Same Old Same Old.....

'Tis the season to be jolly…... and so like many others, I am reminiscing on things that have happened over the last year; and better still, about those old traditions that I grew up with in England and while they might be old, I still enjoy them! There’s no denying it, given half the chance, I would be back there like a shot to celebrate the Festive Season. So no matter that is 'same old', it is a same old that i, and millions of others enjoy.

Now, to a 'same old, same old' that I am getting totally fed up of hearing, is the anti-tanning brigade’s sunbed bashing scheme. Sadly, we are lumped together with the dross of the industry, then to add insult to injury, we are publically trounced by so called dermatology ‘experts’ who have their facts inexplicably wrong, but because they hold a medical/scientific qualification, we are expected to hang on their every word and believe every verbal utterance that spouts forth from their mouths. Sadly, the public/media have become so engrossed in their rhetoric they assume (incorrectly), they must be right. Of course, the media don’t ask them to explain or prove their findings – ‘they are qualified they must be right’ they say!

This leads me to answering something I have been asked recently: 'do sunbeds really give you vitamin D'. After such drivel that they don't has been blasted all over every newspaper and news programme in NZ of late – I will answer honestly and with pride; you see I do have to be accountable for what I say; and yes, I also have to provide backup for what I say – why? Because I own a sunbed studio of course, so I must be wrong – right? I will lay down the gauntlet of fact and let you judge for yourselves…..

The latest statement emanating from our screens by a so called local ‘dermatology-UV light-sunshine-vitamin D-expert’ claims that vitamin D is diminished by sunbeds – and thus you can't get vit D from a sunbed. This is absolutely, utterly, totally WRONG – these are the facts of nature:
Studies show/prove UVB light produces vitamin D and UVA light diminishes excess vitamin D in the skin. This is a natural process that helps the body regulate vitamin D production. Making the assumption that sunbeds do not emit UVB and only emit UVA (and subsequently diminishing vitamin D production) is factually wrong and is purely a scaremongering tactic!

To show this is a false assumption:
More than 90% of sunbeds emit 95% UVA and 5% UVB just like sunlight. Scientific studies have shown that indoor tanners have 90% higher vitamin D blood levels than non-tanners.
Studies have also shown that a single sunbed session can help the body produce 10 - 20,000 IU of vitamin D. Many doctors are referring their patients to indoor tanning salons (including megaSun studios) to increase their vitamin D blood levels.
As a point of interest, I have been personally involved in Vitamin D depletion and I have tested out the theory of supplementation vs controlled sunbed exposure – guess which one gave me the highest levels – yes the sunbeds. (I have skin type 2 and don’t tan outdoors as I burn but I never ever burn on a megaSun sunbed and I am no longer vit D deficient!!!! (note there is a difference between deficiciency an dinsufficiency but that is for another blog).

Professor Johan Moan has just won the prestigious Norway Award for his study: Sunbeds as vitamin D sources: a short extract of the results follows:
The sun bed sessions raised the 25(OH)D levels from typical winter values to typical summer values. For the purpose of maintaining a summer level through the winter, when no vitamin D is produced by the sun in northern countries, one should consider a significant increase of the recommended intake of vitamin D intake, and to encourage the population to get moderate, non erythemal sunbed exposures.
Congratulations to Johan for being an independent professor – not paid for by sunbed owners for his invaluable lifetime studies into vitamin D.

The 'same old, same old' anti-tanning, anti-sunbed message has gone too far and it is time for the general public to ask the so called ‘expert dermatologists’ to be accountable for what they say and face the embarrassment of 'proving' what they say is true when it goes in the face of ALL current scientific fact – especially when all they really want is to have sunbeds exclusively for their surgeries as ‘phototherapy beds’ and then they can have ALL the revenue that sunbed operators currently have as wages.

There are other issues to address, but I will save them for 2011. Till then dear readers and to our faithful clients at megaSun, the megaTeam wish you all the very best for Christmas and the coming year – and please remember if you are in a sunny climate, smart tan; have moderate sun exposure and a non-burning fashion is paramount!
Enjoy your holidays!

How Influential Are The Words I Have Just Chosen?

CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY!

If you think about it, it is human nature to be influenced by language and expression; far more than we consciously realise, especially when words appear to have a melodramatic or scandalous story or headline attached. This is even more so if the words are written down. For example, which article are you much more likely to be drawn towards if you saw these in a newspaper: male 63 accused of touching young girl as she falls off her bike – or – male 63 commended for saving young girl as she falls off her bike. The first one suggests there is much more likelihood to be drama or a sensationalised story involved. And so it has been with the sensationalising of sunbeds and their uses. Newspapers, magazines and TV programmes would be too dull an boring if the real facts were dished out; but if you can throw in words such as addiction, the audience is likely to be more riveted and will buy in or tune in. However use the correct term when talking bout UV light – attraction – it won't sell!

You see that is what humans really do have – an attraction to sunlight – why? Because that is what nature intended us to do! We don’t have an addiction to the sun as those who have purported this to be the case have known for many years. So who are the so called experts who have continuously tried to scaremonger the public with their comments, tactics and false advertising? They are the dermatologists and cosmetic companies who make huge dollars out of selling chemical sunscreen. Yes, those applications used on the skin, often on a daily or even more frequent basis which are full of poisons! So wouldn’t these people have far more credibility if they had chosen their words more carefully, educated people on how to look after their skin and be smart in how they get their exposure to UVB? Yes of course it would, but how would they make excessive profits if they chose their words carefully!

The level of vitamin D deficiency is becoming pandemic across most nations – and once again some, but not all dermatologists have chosen to brush this aside and avoid giving the general public the real message. That truthful message is, how to take small, doses of UVB in non-burning moderation on a regular basis to ensure that their levels of vitamin D can be increased to a normal level. You see, the skilled, qualified sunbed operators who are well trained and use only professional sunbeds have been choosing their words carefully and teaching moderation and sunburn prevention for a very long time! At megaSun we take great care and pride in our work and our educational message – ‘small doses of UVB regularly in moderation and always avoid burning’ - and all without misconstruing words!

If Vitamin D Is So Important - What Do I need To Know And DO

If vitamin D is so important am I likely to be deficient?
The answer quite simply is yes. Vitamin D deficiency is a growing epidemic across the world and is contributing to many chronic debilitating diseases and conditions. The reasons behind this are many and continuing to increase at a rapid rate.
So called experts have mislead the public for a long time - telling us to avoid the sun at all costs and if we do go out, apply as much sunscreen as possible and keep reapplying it. This has had disastrous consequences for more people than we care to think about in numbers!
The other main reason is that people spend far more time indoors than they have ever done before.

So how do you know if you are deficient?
Simple ask your GP for a blood test called at 25(OH)D - it is the most efficient test and cheap to perform. The worry aspect is that many doctors are of the ‘old school’ thinking anywhere around 15-18ng/ml is sufficient - it quite simply is no where near what you need to function well and help to prevent diseases such as breast, ovarian and prostate cancers - not to mention a whole host of other diseases and disorders! This level is SERIOUSLY deficient! The real experts believe that even 60ng/ml is on the low side and are even recommending that some people should be in the region of 100+ depending on their circumstances, skintype, ethnic background and genetic history of diseases.

Who is likely to be in the vitamin D deficient sector of the world?
If you fall into any, some or all of the following categories - get checked out ASAP then, make sure you have regular UVB exposure in moderated, non-burning amounts. Your trained megaSun team can take you through a recognised consultation process to ensure that you do not get over exposed to the UV light and get the correct amount of UVB exposure suitable for your needs!
* At least 60 percent of patients with type 2 diabetes have vitamin D deficiency.
* Studies show very low levels of vitamin D among children, the elderly, and women.
* People who always wear sunblock, and/or who limit their outdoor activities and avoid sunshine are almost always deficient.
* Dark-skinned people make significantly less vitamin D than other skintype groups.
* Vitamin D deficiency is at epidemic proportions in adults of all ages who have increased skin pigmentation, such as those whose ancestors are from Africa, the Middle East, Asia or India
*Increasing amounts of babies are born Vitamin D deficient and continue to be so with mother applying endless amounts of chemical sunscreen to their delicate skins
This list is not by any means exhaustive and is only a few examples of who is most likley to be seriously lacking in vitamin D


Should I just buy tablets or should I have sunlight(UVB) exposure to get the best levels?
Without shadow of a doubt, all of the well known experts - including Profs Sam Shuster, Brian Diffy and Oliver Gillie as well as Frank and Cedric Garland, Michael Holick and many other leading lights on vitamin D, agree that moderate, daily exposure in a non-burning fashion, to UVB - whether by sunshine or on a quality sunbed, is the way nature intended us to produce vitamin D i.e. NATURALLY! Supplements may not always be absorbed in amount that are suitable and not every supplement is guaranteed to deliver what you think it will and some are not vitamin D3 at all (which is what our bodies need. You should NEVER try to guess your own dose of vitamin D as a supplement as it can be toxic if you take too much! Another good reason to have your dose by controlled exposure. There is really only one best way to get your vitamin D and that is the way mother nature created us to get it through exposure to Ultraviolet light!

Just some of the chronic diseases that are caused by, and/or exacerbated by lack of vitamin D3
Cancers Hypertension Heart disease Autism Obesity Rheumatoid arthritis
Diabetes 1 and 2 Multiple Sclerosis Crohn’s disease Cold & Flu Tuberculosis Septicemia Signs of aging Dementia Inflammatory Bowel Disease Eczema & Psoriasis Insomnia Hearing loss Muscle pain Cavities Periodontal disease
Osteoporosis Macular degeneration Reduced C-section risk Pre eclampsia Seizures Infertility Asthma Cystic fibrosis Migraines Depression Alzheimer’s disease Schizophrenia Fibromyalgia Parkinson's