- Story Ideas - Send Corrections July is National UV Safety
Month, but we should take steps to protect ourselves from the
sun and UV rays year-round. UV (ultraviolent) radiation is the
number one cause of skin cancer. Sunlight and tanning beds are
the two main sources of this type of radiation; and since many
of us spend a lot of time outdoors at the beach or at local
swimming pools, we need to take extra precautions and be smart
about protecting our skin and eyes. Each day, the National
Weather Service and Environmental Protection Agency calculates
the predicted UV Index -- the higher the number, the greater the
exposure to the sun’s UV rays. Our bodies need some natural
sunlight in order to obtain vitamin D, an important vitamin
needed for bone growth and maintenance. However, when going
outdoors, we need to be smart about how much sunlight we are
getting and protect ourselves when the UV Index rating is
higher. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that we seek
shade, especially during midday hours (b