The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released a new report that suggests new recommendations for one's daily intake of the all-important, disease fighting Vitamin D. While many people know that Vitamin D helps to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis, new studies show it may also play a large role in reducing risks for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

While current guidelines set by the Institute of Medicine call for 200 units of Vitamin D daily, the new report suggests 400 units daily, and researcher Adrian Gombart of Oregon State University claims that no less than 800 units of Vitamin D daily is necessary for adults under 50 to remain healthy.

Most of the time people will think of substances such as milk or fish as natural providers of Vitamin D, but adults would have to drink more than 8 glasses of milk a day to get the recommended amount! So how does one get the Vitamin D needed to prevent serious diseases?

Light given off by the sun and tanning beds is the most efficient way to get the suggested daily dose of Vitamin D. The body can synthesize Vitamin D from light in order to keep your body's vitamin levels at an adequate level. Think about how plants create food through photosynthesis.

10 to 15 minutes per day in a tanning bed, such as those at Sunday's Blue Box Tanning Resorts, could be the answer to increasing your daily intake of Vitamin D, and defending against potentially life-threatening disease.

Read more about this news story here and find out information straight from the professionals at the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Labels: cancer prevention, health and wellness, healthy tanning, vitamin D

Many news outlets have published articles recently highlighting the benefits - and risks - of Vitamin D. A study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that those with the lowest vitamin D levels have more than double the risk of dying from heart disease and other causes over an eight-year period compared with those with the highest vitamin D levels. Newspapers across the country are picking up on this and are writing highlighting the correlation between decreased outdoor activity and the increased-risk of heart disease stemming from low levels of Vitamin D.

Here's a roundup of some articles we've seen published recently:

• Wall Street Journal: Defending Against Disease - With Vitamin D
  
• US News and World Report: Time in the Sun: How Much Is Needed for Vitamin D?
• Dallas Morning News: Don't run from the sun's Vitamin D benefits, experts say
  

We encourage you to read through these articles and get a better understanding about the health benefits of Vitamin D that we highlight at Sunday's Blue Box Tanning Resorts

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - The indoor tanning industry has launched a campaign blitz saying there is "no compelling scientific evidence that tanning causes melanoma." It's an ad campaign that has some health experts seeing spots over concerns about the dangers of sun exposure, including a doctor from the Huntsman Cancer Institute here in Salt Lake City.

On television and in print, the Indoor Tanning Association is trying to turn up the heat, challenging the medical establishment's view of tanning.


"The dermatologists, the sunscreen and cosmetic industries have tried to say that somehow moderate tanning causes melanoma, which is just not true," said the Association’s spokesperson, Sarah Longwell.

We showed the full-page ad claiming the tanning-melanoma link is just hype to skin cancer survivor Emily Konesky. “I don't think they're being honest at all,� Konesky said.

Two years ago, Emily fought off advanced stage melanoma – cancer she says her doctors attributed to her tanning salon habit. “Four times a week on average,� Konesky said. “It is not natural for a 19-year-old to be diagnosed with cancer that takes 30 to 40 years to develop."

The Indoor Tanning Association cites at least one medical authority who questions whether exposure to ultraviolet rays from tanning can really cause melanoma. And the industry ads go on to say tanning is actually helpful because our bodies get vitamin D from sunlight. "It's healthy to have moderate exposure to UV light,� Longwell said. “It produces vitamin D."

But experts say you can get all the vitamin D you need from your food and just a few minutes of sun a week, and that the ad is misleading.

"The ad misrepresents scientific fact,� said Dr. David Leffell of Yale Medical School. “Ultraviolet radiation from the sun and from the artificial bulbs that are used in the tanning parlors can lead to skin cancer."

Dr. Dirk Noyes of the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City agrees. "We know tanning or ultraviolet rays exposure is the most common cause why people get melanoma," Noyes said.

But the tanning industry is still fighting back. "The benefits of moderate exposure to UV light far outweigh any potential risks," Longwell said.

Doctors say there's no question, the sun 'can' do damage. For Emily Konesky, the damage was almost fatal. "I wake up every single morning and think this could be the day that the cancer could come back," Konesky said.

It's still ultimately up to parents in Utah. The state passed legislation last year stating teens under the age of eighteen need parental consent to use a tanning bed.

Read the article HERE.

Labels: dermatologists, indoor tanning, sunscreen, vitamin D

Pay partiuclar attention to the SENSIBLE SUN Section!

By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS
Read the article HERE

There's only one strategy that has been shown in experimental research to extend life span: calorie restriction. In rodents, fish, fruit flies, worms and monkeys -- eating less food makes you live longer. Of course the key to food reduction is making sure what you do eat is loaded with nutrients. Maintaining a healthy weight reduces all sorts of metabolic stresses on the body. A good place to start: try reducing calories by 25 percent a day.

Eat Less Sugar

Sugar depletes the body of important minerals needed for a smoothly functioning metabolism. It depresses the immune system, making your body less able to mount an attack on health-robbing pathogens. High-glycemic diets -- high in sugar or high in processed and refined foods like bagels which convert to sugar almost instantly -- have now been found to be associated with several types of cancer. High sugar diets raise triglycerides and increase the risk for metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease, all conditions that can potentially shorten your life.

Worry Less About Cholesterol

Cholesterol used to be considered a two-party system, the "good" and the "bad," but it's actually far more complex. LDL, so-called "bad" cholesterol, actually has a half dozen varieties -- some of which are not dangerous at all. Concentrating on cholesterol alone diverts our attention from the larger picture when it comes to heart disease risk. The ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol (it should be under 5) is a far better predictor of heart disease than overall cholesterol. And basic lifestyle modifications (giving up cigarettes, exercising and lowering your weight) have a far more profound effect on mortality than your cholesterol ever did.

Quiet Your Mind

Stress is a component of nearly every major disease. The stress hormone cortisol ages the brain by literally shrinking the hippocampus, which is essential to memory and thinking. High levels of cortisol also cause you to put on fat around the middle. The only thing that's been consistently shown to bring down stress is meditation. Taking a few minutes a day to quiet your mind, calm your nervous system, lower your heart rate and oxygenate your brain with deep breathing can pay off in health dividends beyond your wildest dreams.

Eat Fish

The omega-3's in fish are among the most heart-healthy nutrients on the planet. Eating fish is a big component of nearly every native diet that has been shown to be associated with lower rates of heart disease, the number one killer of Americans. Fish can help lower blood pressure, improve mood and feed your brain, things that are all associated with healthier (and longer) lives. Many health experts recommend at least ½ gram of fish oil a day from fish or supplements. You can meet the World Health Organization and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (WHO-NATO) recommendations by consuming two servings of fatty fish per week.

Make Connections

The longest lived and healthiest people are those with connections to something outside themselves. For over two decades, research has shown that people with few social connections are far more likely to have poor mental health, poor physical health and to die prematurely. Social support networks extend life. Taking care of someone or something outside yourself is life-extending and health enriching. People who are connected to their extended families, or to their churches, synagogues or communities, or who spend some time volunteering and helping others rate themselves as happier, more satisfied and more fulfilled.

Check Your Levels

Doctors don't routinely check homocysteine levels, but they should. According to some experts, the lower your homocysteine, the better off you are. A level of 9umol/L or less is generally considered optimal. Those with dangerously high levels of homocysteine have a 50 percent greater risk of heart attack. And 40 percent of deaths due to stroke are associated with high homocysteine. The good news is it's a cinch to bring your levels down by supplementing with three B vitamins -- folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.

Exercise Regularly

There's no better anti-aging strategy in the world than daily exercise.
In some studies, it's been found to be as effective against depression as an anti-depressant. It strengthens bones, keeps muscles toned, improves flexibility, increases circulation, lowers blood pressure and improves blood sugar control. And it keeps oxygen flowing to the brain, heart and lungs. And according to new research, regular exercise can not only increase the ability of the brain to function, but it can actually increase its size. The best
anti-aging exercise program incorporates both cardiovascular and weight training to keep your muscles strong, toned and youthful, help control your weight and keep your metabolic rate humming.

Lower Inflamation

When you stub your toe, chemicals in the body rush to the injured area, filling it with fluid and surrounding the injured areas with chemicals that can help fight infection. That's inflammation -- and it's part of the healing process. Problem is, many of us are walking around in a chronic state of low-grade inflammation. That's not good. The dark side of inflammation is that it can damage arteries, nerve cells and the immune system. Inflammation is a component of every degenerative disease including Alzheimer's, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. What to do? Eat fruits, vegetables and fish! The phytochemicals and omegas found there serve as powerful, natural anti-inflammatories, lowering the risk for cancer, heart disease and other diseases of aging.

Sensible Sunlight

Vitamin D is one of the most underrated vitamins in the world. Your body makes it, but only when you're exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D enhances performance, fights cancer and builds bones. Older adults who don't get enough are at increased risk for both poor physical performance and for disability. It's possible -- but difficult -- to get enough vitamin D from food. We need the sun. For most Caucasians who are living where there is sunlight, exposing 10 percent of your body a couple times a week is enough to get your vitamin D requirement. Darker people or people who live in the northern latitudes need more. Don't be sun phobic. Sensible sun could extend your life.

Drink Up

Red wine contains resveratrol a compound that's been found in research to extend life. It's the ultimate anti-aging nutrient. Resveratrol is also found in the skins of dark grapes, as well as in peanuts. A ton of research has shown that moderate drinking -- no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink per day for women -- is good for the heart and circulatory system. But remember -- alcohol is addictive for many people, and drinking is a major cause of preventable death. Women drinkers especially should make sure to also supplement with folic acid, as even one drink a day can increase the risk for breast cancer if you're folic acid deficient.

Labels: live longer, sensible sun, slow aging

A new study indicates that at least 2,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D3 -- which is currently considered the upper limit of intake -- are needed to ensure adequate blood levels of the vitamin for post-menopausal African-American women.

Over 200 women took part in this three-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, which adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that there is an urgent need to review current recommended daily intake levels of the vitamin.

Vitamin D3 is produced in the skin during exposure to sunlight. However, increased skin pigmentation reduces the effect of UVB radiation, meaning darker-skinned people are more at risk of vitamin D deficiency.

As much as 4000 IU per day may be required for individuals who are already deficient in the vitamin.

Sources:

NutraIngredients.com December 12, 2007
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition December, 2007; 86(6): 1657-1662

Labels: sunlight, tanning, vitamin D

Another form of cancer seems to be positively affected by the sun, according to a recent study published in the January issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The study found that lower levels of ultraviolet B (UVB) rays are associated with a higher incidence of lung cancer across 111 countries.

This study, along with many others, suggests that we need to reevaluate the amount of time we spend in the sun. While too much sun is not a good thing, too little sun isn't great either because sunlight helps the skin manufacture healthy vitamin D.

"It would be false prudence to stay out of the sun to prevent skin cancer and not get enough vitamin D," says the study's senior author Cedric Garland, a professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and participating member at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center in La Jolla, Calif.

Previous research, much of it by the same group, has found a strong association between breast cancer, colon cancer and other internal-organ cancers and living in latitudes with less sunlight. For example, one paper observed that the death rate from colon cancer in areas above the U.S. Mason-Dixon line was double that of the rates below the line, leading the researchers to focus on a lack of sunlight as the culprit. Another study linked lower levels of a vitamin D metabolite in the blood with a higher level of colon cancer.

For the current study, Garland and his colleagues looked at the association between latitude, exposure to UVB light and rates of lung cancer in 111 countries, using figures came from an extensive United Nations database.

Although smoking showed the strongest association with lung cancer, exposure to UVB light-which is greatest closer to equator-also had an impact. The study showed that lung cancer rates were highest in regions farthest away from the equator and lowest in those regions nearest to it. Higher cloud cover and aerosol use (both of which absorb UVB rays) also were linked with higher rates of lung cancer.

For men, smoking was associated with higher rates of lung cancer, while greater exposure to sunlight was associated with lower rates. For women, cigarette smoking, total cloud cover and aerosol levels were associated with higher rates of lung cancer, while sunlight was again associated with lower rates.

"Everyone should be taking vitamin D-and, at all latitudes, there's plenty of potential to make vitamin D," Garland says. "Even in Helsinki, people can take advantage of the sun in summer months."

Read the full article HERE

Labels: skin cancer, tanning truth, vitamin D

Sundays Blue Box is gearing up for 2008. Watch for emails and blog updates on our newest locations. Word is out about our 8th location opening up in Chesapeake at Indian River and Ferrell Parkway. But, it doesn't stop there! We have information on a 9th location also opening in January in Virginia Beach. The good news is this will give all of our members 9 different Sundays Blue Box Tanning Resort locations to choose from to meet all of your tanning needs.

Also new for 2008: Custom Norvell Spray Tanning! The premier airbrush tanning of the stars will be available in Hampton Roads in 2008. Our fantastic member pricing will make airbrush tanning affordable for everyone. Whether you want your entire body airbrush tanned or just a touch-up on the face for that big night out, we can accommodate you.

Sundays Blue Box will be delivering airbrush tanning 2008.

Labels: airbursh tanning, Norvell Spray Tan