Level 1 Tanning Bed at Sunbanque

Last year you would have heard me say “What? Safe Tanning??? There is no such thing.” I thought anyone who went to a tanning salon had to have their heads examined.

But now I realize how important the sun is to our health, and here in the Northeast we don’t get enough during the months between Sept. and May to really boost our Vitamin D3 levels to keep us healthy.

I recently visited Sunbanque in Gloucester, MA for the first time. It was a truly life-changing experience for me. As some of you know, I suffer from chronic pain (called Central Pain Syndrome more at here) after my stroke back in 2002. When I  was in the tanning bed for all of 6 minutes, I felt such a sense of well-being. And it lasted into the day, which is rare. I didn’t even take my pain medicine that afternoon – the lingering effects of the warmth, and my own body creating it’s own Vitamin D3 from the UVB rays.

The scare for many people is that tanning beds cause skin cancer. Also, just being in the sun unprotected during the summer is a big scare for many as well. However, I have since found through research, such as on Dr. Mercola’s website, that we NEED sunshine for our health. Sunblock or sunscreen block the benefits of the sun, as well as adds harmful chemicals that add to our toxic load. See more about this at Dr. Mercola’s web site here.

So far, I have been to Sunbanque 3 times, and each session is only 6-7 minutes. I have not burned at all. People just comment that it looks like I have a little color – although I don’t see it. I just feel the benefits. And I know that for each minute in the tanning bed, it’s like taking 1,000 mgs of Vitamin D3 supplement. I’d much rather have my own body produce it’s Vitamin D3.

So, while this is just my opinion, it makes sense to me to get UVB rays in moderation during the months when the sun’s rays are not strong enough here in the Northeast. Also, it feels great! Without the sun, plant life would die, and we would certainly too.

Moderation and safety are key here. At Sunbanque I feel there is a lot of education available to keep folks safe.

Sunbanque in Gloucester

While the best sun is sitting outdoors without sunscreen or sunblock for 15-20 minutes, during these grey months of winter, I am happy to have found a way to get the much needed “sunshine” indoors at Sunbanque.

Happy Thursday, XO Lisa