Health
3 Healthy Habits to Protect Your Skin
Last Updated on September 8, 2025 by Daily News Staff
(Family Features) As the first line of defense against the outside world, skin is the body’s largest organ and takes on an important role in maintaining overall health. While products like sunscreen and moisturizer can help skin thrive, healthy skin starts from within where food and beverage choices can play a key role.
One example is grapes: Emerging research suggests consuming grapes may help protect healthy skin even when exposed to UV light, which is known to be damaging. A study published in the journal “Antioxidants,” in which people consumed 2 1/4 cups of grapes every day for two weeks, showed increased resistance to sunburn and reduced markers of UV damage at the cellular level.
This study reinforced previous and similar findings published in the “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.” Grapes are also a hydrating food with 82% water content; hydration is essential to healthy skin.
To take care of your skin, consider these skin-friendly health tips.
Protect Skin While Outdoors
While perhaps an obvious step to some, one of the most direct ways you can protect skin is by applying sunscreen – most experts recommend 30 SPF or higher – before heading outdoors and reapplying every 1-2 hours. Additionally, consider wearing protective clothing, such as a hat large enough to shade your face and neck. If you plan to spend extended time in the sun, opt for a lightweight, long-sleeve shirt and pants for maximum skin coverage.
Fill Your Plate with Healthy, Hydrating Foods
Nutritious foods, including fruits and vegetables, can play an important role in achieving an overall balanced diet with adequate hydration. Enjoying the goodness of fresh or frozen Grapes from California can provide extra hydration and a boost of beneficial antioxidants and other polyphenols that help protect the health and function of the body’s cells, including those in the skin.
Drink water throughout the day, and for added flavor, infuse with fruits like frozen grapes. Simply rinse, pat dry, remove from the stems and freeze the grapes for 2 hours in a single layer on a sheet pan for flavorful ice cube replacements.
For an easy, refreshing way to add grapes to your menu and stay hydrated on warm days, try this Frosty Grape Hibiscus Slush for a subtly sweet, fruity tea in frozen form.
Manage Stress
Whether it’s caused by a lengthy to-do list or general anxieties, stress can negatively impact skin health while even exacerbating certain conditions. Managing stress can offer a reprieve in multiple ways, including encouraging healthier skin. Some simple ways to relieve stress include exercising, getting enough sleep, lightening or limiting your workload, scaling back on to-do lists and making time for things you enjoy.
Visit GrapesFromCalifornia.com for more information on grapes and health and delicious recipes.
Frosty Grape Hibiscus Slush
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus freezing overnight
Servings: 6 (1 cup each)
9 hibiscus tea bags
6 cups boiling water
3 cups Grapes from California puree (green, red, black or mixture)
4 1/2 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice (optional)
Steep tea bags in boiling water. Remove tea bags and stir in grape puree, lemonade concentrate and lime juice, if desired.
Pour into ice cube trays and freeze overnight until firm.
In blender, blend until slushy, stirring as needed.
Notes: If no ice cube trays, freeze mixture in large container about 1 1/2 inches deep. Let soften slightly then break into pieces with knife before blending and serving.
Nutritional information per serving: 80 calories; 1 g protein; 21 g carbohydrates; 0 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 0 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.
SOURCE:
California Table Grape Commission
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health and wellness
The Oral and Cardiovascular Health Connection: 4 Tips to Protect Your Teeth, Gums and Heart
People often think of dentists and doctors as totally separate healthcare professionals: one cares for your teeth and mouth while the other handles the rest of the body. In reality, the different systems in the human body are closely interconnected and oral health is no exception, making dentists a vital part of your healthcare team. Care for your teeth, gums and heart all at once using these tips.
(Feature Impact) People often think of dentists and doctors as totally separate healthcare professionals: one cares for your teeth and mouth while the other handles the rest of the body. In reality, the different systems in the human body are closely interconnected and oral health is no exception, making dentists a vital part of your healthcare team.
Oral health and heart health have a particularly close connection, with inflammation at the core of it. When your gums are inflamed, the resulting bacteria can make their way from your mouth through your bloodstream, potentially contributing to your blood vessels constricting or becoming blocked. This, in turn, may force your heart to work harder and raise your blood pressure, putting you at risk of heart disease and stroke. More than 46% of adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure, and more than 40% of adults age 30 and older are affected by periodontal (gum) disease.
To help address these issues, the American Heart Association’s Healthy Smiles, Healthy Hearts initiative, in collaboration with Delta Dental of California, is encouraging dental teams to take a total-body perspective with their patients. Simple steps like blood pressure screenings during checkups can give a more complete picture of a person’s overall health. If a member of your dental care team pulls out a blood pressure cuff at your next appointment, it’s a good sign.
“The mouth is a gateway to the body and can often reveal more about your total body health than you may think,” said Daniel Croley, D.M.D., chief dental officer at Delta Dental of California and Affiliates. “Oral health professionals have a powerful opportunity to integrate more into their patients’ collective health care team beyond protecting their patients’ teeth By connecting oral health and heart health, this initiative helps dentists identify risks early and guide patients toward care that can improve and even save lives.”
Care for your teeth, gums and heart all at once using these tips from experts at the American Heart Association.
Follow a Brushing and Flossing Schedule
Good dental health starts with a daily routine. If you don’t want to sheepishly cringe next time the dentist inquires about yours, brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day to disrupt plaque-forming bacteria. Dentists recommend using toothpaste with fluoride and brushing your teeth and gums thoroughly yet gently, as applying too much pressure can wear away enamel and cause gum recession.
Eat a Healthy Diet and Limit Sugar
Most kids are used to hearing sugar will rot their teeth – and that’s not just a parental scare tactic to get their little hands out of the candy jar. Sugar feeds harmful bacteria in your mouth, producing acid that can cause cavities and gum disease. For a diet your heart and teeth will both appreciate, prioritize vegetables, lean proteins, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, while limiting added sugars and refined carbohydrates.
Avoid Smoking and Tobacco Products
The connection between smoking and oral disease is well established: smokers face significantly higher risks of developing periodontal disease, losing teeth or being diagnosed with oral cancer. Cigarettes aren’t the only form of tobacco to worry about, either. Vaping, dipping and chewing tobacco can also harm your dental health by drying out your mouth and restricting blood flow to the gums. Since these products are also harmful to heart health, quitting or avoiding them offers plenty of worthwhile benefits. Seek support if you need help to kick the habit.
Communicate with Your Healthcare Team
Since your body’s systems are connected to each other, it’s helpful to talk to your dentist about your blood pressure and to your doctor about your oral health. Start thinking of your dentist as a key member of your integrated healthcare team. Don’t be afraid to share your medical history, discuss the side effects of any medications you’re taking and ask for personalized recommendations on caring for your teeth, gums and overall health.
To learn more about how to improve your oral and cardiovascular health, visit Heart.org/OralHealth.
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock
SOURCE:
5 Habits to Boost Immunity During Cold and Flu Season
(Feature Impact) Your immune system is your strongest ally during cold and flu season, working hard to keep you healthy as you start hearing those telltale coughs and sneezes all around. Help your body do its job well by adopting a few simple habits that naturally support its ability to fight off germs or recover faster.
Talk to your healthcare provider for personalized advice then work on making these habits normal in your household.
Get Regular Exercise
Exercise is like a wonder drug that can improve nearly every aspect of health and wellness. Physical activity increases blood flow, reduces long-term inflammation, helps immune cells circulate through the body to guard against invaders and may even flush bacteria out of your lungs and airways. Plan to fit at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise into each week, like a bike ride, brisk walk, yoga class or on-demand video workout.
Eat Foods That Support Immune Health
To keep your immune system fueled, experts recommend eating a varied diet featuring plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and healthy fats like olive oil. Consider adding fresh grapes to your diet to enjoy benefits from their naturally occurring plant compounds.
Protecting the body starts all the way down at the cellular level, and grapes contain powerful polyphenols that support the health and function of cells. Studies indicate certain compounds in grapes, like resveratrol and flavonoids, support immune system function as well as brain, skin, GI and heart health.
These little fruits are easy to add to your diet, whether you enjoy sweet, juicy Grapes from California by the handful or toss them in a blender to make this California Grape Wellness Juice recipe. Support multiple aspects of wellness with the drink’s powerful combination of fruits and vegetables, delivering a variety of immune-boosting vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water helps clean your lymphatic system, which is responsible for producing special white blood cells that fight germs. It also keeps membranes in your nose and mouth moist, decreasing infection risk. If you struggle to drink enough, eating water-rich foods like grapes also helps you improve hydration.
Practice Good Germ Hygiene
To increase your odds of staying healthy during peak illness season, hearken back to the tried-and-true hygiene advice your parents might have tried to drill into your head as a kid. Regularly wash your hands with warm water and soap, avoid touching your face while out and about, keep your distance from symptomatic people and disinfect commonly used surfaces like doorknobs when someone in the house or office is sick.
Sleep More, Stress Less
Before you start feeling stressed that you aren’t getting enough sleep, rest assured there are easy changes you can make to support your well-being in both areas. Try switching up your nightly routine to be oriented less around screens and more around calming activities that actually help you wind down, like yoga, meditation or reading.
Discover more health information and recipes at GrapesFromCalifornia.com.
California Grape Wellness Juice
Servings: 3 (1 cup each)
- 5 cups black or red Grapes from California
- 1/2 cup peeled raw beet slices
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 piece fresh turmeric (1-inch), peeled and sliced or1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- In high-speed blender, puree grapes, beet slices, orange juice, lemon juice, carrot and turmeric until smooth.
- Pour through fine mesh sieve, stirring to extract as much juice as possible, about 3 cups. Stop when mixture starts to get thick. Enjoy immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes: This juice can also be added to iced tea or fizzy water.
Nutritional information per serving: 230 calories; 3 g protein; 58 g carbohydrates; 0.5 g fat (2% calories from fat); 0 g saturated fat (0% calories from saturated fat); 0 mg cholesterol; 35 mg sodium; 0 g fiber.
SOURCE:
California Table Grape Commission
Child Health
Changing the Landscape of Childhood Cancer Survivorship
Childhood Cancer: hile “cancer” is a term no family wants to hear, especially when it comes to their children, there is reason for hope. Today, 85% of children diagnosed with cancer survive at least five years. Survival is only part of the journey, however.
Changing the Landscape of Childhood Cancer Survivorship
(Feature Impact) While “cancer” is a term no family wants to hear, especially when it comes to their children, there is reason for hope. Today, 85% of children diagnosed with cancer survive at least five years, according to the National Cancer Institute, up from 75% three decades ago.
Watch this video to learn more
“This progress is driven in large part by dedicated research,” Hyundai Hope on Wheels Board Member Kevin Reilly said. “Over the last 28 years, Hyundai Hope on Wheels has committed over $300 million in pediatric cancer research and program grants, awarding more than 1,600 grants to 210 medical institutions nationwide, impacting thousands of young lives each year.”
Survival is only part of the journey, however. Nearly half (46%) of U.S. adults believe a child ringing the hospital bell after cancer treatment means the child is cancer-free and their medical journey is largely over, according to a survey conducted by Atomik Research on behalf of Hyundai Hope on Wheels. For the children and families living through a diagnosis, the reality is far more complex.
“The reality is that healing continues long after treatment, which is why sustained investment in survivorship care is a priority for us,” said John Guastaferro, executive director of Hyundai Hope on Wheels.
Isabella Franco-Capps, 11, understands that journey firsthand. Diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 5, her journey took two years before she could say she’s “a cancer survivor.”
“I was diagnosed with b-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia,” she said. “This began my two-year-long journey of scans, pokes, chemotherapy and hospital stays. And now I’m a cancer survivor.”
Fellow Hyundai Hope on Wheels National Youth Ambassador, Jackson Trihn, 12, is using his voice to call for continued research and to bring hope to others.
“The role … is being able to share my story,” he said. “Not just to spread awareness but to spread hope to kids that need it. And awareness is so important because people don’t understand how hard pediatric cancer can be.”
Continued progress can help ensure more children ring the bell and receive the care and support they need long after they’ve had the opportunity to do so. To learn more about these efforts and how you can help, visit HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org.
SOURCE:
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