSD, but the effects will often subside. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, about 8 percent of men and 20 percent of women go on to develop PTSD and roughly 20 percent of those people develop a chronic lifelong form of it. The condition is associated with other ailments such as increased risk of heart disease in men.

In terms of children, Stanford researchers found that severe stress can damage a child's brain. They looked at children suffering from PTSD as result of severe abuse and found that they often suffered a decrease in the size of the hippocampus - a part of the brain involved in memory processing and emotion. What's even more startling is that this effect on the brain may make it even harder for them to process normal stress for the rest of their lives.

These days, more and more money and attention is being directed towards PTSD research, due in great part to the war. As troops come home from Iraq and Afghanistan, as many as 13 percent are found to have PTSD. There can be thousands more whose conditions go undiagnosed.

Do you or anyone you know suffer from post traumatic stress disorder? Do you think a person can ever fully recover? Do you think more attention needs to be paid to PTSD and other mental conditions?