Friday, March 8, 2013

Results I've noticed from the tanning and light bed

Several of you have been asking me for updates on any changes with my skin, or effects health wise I notice from spending time in the new vitality tanning and light bed I have down at the store, so here is a quick update on a few things I've noticed.

My skin:
Everyone is asking me how long it takes to start noticing you are actually getting tan.  Pretty much all the literature and even info for regular tanning beds say it takes about 16 tanning sessions before you really start noticing a tan.  I think I've probably done 8-10 sessions over the past two and a half weeks, and I'm starting to see the color change in my skin.  I'm only doing 8 minutes at a time, so if you are doing more I'm sure you'll see progress faster.  A few days ago I was trying on some clothes, and when I looked in the mirror I noticed my legs weren't scary white!  I'm not tan by any stretch, but noticing some good color for sure.  So don't get discouraged!  It takes a little while, but all of a sudden you'll start noticing changes pretty fast!
Other than tanning, I have noticed some other changes in my skin too.  One of the main things I have noticed is acne.  Now for general purposes tanning is really good for reducing acne, and the blue light kills bacteria, and the red light improves skin tone and collagen production.  BUT  the infrared light is a pretty powerful form of detox, and my body seems to be ridding toxins through acne.  As many of you know I'm on a protocol for lyme disease right now, and my body is flushing out a lot of crap.  So while having a little extra acne is a bit annoying, the fact that it's helping my body get rid of toxins is pretty exciting!  About 1-4 hours after I tan, I notice I have a little break out.  It clears up within a day, so it's not long lasting.  I've asked several other gals that are tanning if they have noticed the same thing, and the only one who has is a friend who has very similar health issues to me and has been VERY sick lately.  So that leads me to the detox conclusion yet again.

My Body:
As far as other effects, I've noticed it drastically helping my headaches.  I have pretty bad migraines, and figured being in the bed would make them worse, since light usually does.  But after about 7 minutes in the bed, my headache was almost gone.  This has happened several times, so I'm kind of excited about it!
Also, laying in the bed I notice just my general back and leg pain being significantly eased.  Of course it is too soon to tell about long term benefits, but short term are pretty clear to me.  The first several times I noticed no difference because I could only be in the bed for a few minutes.  You have to work up to more time, so don't expect results right away.  Once I got up to 8-10 minutes is when I started noticing the pleasant effects.  The infrared is supposed to be excellent for pain relief, and in my experience thus far it's working!
For those of you who don't know, I've struggled with severe pain for years now.  I try to hide it, so most people wouldn't know.  I am on a muscle relaxer, meds for my leg pain, nerve pain meds, and just regular pain meds when it gets too bad.  I've been in several accidents, that left me with a broken tail bone, ruptured disks in my back, among other things.  As well as multiple heath issues that cause some extensive pain.   I just mention this so you know I'm not just a happy healthy 27 year old who noticed my "little bit of achy back" is a bit better.  I've dealt with some severe pain for the past while, so I'm tickled at the results I'm seeing!

My Mood:
I have a really hard time in the winters.  I'd love to say I glide through them, but that would be lying.  Ever since we moved to Idaho from Texas about 15 years ago I've struggled.  It's hard cause I hate when people blame their bad attitudes and foul moods on the weather, but SOMETHING sure changes for me in the winter.  I cry for no apparent reason, struggle to just keep putting two feet in front of the other.  Summer and sunshine come and I feel like a different person.  Soooo... with that said, I was really hoping to notice a difference with this light bed.  For the first week and a half or so I noticed nothing at all.  No improvement.  But now that I'm up to 8-10 minutes every two or three days I am starting to noticed changes.  Little things like I can stop myself when I start to cry, whereas before the tears just came.  I'm not noticing the dark weather NEARLY as much.  When its sunny it's nice, but I don't feel like a crazy lunatic starving for light!  I don't know how to describe it other than to say I'm feeling more "settled."  Those of you that struggle in the winter know what I'm talking about.  I just feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel..(or perhaps at the back of my store) and like I can survive until summer, where usually I tell Jesse Idaho has 1 month of summer and 11 months of who cares... it's not summer.

Anyway, that's all I've noticed so far.  Too soon to see any long term effects, but that's my experience with the short term.
So, for those of you using my light bed, I'd just like to say don't get discouraged until you get up to spending more minutes in the bed.  Like I said, I didn't notice any difference at all until I got up to about 8 minutes per session.  And no, for those of you wondering, no, I don't lay in it every day.  I don't even lay in it every other day.  I'm trying to do 3 sessions a week, cause that is the recommendation for people starting out, or struggling with  health issues or seasonal issues.  So don't think it will take you twice as long as me to see any results because you can't come in all the time.

I'm super excited to hear any benefits you guys might be feeling too.  Please post your comments on the page so we can all hear what you are experiencing!  It encourages us all, and also helps me with my recommendations to people asking for info about the bed.

Hope you all have a great day!  Happy tanning!

Monday, March 4, 2013

It's A Wonderful Life.... or is it?

It's seem like no matter how many movies come out with the same story line as "It's A Wonderful Life", I always feel that somehow my life must the the exception.   Surely the bad things that I work so hard on, and the past that I wish could be erased, or the prayers that go for years unanswered are the things that keep my life from being what it is supposed to be, not in fact the cornerstones that hold up everything that is good in my life today.  I know, I know, all the movies say it's not true.  If all the "bad" things were suddenly gone, it would somehow upset the "balance" of life and some colossal chain of events would alter my thinking forever and I would end up completely bewildered with what I wished my life could be, and be left in a miserable heap begging for my "old life" back.
But the reality of day in day out life is never that sudden revelation that all is well, or that life altering visit from ghosts of Christmas past.
For me it is my health.  I can't remember a time when I actually felt good and didn't hurt.  It seems normal to have to plan everything day to day because of the uncertainty of how I will feel.  To one day feel fine and the next not be able to walk up a few stairs, or even dress myself.
I look at my life now, and I think how amazing life would be if only I felt better.  If my whole life didn't revolve around not getting too tired so my body collapses, or constantly having to limit even the fun stuff so as not to "overload the system."  Looking at it from my perspective, there seems no downside to feeling good.  No horrible loss from having a healthy body.  I can't see any way my ill health has affected anyone else in any good  way, that me being healthy couldn't have accomplished.  I'm certain I would have just as much compassion, and empathy, or whatever other good things are supposed to come from hard times, if I didn't have to actually live through it.  I see it robbing me, robbing the people I love, and being a constant drain on those that mean the most to me.  I feel like I'm missing out on life.  Missing out on living.  Missing out on what it means to be young.  Missing out on "normal".... whatever that means.  Missing out on being able to answer honestly to "how are you doing?" without sounding like a grumpy old grinch.

Today Hudsen and I were sitting on the couch.  I wasn't feeling good again, so we sat and danced to music while sharing headphones, cause he though that was cool.  We sang and watched Daniel Tiger.  I listened to my ipod, gave him apples, explained to him what things were, watched his eyes light up when he found some candy in a drawer, and told him for the millionth time today "daddy is at work."
I felt sad, defeated, alone, and worthless.  I hadn't really accomplished anything important today.  A million things that "should" be done were racing through my head and leaving me feeling dark, despite the fact that sunshine was pouring through my windows.
But then I looked at Hudsen, all smiles and giggles, and I saw how happy he was that mom was there.  Right next to him.  Not doing some amazing important adult thing, just there.  Not chiding him when he spilled water all over the floor.  Not grumbling that all the toys were out, and telling him I was too busy to listen to his chatter.  And even though I didn't have a sudden rush of happiness that my life is full of pain and lots of couch time right now, I also know I won't ever get do do this over.  My little baby will never be 18 months again.  There is no way my life could be arranged better for spending time with my baby.  There is no project so amazing, no house so clean, no store so wonderful, or business so successful that would make a little boy smile like he did today.

I don't know what the meaning is behind the crappy things in life.  I still think things would be so much easier and better if I felt good.  But I do know that all the sucky things life throws our way doesn't change love.  The love we give to those around us, the love we give our family, and friends, and even complete strangers.  And feeling good, or not being in debt, or owning a home, or "living our dream", could never make us feel more loved, or be more able to give love than we are right now.
Tomorrow may never come, or tomorrow may be worse than today.  I'm not trying to be a downer, that's just the way life is.  So don't wait for it.  Love today.  Live today.  It's all we have.  It's all we need.