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Tanning

Just wondering what people think about using sunless tanning as an anti-depressant. Dr. Mercola said it can be done safely, and sun's not supposed to be harmful if you're eating raw. I have been going, it does positively impact my mood, but I don't want to turn all orange and crinkly. I feel a lot better when I tan. Does anyone else do this for health purposes? Any positive/negative experiences? Thanks! Emily

Comments

  • Hey, anyone have an opinion about this? I had some people comment today on my mood (I'm usually really grumpy at work, but since this school year started I've been more upbeat- due to raw food and vitamin D, maybe?) and I told them I thought it was because I went tanning. They said isn't that an oxymoron, you eat healthy but you go tanning? And I told them that, supposedly, if you're eating raw food you have fewer free radicals which cause the harmful effects of the sun in the first place, so it's supposed to be healthy. Just thinking out loud. Input would be cool.

  • My doctor actually recommended that I go during the winter to help combat S.A.D. I did not do it last year, but I may give it a try this year.

  • Just to keep the discussion going- do you mean like a tanning bed? (you said sunless). I know that they have been known to give you skin cancer just as much as outdoor sun.

    Are you "baking yourself" or just getting a little bit of "sun". Like many things, I think amount has a lot to do with damage. I can attest to getting outside in the sun a bit each day for helping moods. I try to get outside and walk every day. Sometimes I wear a hat (if it's really sunny), but it really does help the mood.

    I don't sun bath though. I have light skin, and I don't care to get skin cancer. I know I have heard many claims that people who eat raw won't get skin cancer (and many other claims as well). I take a lot of those claims with a grain of salt (sea salt manybe?). I don't believe ONLY diet causes diseases. I also don't believe diet along can protect you from all of them.

    Just my thoughts.

  • I mean tanning beds... I know it's unhealthy to burn so I've only been doing it for a short time, not burning on purpose. I have darker (olive) skin that tans easily. I agree that diet alone can't prevent disease... but I think it's a big part. I'm going to keep doing this every once in a while and also get a light box for at work... Haven't tried that before either but I get SAD in the winter, which sucks... Thanks for sharing!

  • miranimalmiranimal Raw Newbie

    I was seeing a therapist during the winter time a few years back and she suggested that the mood-boosting component of the sun isn't about UV rays on your skin but the sun's lux hitting your eyes. So, per her suggestion, I went for a walk everyday in the wintertime (yes, braving the crazy Lake Effect Michigan snow) WITHOUT wearing sunglasses so that the sun would reach my eyes. It helped me a lot and now for my mood I try to get outside everyday, regardless of the season. Being outside and learning to enjoy all of the crazy weather has helped me to see more things and gives me time to be alone and reflect. All you need is twenty minutes!

    alexisp
  • I have always felt that straight sunshine for 20 mins a day is the best!! Also do not wash with soap a small area or it washes off the effects,plain water is ok but leave a small area that was exposed to the sun with no soap! HTH Jodi

  • sv3sv3 Raw Newbie

    I heard that using a sunbed only a couple of times a year increases your risk of skin cancer by 800%. I have never been on one since.

    I do love the sun though and really struggle in winter time. UK winters are a a pile of poo.

  • I avoided the sun all my life.. then at 26 I tried a tanning bed and loved it... I tanned for about 3 yrs , then stopped due to the expense.. etc.... and now just at age 35 I can see the sun damage, ( talk about Depressing!!!! ha!) more lines than I should have around the eyes, a few age spots starting... now I kept a TAN.. going 2 or 3 days a week. Never burned though....

    my aunt was also a tanning bed user for about 5 yrs... then had a cancer removed from her face at only 41! yikes!

    So... now if I feel the need for some color I use self tanners... You won't turn orange if you use them right.

    I can get a REALLY nice dark tan useing the Loreal tan towels and Dove energy glow lotion on alternate days... lately I've just not felt the need for a tan... but if I do, a nice one is just 2 days away! in 4 days I look like I've been to the beach!lol! seriously!! Self tanners are really great when you get it right!

  • FortuneFortune Raw Newbie

    This is one topic in which I 'sit on the fence'. I agree that sunshine is healthy in many ways, but it can also be harmful in excess (but that is true of many things).

    Sun beds and real sunshine are MUCH different. The positive effects of getting 20-30 min a day of sunshine are not to be confused with laying in a sun bed for 8 minutes. Real sun is, well....REAL, and a sun bed is just lamps, so obviously the health effects are not going to be the same. Kinda like the difference between having a balanced, raw lifestyle, or just eating a lot of veggies.

    Another important point about sun - as Miranimal said, exposing your eyes (specifically the retina) to the sun is important for proper vitamin D absorption, so take those sun glasses off once in a while!

  • ClaireTClaireT Raw Master

     I'm a sun worshiper, in moderation. It's hard to replace the real thing. The sun has so many benefits. 

  • VanessaEvansVanessaEvans Raw Newbie
    ClaireT said:

     I'm a sun worshiper, in moderation. It's hard to replace the real thing. The sun has so many benefits. 

     I absolutely agree with you Claire.

    ClaireTalexisp
  • emmajasmineemmajasmine Raw Newbie

    Hi,

    Sunless tanning is about achieving that extra glow that enhances your skin color, it’s not meant to darken your complexion. There are multiple factors that can come from achieving a natural-looking, sun-kissed glow. Exfoliating your skin is key in preparing to use your tan and ensures there’s a dry layer of skin for the tan to develop. Dead, dry, and uneven skin can lead to a splotchy, uneven tan. So, Sunless Tanning is not a dangerous thing. 

    Thanks

     

     

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