Episode Transcript
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Ivelisse Page (00:06):
Hi, I am Ivelisse
Page and thanks for listening to
the Believe Big podcast, theshow where we take deep dive
into your healing with healthexperts, integrative
practitioners, biblical faithleaders, and cancer thrivers
from around the globe.
(00:34):
Welcome to today's episode onthe Believe Big Podcast.
My name is Ivelisse Page andit's always a pleasure to be
able to spend this time withyou.
Today's guest is a woman whosepersonal story and professional
mission aligned beautifully withwhat we value here at Believe
Big, healing the whole personthrough innovative hope-filled
(00:56):
solutions.
Connie Zack is the co-founderand CO CEO of Sunlighten, the
leading company in infraredlight therapy and wellness
saunas.
Connie's journey began over 20years ago when she and her
husband Aaron, saw her brother'slife transform after using
infrared therapy during a longbattle with chronic illness.
(01:19):
That experience sparked apassion to share this healing
technology with the world.
With a background inpharmaceuticals and a heart for
service, Connie has helpedpioneer science-backed,
non-invasive solutions thatsupport detoxification, immune
strength and recovery, makingSunlighten a trusted name in
(01:41):
complimentary wellness.
Welcome to the Believe Bigpodcast.
Connie.
Connie Zack (01:45):
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
I, as I was saying before westarted, I love what you're
doing and the name of BelieveBig I just, I love it so much
about, who I am and what I standfor.
And as well as our goal is tobring light hope and happiness,
and that's part of what you'redoing.
So this is great to be here.
Ivelisse Page (02:04):
Aw, well thank
you.
So we always love to start ourpodcast with our guest's
favorite health tip.
And I know you probably haveseveral, so could you share one
with us?
Connie Zack (02:15):
Well, my favorite
tip is what's behind me.
Ivelisse Page (02:21):
I figured.
Connie Zack (02:21):
Yeah, that's my
sunlighten.
Oh, I love it so much.
It, spending time in mysunlighten sauna.
I have the mPulse.
I actually have the mPulse, andI also have the Solo, but the
impulse has, the red and nearand far and mid, as well as the
tablet with six programs.
So that would be my number onetip.
Ivelisse Page (02:42):
Okay.
I love it.
I agree.
I agree.
And I was gonna share this laterin the episode, but I've had one
of your saunas since 2014 and Istill use it oh, several times a
week.
It's amazing.
And I have the Belief sauna, myhusband gave me the Belief
sauna.
He goes, that would be the mostappropriate one.
I love that.
Yeah, we, we both really enjoyit.
(03:04):
So, Connie, take us back to yourbrother's health journey and how
Infrared Sauna Therapy reallychanged his life.
Connie Zack (03:12):
Yeah, so it was a
long time ago and I'm very
thankful that, um, my brother'sdentist recognized what was
going on in his body, which wasthe fact that these mercury
fillings were leaking into hisbody and causing him to be so
terribly sick.
He had chronic fatigue.
He had vertigo, he had pain.
(03:32):
It was very hard for him tofunction.
It was literally just, stayed inbed, he couldn't do anything and
his dentist said that infraredlight and heat, uh, can
potentially detoxify the body.
And so that is how my brothergot started and my brother
bought an infrared sauna.
I watched him change his lifeand then I changed mine and
(03:54):
jumped off, you know, a cliff Ialways say and jumped out of a
plane without a parachute.
When I left my corporate job atP G and decided to spend the
rest of my um, career helpingpeople heal themselves
naturally.
And as I said, our mission is tobring light, hope, and happiness
to people everywhere.
Ivelisse Page (04:15):
Wow.
So your background inpharmaceuticals is really unique
for a wellness entrepreneur.
Connie Zack (04:22):
Yes.
Ivelisse Page (04:23):
How has that
shaped how you approach the
development and credibility ofSunlighten products?
Connie Zack (04:29):
Yeah.
That's a great question.
So our vision was to take thethings that we really valued
about how I had been trained atP G and it's such a great
company, and take that andincorporate that into Sunlighten
and, and then put our own, youknow, our own heart into it and
(04:50):
decide what are our values andwhat are the things that we're
gonna stay true.
to.
And then being true is ournumber one values is being
transparent and true and honest.
And that's how you, in myopinion, that's how you build
trust.
And trust to me is just, it's soimportant.
So just, you know, staying trueand, staying focused on the
(05:11):
values and taking it one day ata time.
That's probably the best adviceI could give anybody who's
starting their own business,it's not, not to get too far
ahead of yourself, not to, um.
You know, be worried aboutthings.
Just follow your heart and goodthings will happen.
Ivelisse Page (05:29):
Yes, I agree.
And so can you walk us throughthe different types of infrared?
I know there's near, there'smid, there's far.
And how do each of thosecontribute to wellness?
Connie Zack (05:40):
Yeah, I love the
spectrum.
Infrared, it's a spectrum withinthe spectrum of light that comes
from the sun.
The majority of the sun's raysare in the infrared spectrum,
and it can really be dividedinto three ways.
We kind of give a little bit ofa fourth to red because people
don't understand that near and,um, and near and red are so
(06:02):
similar.
So the, the three slash fourwave links of infrared are far,
mid, near, and then red.
And the way they break down isfar is the coolest of all of the
wavelengths.
It's the longest wavelengththat's absorbed deep into your
(06:24):
cells, and it works with yourwater molecules and all of your
mitochondria deep into the body.
It helps to increase your coretemperature and set off this
biochemical cascade of wonderfulthings in all the body systems.
There isn't any system that'snot impacted by infrared
specifically with far, and whileI'm on far, it's really
important that people understandfar is really the foundation of
(06:47):
the infrared spectrum.
If you could only do one, um,out of the four, we'll call it
really three, uh, you would dofar.
Mid is a really adjunct, ahelper to far.
It's a little bit hotter.
It doesn't, it's not absorbed asdeep.
It's excellent for musclerecovery and, um, helping to
(07:08):
increase circulation, help withweight loss.
And the near and red are, well,near as invisible, but both of
those are the hottest parts ofthe wavelength of the spectrum
of infrared.
So you need to convert thatlight and heat into LEDs in
(07:31):
order to receive it effectively.
So you can't get it.
I mean, you can get a little bitby heat, but to get the highest
quantity and to be the mostefficient delivery, you need to
convert it to LEDs.
And near, and it is really greatfor helping to, um, stimulate
your mitochondria, giving yourbody more cellular energy,
(07:54):
helping with the skin, boostingcollagen, elastin, helping with
fine lines and wrinkles,changing scar tissue, uh, wound
healing and red is, has similarbenefits.
Red doesn't go as deep.
So back 2008 so however long agothat was when we created mPulse,
we put near infrared in firstbecause it penetrates the
(08:17):
deepest.
And all the scientists that wewere working with said that's
the one to do.
Over the years, people didn'tunderstand that it's invisible
light.
You know what you can't see.
They couldn't have, they justcouldn't wrap their minds around
that.
So we added the red light, um,in conjunction with the air.
Ivelisse Page (08:35):
Yeah, I think one
of the, that's fascinating.
It really is fascinating to methe, the science behind it and,
you know, in the Belief one thatI have, I love that you guys
have a program, um, that you canjust click on.
So I always do the detox.
My husband sometimes does theheart health.
Um, so there's differentprograms, so it automatically
sets for you as the time thatyou need to be in there.
(08:58):
And the near, mid and farwavelengths are distributed
accordingly to the program.
So I love that you've alreadyset that for us and made it
super easy.
But how do the infrared saunasdiffer from, say, a regular hot
sauna that someone walk in at,at a spa?
Connie Zack (09:15):
Infrared is energy.
I call it energy medicine.
And the way that infrared workswith the body is it bypasses the
air and it goes directly intoyour body.
So the far and the mid isabsorbed you into your cells in
different places, as Imentioned.
And then the near and the redpenetrates the skin so it, it
(09:36):
works directly with your cells.
It like really supercharges yourcells.
Traditional heat, you get hotbecause the air is hot, so it's
a transfer of heat versus thisis a transfer of energy into
your body.
Ivelisse Page (09:51):
Yes, yes.
Like when I go into the saunasat a gym or at a spa, I can
literally be in there for like10 minutes and I'm like, okay, I
need to get out.
When I sit in my Sunlightensauna, I can sit in there all
day pretty much, but I wouldn'tbecause I follow the program.
But, um, you're, you'resweating, but it's not
uncomfortably hot to whereyou're uncomfortable, so.
(10:14):
Correct.
I know.
I really love that.
Connie Zack (10:16):
Yeah.
We always say that it should be,um, enjoyed not endured.
Ivelisse Page (10:20):
Yes, yes.
And so how does Sunlighten'stechnology differ from other
infrared saunas on the market?
I mean, you guys were one of thefirst out there and all those
years ago, and now it seems likeeveryone's popping up with an
infrared sauna.
So how is yours different andwhat innovations are you most
proud of?
Connie Zack (10:40):
Yeah, so the number
one difference would be, well,
there's a lot.
So as, as I say number one, I'mlike, um, it's probably not
number one, but the quantity ofthe infrared wavelength getting
absorbed into your body, that'swhat's really, really super
important.
And that's what changes yourcells and changes everything in
(11:02):
your body.
And so you want as high of anabsorption.
If you think about food or amultivitamin or supplements,
when you're looking, you wannaget the ones that are the most
readily absorbed up to thehighest quantity, right?
'cause you don't want waste.
And it's the same thing withinfrared.
You don't want waste.
(11:22):
And so we have developed andpatented the highest absorption
on the market of infrared, sonobody can bring out a higher
quantity than Sunlighten.
So that's a, a really huge, hugebenefit.
As far as innovation to answerthat part, I'm super proud.
It was very painful.
Took a lot of arrows in the backand had many difficult years.
(11:45):
Uh, 10, 15, 12, a long time ago.
Um, but it was when we developedmPulse and we worked with
scientists from all over theUnited States on learning about
the spectrum.
Before mPulse there was reallyjust far infrared on the market
and, and even far infrared,there wasn't high quantities of
(12:05):
far infrared.
So we really learned how tomaster the absorption and then
separate out and, uh,mid-infrared into a separate
heating, um, emitter so that youcan get you know, far infrared
separately than mid-infraredseparately than near infrared,
which we delivered by LEDs.
(12:27):
And when we first started, ourearly LEDs were like super tiny
is that's just all we knew atthe time.
And now we've learned how toexpand and make them bigger and
deliver higher quantities.
So it's more power.
You know, and then of course,you know, the, the, the red
light.
And so being able to have thosefour wavelengths independently
isolated, but then also thebeauty of then, like, as you
(12:49):
said, with the programs,blending them all together.
And then we've done the hardwork.
We have the brains, you know, inthe technology where it pulses.
And, and has frequency indifferent programs, you know,
based on science.
So depending on, you know, whatyou're looking for.
Like I love the pain reliefprogram myself.
I love cardio.
If I don't get in a run, it'sgetting pretty hot here right
(13:12):
now, so it's nice to be able togo inside and, and turn on the
cardio program and get a really,really great session.
Ivelisse Page (13:19):
Yes.
I completely agree.
And so I'm very sensitive toEMFs and, you know, everyone at
Believe Big knows it.
Uh, and so one of the thingsthat I love about your saunas is
that they're very low in EMFs.
Can you share about that?
Connie Zack (13:33):
Yeah, it's really
important to us, and it started
at the very, very beginning whenwe first started our first
sauna, is we wanted to haveshielding as much as possible
because when we got into this tohelp people be healthier.
And so we wanna do everything wecan to protect them, keep them
safe, while providing them thehealing power of infrared.
(13:55):
And in order to do that, youneed to find ways to eliminate
as much as possible, EMF.
And we have done that.
It's been an evolution over theyears, but uh, we've finally
been able to cancel outvirtually all of the EMFs so
that when you're in there,there's virtually no EMS at all.
Ivelisse Page (14:16):
That's great.
That's great.
What does the current researchsay about the health benefits of
infrared light?
Have there been any clinicalfindings that you know, really
excite you all?
Connie Zack (14:26):
I get excited,
gosh, about all of them.
I love all of the heart healthstudies.
There's a ton of studies on thecardiovascular system and how it
can help save lives.
You know, there's a great studyshowing that people who used
infrared had a 50% reduction indeath in cardiovascular events
and hospitalization.
(14:47):
So that's, you know, I mean,super exciting.
Um, results.
Depression and mental health isreally important to me.
Helping people have the bestmindset.
I think that so much to beinghealthy is how you frame your
brain and what you do to helpframe your brain.
(15:07):
And there's a lot of studies on,on depression, anxiety, and
brain health, cognitivefunction, sleep, skin
rejuvenation, increased energy,relaxation.
Those are some of the most, youknow, ones that get me excited.
Ivelisse Page (15:26):
That's great.
Yeah, and if you have some ofthose links, we would love to
put them in the show notes.
Of course.
For those who, who love thescience and looking it all up.
So that would be great.
Connie Zack (15:34):
Yeah, I'd be happy
to.
I love the science too, sospeaking to the same, same
party.
Believe Big (15:40):
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listening to the Believe Big
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Ivelisse Page (16:37):
Yeah.
So what are your top tips forsomeone looking to incorporate
infrared therapy into theirhealing and wellness routine?
Connie Zack (16:44):
Yeah, so get
started.
So that's my number one, is, youknow, the time is now.
And if you can't do mPulse, as Imentioned, that's okay, start
with far infrared.
So we have a Solo.
I love that product so much.
It's easy.
It's literally pressing the easybutton, and you'll be so
thrilled with how you feelafterwards.
(17:04):
So, um, so get started.
Start low and slow.
Listen to your body, stayadequately hydrated before,
during, and after, and thenreplenish your electrolytes.
Ivelisse Page (17:20):
What does low and
slow mean?
Because that can mean a lot fordifferent people.
Connie Zack (17:23):
Yeah.
I would start with about 10minutes and start at a low,
just, you know, I wouldn't, forexample, I, I would turn it on.
I would get in and I would haveyour body get acclimated to the
infrared energy and see how youfeel.
You're gonna feel great.
I know that, but everybody is ata different place in their
(17:47):
wellness journey.
And so check in with your body,see how you feel.
Do you feel like, oh mygoodness, I would love to stay
in here longer, you know, and,and then have your body respond
to that the next time.
I love so much hearing people'sstories about how they use it
and what they do.
'cause people, you know, arecreatures of habit and they have
their routine and I love hearingthat.
(18:07):
And you'll find your routine.
The most important thing is toget started.
Ivelisse Page (18:11):
Yes.
And, the reason low and slow isimportant.
Is it because if you stay inthere too long, especially the
first time you're detoxing, andit could make you not feel well,
um, is that one of the mainreasons?
Connie Zack (18:24):
I don't hear that
anymore.
That happened a long, long timeago.
The main reason is because you,you want, this is a really
powerful, transformative energy,right, that works with your
cells in your mitochondria.
And, um, it is going to start toincrease flow of everything in
your body.
And so you really just want tobe able to check in and how are
(18:48):
you feeling?
How is your heart rate?
Are you, are you tired?
Are you energized?
And, um, you just don't want tooverdo it.
Not the saying that infrared issomething you can overdo, but
anything you can right.
You mm-hmm.
You know that.
Since most people aren'tfamiliar with infrared, being in
an infrared sauna, especiallylike a Sunlighten sauna, that's
(19:09):
so powerful and has such a highquantity, it's best to start at
the beginning and then work up.
Ivelisse Page (19:16):
Okay.
And do you have any specificadvice for cancer patients or
survivors, when it comes tousing infrared therapy in
regards to detoxification or animmune support?
Connie Zack (19:28):
For detoxification.
What's great is in mPulse wehave a program for detox and we
also know that from studies thatit helps to remove chemicals and
heavy metals and toxicants fromthe body, which is super
important.
We also know that both farinfrared and near and red, all
(19:49):
of those help to, to stimulatethe immune function and help to
help you with your mitochondriaand strengthen your body.
Far infrared really helps toincrease your core temperature
and activate those heat shockproteins, which makes your body
stronger and then, the light ofnear infrared and red light
helps to stimulate and boost andstrengthen the body's cells.
(20:11):
So those are two ways that,infrared wavelength can really
help people.
The other thing I would say,just to build,'cause I think
this is really important, is,um, I, so off on a tangent real
quick.
So my father-in-law, so Aaron'sdad, unfortunately, passed away
to cancer before we started thebusiness.
(20:33):
And whenever I think of cancerand him, I always think about,
gosh, I, you know, wish wewould've known, right?
I wish we would've, you know,been doing this.
And I always think about how hewas just, he was like,
miserable.
He was cold.
And you feel so great afterbeing in the Sunlighten sauna
(20:53):
that your mood changes and youjust have this kind of boost of
happiness, the happy chemicals,the happy hormones that go off
in your body.
And so even if you're notchanging anything, you're
helping your, your mind andyou're helping your brain.
So I always think of like, Iwish I had the happy box back
then, you know, so that could behis place.
(21:15):
So he could go, you know, and,and relax.
And not worry and not stressand, you know, go through that
whole mental aspect.
Ivelisse Page (21:25):
Yes, yes.
There are so many therapies thathave come out now that is more
mainstream than it used to beeven a decade ago.
And so in his honor, look whatyou're doing to help so many
people in the future.
So you are in essence, you know,continuing his legacy and, and
encouraging other people thathave come after him.
So we really thank you for allthat you're doing in this area
(21:48):
of, of wellness.
And, um, one question that weget asked a lot, and I'm not
sure if this is somethingthat've been asked of you all,
is, does it help with sideeffects of conventional
treatments like chemo andradiation?
Connie Zack (22:02):
So normally we
don't ever position ourselves to
be in conjunction with cancer atall.
Do you have any specific Yes.
Examples?
Yeah.
Ivelisse Page (22:10):
Yeah.
So most of the conventionaltreatments that cause people to
have nausea, vomiting, lack ofsleep, uh, lack of energy.
And so I, I'm sure it helps withsleep.
So I was just kind of wonderingwith those treatments that
people are experiencing theseawful side effects and things
like mistletoe and other thingsthat we're helping them with
(22:31):
help to support their body.
So they don't experience that.
But have you found that theSunlighten sauna also helps with
those side effects, like thenausea or the sleep or energy?
Connie Zack (22:43):
Energy and sleep I
can specifically address because
uh, and I'm learning now overthe years, I've always known how
much it benefits both of those,but now I'm learning how the
science is connected, so it justvalidates everything that I knew
to be true, just based ontestimonials, my own experience,
(23:03):
just everything that I had read,you know.
So, but definitely increasedenergy is a, is a huge one.
That's a also a big difference.
When you asked me earlier abouttraditional saunas, that's a big
difference between thetraditional sauna output and a
Sunlighten sauna output, becausewhen I am finished with my
sauna, I have so much moreenergy.
(23:23):
I mean, I just feel so great andso happy, and just so grateful.
In a traditional,'cause I do goin traditional when I'm on trips
and I, I feel zapped afterwards.
And so it's a kind of theopposite effect.
So increased energy issignificant.
I hear people all the time.
(23:44):
In fact, I just read an articlefrom a doctor that wrote about
her experience in a, in ainfrared sauna, and she decided
to try it out because she'd beenhearing so much about it, and
her number one thing was, she'slike, I've never had such a
great night of sleep.
Ivelisse Page (23:56):
That's great.
Yes, and I've heard that fromother people as well.
And we also know that stress andinflammation play a major role
in both cancer development andrecurrence and even just chronic
illness.
How might regular infrared saunause help manage these underlying
issues for people?
Connie Zack (24:15):
Definitely for sure
helps with stress, decreased
stress because it helps toregulate your hormones and it
helps to decrease cortisol.
It also going back to thatincreased flow, because that
helps increase your oxygen toyour brain, and so you just get
this release of this burden thatis kind of weighing your body
(24:39):
down.
So you feel this, she also usedthe word, she said, I you felt
lighter afterwards.
Mm-hmm.
And you do, you feel physicallylighter, more energy and you do
not feel stressed.
And, there's a lot of, as I saidearlier, a lot of new studies
about, about depression andmental health.
And this is such a great tool,to help you be happier and feel
(25:01):
better.
Ivelisse Page (25:03):
Yes.
And is it true?
I've heard from otherindividuals, and I've tried to
do this is as soon as you'redone with your sauna, you should
shower to make sure that thethings that you're detoxing from
or releasing from your bodydon't get reabsorbed.
Connie Zack (25:17):
Yeah.
Or at least towel off.
A lot of people can't showerright away.
So just, just, you know, toweloff so that you know your body
is, doesn't just have sweat allover it.
Ivelisse Page (25:28):
Yeah.
And reabsorb it.
So one of the questions also issome oncologists are open to
complimentary therapies andwhile others are hesitant, how
would you recommend patientsbringing up the idea of an
infrared sauna with theirmedical team?
Because we always say, you know,consider checking with your, you
(25:48):
know, nothing that we'reoffering you is medical advice.
It's always important to checkfirst with your medical
professional.
So how would you recommendpatients bringing up an infrared
sauna with their team?
Connie Zack (26:01):
Yeah, I think it is
so important in medicine.
I mean, this is something Iteach for my kids constantly, is
that you have to self-advocate.
You know, I mean, nobody caresas much about your wellbeing as
you.
It's the way it should be, youknow?
And so you, you need to go tothe table, you and just show up
(26:21):
and go to the table with yourresearch.
And, you can do a ton ofresearch and you can ask good
questions and, um, but make sureand, and get involved and ask
the questions and, you know,just be the leader, be, be the
pioneer in that regard.
Ivelisse Page (26:39):
Yeah.
That's great advice.
And so as we're closing, I can'tbelieve the time is already
moved by so quickly, you know,what does the future hold for
Sunlighten?
Are there new technologies orapplications on the horizon that
you're excited about?
Connie Zack (26:54):
Oh my goodness,
yes.
Yes, yes, yes.
Always, always.
We are always looking at aroundthe corner, innovating.
We are not a product company.
We are a wellness experiencecompany.
What I am personally the mostexcited and what I really get
pumped up about is helpingpeople connect with all the
(27:16):
resources and the knowledge likeyou, Believe Big and, to round
out everything in their lifebecause it's all about this
whole body, mind, spirit, likeyour whole lifestyle.
It's not one thing or the other.
And so I wanna really helppeople enhance their wellness
experience.
We wanna, you know, enhance ourapps.
(27:38):
We've developed more apps, butit's always great to help people
with educational content andresources and podcasts and
information so that they can beeducated and make their own
decisions.
We're gonna continue to expandin the both light and heat area.
And then we just recentlyacquired Assets to Ice Barrel,
(28:00):
which is a cold plunge, uhcompany.
So we're gonna start exploringmore, uh, about contrast
therapy, and I think there's awhole area with contrast
specifically for women.
That just to help themunderstand the value of the two
and how to do it in the rightway versus these extremes that
you hear a lot about.
I don't think the extremes fromwhat I'm reading are as
(28:22):
important as shorter stents athigher temperatures.
Ivelisse Page (28:26):
Yes.
And especially for women, I wasreading that a lot of the
studies that have been done onthe cold therapy, cold plunging
has been done on men and theirphysiology is very different
from ours and that women shouldbe getting it in at higher
temperatures.
So I'm glad that you guys arestepping into that field with
your knowledge and expertise toreally encourage us
(28:46):
holistically.
Because I do know a lot of thepractitioners we work with
suggest doing the sauna and thengoing to get a cold plunge and
then going back into the saunaand doing that contrast to
really help heal and to haveoverall wellness.
So I'm glad that you guys aredoing that.
Connie Zack (29:04):
Thank you.
Ivelisse Page (29:05):
Yeah.
Well, thank you so much, Connie,for joining us.
I know that you're a very busywoman and I appreciate you
educating us more about theinfrared technology and the
therapy that's available to allof us, and I just wish you all
the best and thank you.
Connie Zack (29:21):
Thank you.
Thank you so much for having me.
I really enjoyed it.
It went so fast.
Ivelisse Page (29:32):
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this episode and you'd like to
help support our podcast, pleasesubscribe and share it with
others.
Be sure to visit believebig.orgto access the show notes and
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Thanks again and keep BelievingBig!