Believe Big Podcast

102-Connie Zack - Sunlighten, Infrared Light Therapy Insights

• Ivelisse Page & Connie Zack

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In this episode of the Believe Big Podcast, Ivelisse chats with Connie Zack, co-founder and co-CEO of Sunlighten, a leader in infrared light therapy and wellness saunas. 

Connie shares her personal story of discovering infrared therapy through her brother’s recovery from chronic illness and dives into the science behind far, mid, near, and red infrared wavelengths—and how each uniquely supports detoxification, immune health, cardiovascular wellness, and energy.

Learn: 

  • how Sunlighten’s low-EMF, high-absorption technology sets their saunas apart, 
  • practical ways to integrate infrared therapy into daily routines, and 
  • the exciting future of contrast therapy through Sunlighten’s new partnership with Ice Barrel. 

This conversation shines a light on holistic healing, empowering everyone to self-advocate, explore complementary therapies, and take charge of their health journey.

Learn more the Sunlighten Story here:  Sunlighten

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Ivelisse Page:

Hi, I am Ivelisse Page and thanks for listening to the Believe Big podcast, the show where we take deep dive into your healing with health experts, integrative practitioners, biblical faith leaders, and cancer thrivers from around the globe. Welcome to today's episode on the Believe Big Podcast. My name is Ivelisse Page and it's always a pleasure to be able to spend this time with you. Today's guest is a woman whose personal story and professional mission aligned beautifully with what we value here at Believe Big, healing the whole person through innovative hope-filled solutions. Connie Zack is the co-founder and CO CEO of Sunlighten, the leading company in infrared light therapy and wellness saunas. Connie's journey began over 20 years ago when she and her husband Aaron, saw her brother's life transform after using infrared therapy during a long battle with chronic illness. That experience sparked a passion to share this healing technology with the world. With a background in pharmaceuticals and a heart for service, Connie has helped pioneer science-backed, non-invasive solutions that support detoxification, immune strength and recovery, making Sunlighten a trusted name in complimentary wellness. Welcome to the Believe Big podcast. Connie.

Connie Zack:

Thank you. Thank you so much. I, as I was saying before we started, I love what you're doing and the name of Believe Big I just, I love it so much about, who I am and what I stand for. And as well as our goal is to bring light hope and happiness, and that's part of what you're doing. So this is great to be here.

Ivelisse Page:

Aw, well thank you. So we always love to start our podcast with our guest's favorite health tip. And I know you probably have several, so could you share one with us?

Connie Zack:

Well, my favorite tip is what's behind me.

Ivelisse Page:

I figured.

Connie Zack:

Yeah, that's my sunlighten. Oh, I love it so much. It, spending time in my sunlighten sauna. I have the mPulse. I actually have the mPulse, and I also have the Solo, but the impulse has, the red and near and far and mid, as well as the tablet with six programs. So that would be my number one tip.

Ivelisse Page:

Okay. I love it. I agree. I agree. And I was gonna share this later in the episode, but I've had one of your saunas since 2014 and I still use it oh, several times a week. It's amazing. And I have the Belief sauna, my husband gave me the Belief sauna. He goes, that would be the most appropriate one. I love that. Yeah, we, we both really enjoy it. So, Connie, take us back to your brother's health journey and how Infrared Sauna Therapy really changed his life.

Connie Zack:

Yeah, so it was a long time ago and I'm very thankful that, um, my brother's dentist recognized what was going on in his body, which was the fact that these mercury fillings were leaking into his body and causing him to be so terribly sick. He had chronic fatigue. He had vertigo, he had pain. It was very hard for him to function. It was literally just, stayed in bed, he couldn't do anything and his dentist said that infrared light and heat, uh, can potentially detoxify the body. And so that is how my brother got started and my brother bought an infrared sauna. I watched him change his life and then I changed mine and jumped off, you know, a cliff I always say and jumped out of a plane without a parachute. When I left my corporate job at P G and decided to spend the rest of my um, career helping people heal themselves naturally. And as I said, our mission is to bring light, hope, and happiness to people everywhere.

Ivelisse Page:

Wow. So your background in pharmaceuticals is really unique for a wellness entrepreneur.

Connie Zack:

Yes.

Ivelisse Page:

How has that shaped how you approach the development and credibility of Sunlighten products?

Connie Zack:

Yeah. That's a great question. So our vision was to take the things that we really valued about how I had been trained at P G and it's such a great company, and take that and incorporate that into Sunlighten and, and then put our own, you know, our own heart into it and decide what are our values and what are the things that we're gonna stay true. to. And then being true is our number one values is being transparent and true and honest. And that's how you, in my opinion, that's how you build trust. And trust to me is just, it's so important. So just, you know, staying true and, staying focused on the values and taking it one day at a time. That's probably the best advice I 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 about things. Just follow your heart and good things will happen.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes, I agree. And so can you walk us through the different types of infrared? I know there's near, there's mid, there's far. And how do each of those contribute to wellness?

Connie Zack:

Yeah, I love the spectrum. Infrared, it's a spectrum within the spectrum of light that comes from the sun. The majority of the sun's rays are in the infrared spectrum, and it can really be divided into three ways. We kind of give a little bit of a fourth to red because people don't understand that near and, um, and near and red are so similar. So the, the three slash four wave links of infrared are far, mid, near, and then red. And the way they break down is far is the coolest of all of the wavelengths. It's the longest wavelength that's absorbed deep into your cells, and it works with your water molecules and all of your mitochondria deep into the body. It helps to increase your core temperature and set off this biochemical cascade of wonderful things in all the body systems. There isn't any system that's not impacted by infrared specifically with far, and while I'm on far, it's really important that people understand far is really the foundation of the infrared spectrum. If you could only do one, um, out of the four, we'll call it really three, uh, you would do far. Mid is a really adjunct, a helper to far. It's a little bit hotter. It doesn't, it's not absorbed as deep. It's excellent for muscle recovery and, um, helping to increase circulation, help with weight loss. And the near and red are, well, near as invisible, but both of those are the hottest parts of the wavelength of the spectrum of infrared. So you need to convert that light and heat into LEDs in order to receive it effectively. So you can't get it. I mean, you can get a little bit by heat, but to get the highest quantity and to be the most efficient delivery, you need to convert it to LEDs. And near, and it is really great for helping to, um, stimulate your mitochondria, giving your body more cellular energy, helping with the skin, boosting collagen, elastin, helping with fine lines and wrinkles, changing scar tissue, uh, wound healing and red is, has similar benefits. Red doesn't go as deep. So back 2008 so however long ago that was when we created mPulse, we put near infrared in first because it penetrates the deepest. And all the scientists that we were working with said that's the one to do. Over the years, people didn't understand that it's invisible light. You know what you can't see. They couldn't have, they just couldn't wrap their minds around that. So we added the red light, um, in conjunction with the air.

Ivelisse Page:

Yeah, I think one of the, that's fascinating. It really is fascinating to me the, the science behind it and, you know, in the Belief one that I have, I love that you guys have a program, um, that you can just click on. So I always do the detox. My husband sometimes does the heart health. Um, so there's different programs, so it automatically sets for you as the time that you need to be in there. And the near, mid and far wavelengths are distributed accordingly to the program. So I love that you've already set that for us and made it super easy. But how do the infrared saunas differ from, say, a regular hot sauna that someone walk in at, at a spa?

Connie Zack:

Infrared is energy. I call it energy medicine. And the way that infrared works with the body is it bypasses the air and it goes directly into your body. So the far and the mid is absorbed you into your cells in different places, as I mentioned. And then the near and the red penetrates the skin so it, it works directly with your cells. It like really supercharges your cells. Traditional heat, you get hot because the air is hot, so it's a transfer of heat versus this is a transfer of energy into your body.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes, yes. Like when I go into the saunas at a gym or at a spa, I can literally be in there for like 10 minutes and I'm like, okay, I need to get out. When I sit in my Sunlighten sauna, I can sit in there all day pretty much, but I wouldn't because I follow the program. But, um, you're, you're sweating, but it's not uncomfortably hot to where you're uncomfortable, so. Correct. I know. I really love that.

Connie Zack:

Yeah. We always say that it should be, um, enjoyed not endured.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes, yes. And so how does Sunlighten's technology differ from other infrared saunas on the market? I mean, you guys were one of the first out there and all those years ago, and now it seems like everyone's popping up with an infrared sauna. So how is yours different and what innovations are you most proud of?

Connie Zack:

Yeah, so the number one difference would be, well, there's a lot. So as, as I say number one, I'm like, um, it's probably not number one, but the quantity of the infrared wavelength getting absorbed into your body, that's what's really, really super important. And that's what changes your cells and changes everything in your body. And so you want as high of an absorption. If you think about food or a multivitamin or supplements, when you're looking, you wanna get the ones that are the most readily absorbed up to the highest quantity, right?'cause you don't want waste. And it's the same thing with infrared. You don't want waste. And so we have developed and patented the highest absorption on the market of infrared, so nobody can bring out a higher quantity than Sunlighten. So that's a, a really huge, huge benefit. As far as innovation to answer that part, I'm super proud. It was very painful. Took a lot of arrows in the back and had many difficult years. Uh, 10, 15, 12, a long time ago. Um, but it was when we developed mPulse and we worked with scientists from all over the United States on learning about the spectrum. Before mPulse there was really just far infrared on the market and, and even far infrared, there wasn't high quantities of far infrared. So we really learned how to master the absorption and then separate out and, uh, mid-infrared into a separate heating, um, emitter so that you can get you know, far infrared separately than mid-infrared separately than near infrared, which we delivered by LEDs. And when we first started, our early LEDs were like super tiny is that's just all we knew at the time. And now we've learned how to expand 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 those four wavelengths independently isolated, but then also the beauty of then, like, as you said, with the programs, blending them all together. And then we've done the hard work. We have the brains, you know, in the technology where it pulses. And, and has frequency in different programs, you know, based on science. So depending on, you know, what you're looking for. Like I love the pain relief program myself. I love cardio. If I don't get in a run, it's getting pretty hot here right now, so it's nice to be able to go inside and, and turn on the cardio program and get a really, really great session.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes. I completely agree. And so I'm very sensitive to EMFs and, you know, everyone at Believe Big knows it. Uh, and so one of the things that I love about your saunas is that they're very low in EMFs. Can you share about that?

Connie Zack:

Yeah, it's really important to us, and it started at the very, very beginning when we first started our first sauna, is we wanted to have shielding as much as possible because when we got into this to help people be healthier. And so we wanna do everything we can to protect them, keep them safe, while providing them the healing power of infrared. And in order to do that, you need to find ways to eliminate as much as possible, EMF. And we have done that. It's been an evolution over the years, but uh, we've finally been able to cancel out virtually all of the EMFs so that when you're in there, there's virtually no EMS at all.

Ivelisse Page:

That's great. That's great. What does the current research say about the health benefits of infrared light? Have there been any clinical findings that you know, really excite you all?

Connie Zack:

I get excited, gosh, about all of them. I love all of the heart health studies. There's a ton of studies on the cardiovascular system and how it can help save lives. You know, there's a great study showing that people who used infrared had a 50% reduction in death in cardiovascular events and hospitalization. So that's, you know, I mean, super exciting. Um, results. Depression and mental health is really important to me. Helping people have the best mindset. I think that so much to being healthy is how you frame your brain and what you do to help frame your brain. And there's a lot of studies on, on depression, anxiety, and brain health, cognitive function, sleep, skin rejuvenation, increased energy, relaxation. Those are some of the most, you know, ones that get me excited.

Ivelisse Page:

That's great. Yeah, and if you have some of those links, we would love to put them in the show notes. Of course. For those who, who love the science and looking it all up. So that would be great.

Connie Zack:

Yeah, I'd be happy to. I love the science too, so speaking to the same, same party.

Believe Big:

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Ivelisse Page:

Yeah. So what are your top tips for someone looking to incorporate infrared therapy into their healing and wellness routine?

Connie Zack:

Yeah, so get started. So that's my number one, is, you know, the time is now. And if you can't do mPulse, as I mentioned, 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 easy button, and you'll be so thrilled with how you feel afterwards. So, um, so get started. Start low and slow. Listen to your body, stay adequately hydrated before, during, and after, and then replenish your electrolytes.

Ivelisse Page:

What does low and slow mean? Because that can mean a lot for different people.

Connie Zack:

Yeah. I would start with about 10 minutes and start at a low, just, you know, I wouldn't, for example, I, I would turn it on. I would get in and I would have your body get acclimated to the infrared energy and see how you feel. You're gonna feel great. I know that, but everybody is at a different place in their wellness journey. And so check in with your body, see how you feel. Do you feel like, oh my goodness, 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's stories about how they use it and what they do.'cause people, you know, are creatures of habit and they have their routine and I love hearing that. And you'll find your routine. The most important thing is to get started.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes. And, the reason low and slow is important. Is it because if you stay in there too long, especially the first time you're detoxing, and it could make you not feel well, um, is that one of the main reasons?

Connie Zack:

I don't hear that anymore. That happened a long, long time ago. 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 to increase flow of everything in your body. And so you really just want to be able to check in and how are you feeling? How is your heart rate? Are you, are you tired? Are you energized? And, um, you just don't want to overdo it. Not the saying that infrared is something you can overdo, but anything you can right. You mm-hmm. You know that. Since most people aren't familiar with infrared, being in an infrared sauna, especially like a Sunlighten sauna, that's so powerful and has such a high quantity, it's best to start at the beginning and then work up.

Ivelisse Page:

Okay. And do you have any specific advice for cancer patients or survivors, when it comes to using infrared therapy in regards to detoxification or an immune support?

Connie Zack:

For detoxification. What's great is in mPulse we have a program for detox and we also know that from studies that it helps to remove chemicals and heavy metals and toxicants from the body, which is super important. We also know that both far infrared and near and red, all of those help to, to stimulate the immune function and help to help you with your mitochondria and strengthen your body. Far infrared really helps to increase your core temperature and activate those heat shock proteins, which makes your body stronger and then, the light of near infrared and red light helps to stimulate and boost and strengthen the body's cells. 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's dad, unfortunately, passed away to cancer before we started the business. And whenever I think of cancer and him, I always think about, gosh, I, you know, wish we would've known, right? I wish we would've, you know, been doing this. And I always think about how he was just, he was like, miserable. He was cold. And you feel so great after being in the Sunlighten sauna that your mood changes and you just 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 not changing anything, you're helping your, your mind and you're helping your brain. So I always think of like, I wish I had the happy box back then, you know, so that could be his place. So he could go, you know, and, and relax. And not worry and not stress and, you know, go through that whole mental aspect.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes, yes. There are so many therapies that have come out now that is more mainstream than it used to be even a decade ago. And so in his honor, look what you'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 that have come after him. So we really thank you for all that you're doing in this area of, of wellness. And, um, one question that we get asked a lot, and I'm not sure if this is something that've been asked of you all, is, does it help with side effects of conventional treatments like chemo and radiation?

Connie Zack:

So normally we don't ever position ourselves to be in conjunction with cancer at all. Do you have any specific Yes. Examples? Yeah.

Ivelisse Page:

Yeah. So most of the conventional treatments that cause people to have nausea, vomiting, lack of sleep, uh, lack of energy. And so I, I'm sure it helps with sleep. So I was just kind of wondering with those treatments that people are experiencing these awful side effects and things like mistletoe and other things that we're helping them with help to support their body. So they don't experience that. But have you found that the Sunlighten sauna also helps with those side effects, like the nausea or the sleep or energy?

Connie Zack:

Energy and sleep I can specifically address because uh, and I'm learning now over the years, I've always known how much it benefits both of those, but now I'm learning how the science is connected, so it just validates everything that I knew to be true, just based on testimonials, my own experience, just everything that I had read, you know. So, but definitely increased energy is a, is a huge one. That's a also a big difference. When you asked me earlier about traditional saunas, that's a big difference between the traditional sauna output and a Sunlighten sauna output, because when I am finished with my sauna, I have so much more energy. I mean, I just feel so great and so happy, and just so grateful. In a traditional,'cause I do go in traditional when I'm on trips and I, I feel zapped afterwards. And so it's a kind of the opposite effect. So increased energy is significant. I hear people all the time. In fact, I just read an article from a doctor that wrote about her experience in a, in a infrared sauna, and she decided to try it out because she'd been hearing so much about it, and her number one thing was, she's like, I've never had such a great night of sleep.

Ivelisse Page:

That's great. Yes, and I've heard that from other people as well. And we also know that stress and inflammation play a major role in both cancer development and recurrence and even just chronic illness. How might regular infrared sauna use help manage these underlying issues for people?

Connie Zack:

Definitely for sure helps with stress, decreased stress because it helps to regulate your hormones and it helps to decrease cortisol. It also going back to that increased flow, because that helps increase your oxygen to your brain, and so you just get this release of this burden that is kind of weighing your body down. So you feel this, she also used the word, she said, I you felt lighter afterwards. Mm-hmm. And you do, you feel physically lighter, more energy and you do not feel stressed. And, there's a lot of, as I said earlier, a lot of new studies about, about depression and mental health. And this is such a great tool, to help you be happier and feel better.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes. And is it true? I've heard from other individuals, and I've tried to do this is as soon as you're done with your sauna, you should shower to make sure that the things that you're detoxing from or releasing from your body don't get reabsorbed.

Connie Zack:

Yeah. Or at least towel off. A lot of people can't shower right away. So just, just, you know, towel off so that you know your body is, doesn't just have sweat all over it.

Ivelisse Page:

Yeah. And reabsorb it. So one of the questions also is some oncologists are open to complimentary therapies and while others are hesitant, how would you recommend patients bringing up the idea of an infrared sauna with their medical team? Because we always say, you know, consider checking with your, you know, nothing that we're offering you is medical advice. It's always important to check first with your medical professional. So how would you recommend patients bringing up an infrared sauna with their team?

Connie Zack:

Yeah, I think it is so important in medicine. I mean, this is something I teach for my kids constantly, is that you have to self-advocate. You know, I mean, nobody cares as much about your wellbeing as you. It's the way it should be, you know? And so you, you need to go to the table, you and just show up and go to the table with your research. And, you can do a ton of research and you can ask good questions and, um, but make sure and, and get involved and ask the questions and, you know, just be the leader, be, be the pioneer in that regard.

Ivelisse Page:

Yeah. That's great advice. And so as we're closing, I can't believe the time is already moved by so quickly, you know, what does the future hold for Sunlighten? Are there new technologies or applications on the horizon that you're excited about?

Connie Zack:

Oh my goodness, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Always, always. We are always looking at around the corner, innovating. We are not a product company. We are a wellness experience company. What I am personally the most excited and what I really get pumped up about is helping people connect with all the resources and the knowledge like you, Believe Big and, to round out everything in their life because it's all about this whole body, mind, spirit, like your whole lifestyle. It's not one thing or the other. And so I wanna really help people enhance their wellness experience. We wanna, you know, enhance our apps. We've developed more apps, but it's always great to help people with educational content and resources and podcasts and information so that they can be educated and make their own decisions. We're gonna continue to expand in the both light and heat area. And then we just recently acquired Assets to Ice Barrel, which is a cold plunge, uh company. So we're gonna start exploring more, uh, about contrast therapy, and I think there's a whole area with contrast specifically for women. That just to help them understand the value of the two and how to do it in the right way versus these extremes that you hear a lot about. I don't think the extremes from what I'm reading are as important as shorter stents at higher temperatures.

Ivelisse Page:

Yes. And especially for women, I was reading that a lot of the studies that have been done on the cold therapy, cold plunging has been done on men and their physiology is very different from ours and that women should be getting it in at higher temperatures. So I'm glad that you guys are stepping into that field with your knowledge and expertise to really encourage us holistically. Because I do know a lot of the practitioners we work with suggest doing the sauna and then going to get a cold plunge and then going back into the sauna and doing that contrast to really help heal and to have overall wellness. So I'm glad that you guys are doing that.

Connie Zack:

Thank you.

Ivelisse Page:

Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Connie, for joining us. I know that you're a very busy woman and I appreciate you educating us more about the infrared technology and the therapy that's available to all of us, and I just wish you all the best and thank you.

Connie Zack:

Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I really enjoyed it. It went so fast.

Ivelisse Page:

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