There are small steps that each of us can--and should--take to avoid cancer, such as this one, recommended by That's Fit: Buy lip gloss with SPF 15 or higher. Lip gloss with sun-protecting qualities can help prevent lip cancer. I carry chap stick with SPF 15 everywhere and I find it really hand for days when I find myself unexpectedly outside -- I dab some on my nose for added protection. Sure, I can't apply lip gloss to my should, arms and legs, but it's better than nothing, right?

Another tip: use make up or moisturizer with SPF 15 too. You won't even notice you're putting on sunscreen!

A new website assesses the effectiveness and safety of almost 800 sunscreens. The suncreen screening site was put together by the Environmental Working Group and gives detailed information about many sunscreen products. It also groups them by the types of harmful rays they're meant to protect against.

SPF numbers on sunscreens only cover UVB, the type of rays most responsible for burns. UVA is far less responsible for burning, but still can raise skin cancer risk. Only one sunscreen in five has effective UVA protection. There are ingredients that protect well against UVA, but sunlight can break down and make them ineffective if they are not formulated well.

Watch out for the commonly misleading claims -- all day protection, waterproof or chemical free products. You can check the website for sunscreens that are recommended and ones to be avoided.

That's Fit blogger Jonathon Morgan wrote on May 25 about five sunscreen myths. In the spirit of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, it seems appropriate to mention this thought-provoking news here on this site.

I just heard a radio commercial about a certain sunscreen, claiming the product is so good consumers need only apply the lotion one time during an eight-hour time frame. It seems, according to the following list of myths, this is not exactly true.

Myth #1: Sunscreens protect all day.
Fact: Regardless of the SPF or what the label says, sunscreens must be reapplied every two hours because active ingredients in most products break down when exposed to the sun.

Time to test your smarts -- about sleep, sun, food, and alcohol.

Just read the following questions, pick an option and then scroll down to determine if you really know what's best for your health.

• Is it healthier to sleep an extra hour or force yourself out of bed in the morning to exercise?

• Is it healthier to spend 15 minutes in the sun without sunscreen or two hours in the sun wearing SPF 30?

• Is it better to have a second glass of wine at dinner or a sinful dessert?

I wish I could reverse the damage I've already done to my skin after too much time spent in the scorching sun, in search of a tan. It's seems unfair that a tan is so temporary -- yet its damage is everlasting. And it seems crazy that so many people are still searching for a tan -- when it has become so clear that is it so harmful.

As many as 60,000 people a year die from too much sun -- mostly from malignant skin cancer -- according to the World Health Organization (WHO). About 48,000 deaths are caused by malignant melanomas, and 12,000 deaths are caused by other kinds of skin cancer. And 90 percent of these cancers are caused by ultraviolet light from the sun. Cancer is not the only side effect of sun exposure, though -- serious sunburn, wrinkling, eye cataracts, growths on the flesh of the eye, cold sores, and other illness can result from the sun.

We all need some sun -- the vitamin D that is produced in the body by the sun helps to prevent disease and immune disorders. But too much is dangerous and sometimes deadly. Yet almost all ill effects from the sun can be prevented. And the WHO has released a report that advises people to seek shade, to use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, and to stay out of tanning salons. The report operates under the premise that sunscreens be used not to prolong sun exposure but to protect the skin when exposure is unavoidable.

The summer months are upon us which means lots of ball games, boating and fishing trips, beach vacations, and outdoor fun. That back yard swimming pool soon becomes the refuge from the heat.

Now is a great time to educate your child on the importance of lathering up with sun screen. This could keep them from getting the number one cancer in the world, skin cancer. Skin cancer is not just a cancer for the older generation. Skin cancer statistics show a rise in younger adults, teens, and children. Steps for early precautions could mean prevention.