Dr. Mona Vand Answers Your Infrared Light Therapy Question →

Even if you’ve only lightly dabbled in wellness methods, odds are you’ve probably come across the term “infrared light.” Infrared light and infrared light therapy is known for its many health benefits and for the good it can do to mind, body, and soul. But what is it exactly?

What is Infrared light?

Let’s get scientific.

A method of harnessing light frequencies, infrared light therapy promotes healing on a cellular level. The world is made up of different frequencies, and infrared light frequencies lie just below our visible frequency spectrum. Even though we can’t see infrared light, we can still feel it by way of heat. Infrared light energy, also known as thermal radiation, transfers heat, and after many years of research, scientists discovered this natural heat energy could be used for benefit.

Infrared light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, promotes the benefits of infrared light by distributing the infrared light spectrum to the body. As it is absorbed, infrared light kicks cells into gear, fighting many underlying health problems right at their root. The light produces a spike in oxygen, which increases blood flow and cellular regeneration. This leads to a wide array of benefits including better sleep, clearer skin, and faster metabolism.

What is infrared light therapy?

If you’ve read your blogs lately, you may already know that one of the best (and most trendy) infrared light therapies is the infrared sauna. Infrared saunas often look like out-of-this-world, spaceship pods from the outside and their light-bulb-lined interiors are just as alien. But don’t be frightened by their looks, infrared saunas are extremely efficient when it comes to infrared light.

For those of you who want to use infrared light for its skin benefits, there are infrared masks that target just your face area. And yes, they look just as strange as the sauna pods.

Note: if you come across a sauna advertised as “near infrared,” skip it. If you really want to feel repair, far infrared light is what you’re looking for.

 

What is the difference between infrared light and heat?

What makes an infrared sauna different from a regular sauna? Unlike regular saunas that heat the air, infrared saunas heat you. The heat you feel from an infrared sauna is coming from inside your body rather than outside. Infrared saunas break down water molecules within your body creating a deeper, more detoxifying sweat. Plus, because your head stays outside your pod, you don’t have to withstand the unbearable stuffiness and suffocating heat of your usual sauna.

Is infrared light bad for you?

No. While infrared light may feel and act like sunlight, it has no skin-damaging UV-rays, making it safe for exposure. UV rays, which have the power to cause cell mutations, act at a much higher energy level than infrared light. Because of its lower energy, infrared light doesn’t have the ability to cause such mutations.

How often should you do infrared light therapy?

Most agree that infrared light therapy can be a daily activity. But that may not be recommended for everyone. Infrared heat can dehydrate you, making you tired and exhausted. Because of this, you should listen to your body and feel what it needs. Some people find that undergoing infrared light therapy 3 to 4 times a week works just as well.

What's the Deal with Infrared Sauna Treatments?

The new trend is said to improve your skin and mood, and maybe even help you lose weight—all while you sit there doing nothing. Here's what you need to know about how infrared saunas work.

Jenn Barthole and Kylie Gilbert | Apr 26, 2018

Topics: 

fitness trends,

self care,

weight loss trends

 

Photo: HigherDOSE

It's safe to say that infrared therapy is currently the *hottest* treatment in the wellness and beauty industry. Sitting in the specialized sauna reportedly offers a laundry list of health benefits, including increased energy, improved circulation, and pain relief. Plus the whole glowing skin and calorie-burning thing. 

So how could sitting in a 120-degree heated box provide so many perks? Well, for starters, it's totally different from your traditional sauna experience, explains Raleigh Duncan, D.C., cofounder of Clearlight Infrared. "Unlike a traditional sauna that just warms the air, infrared heats the body directly, which produces a deep, sustainable sweat at the cellular level," he explains. 

What does that mean? "Infrared can penetrate up to an inch into the soft tissue of the body, reducing joint and muscle pain," says Duncan. The infrared light therapy stimulates the circulatory system and more fully oxygenates the body's cells, which allows for better blood circulation, he explains. That's why it's especially helpful for athletes, he adds, and why physical therapy centers have been using infrared saunas for years to help patients with pain relief and recovery. (In fact, Lady Gaga swears by it for managing her chronic pain. Here, more on whether or not it can actually help, according to a pain management doc.) 

So it's no surprise that as recovery becomes buzzier than ever (rightfully so), boutique studios dedicated to the service—like HigherDose in New York City and HotBox in LA—have popped up around the country.

HigherDOSE founders Lauren Berlingeri and Katie Kaps explain that infrared light radiates energy that we feel as heat (the same way we feel heat from the sun, but without the harmful UV rays)—and that clients swear by the mind *and* body buzz a sweat session can offer. (Related: Crystal Light Therapy Healed My Post-Marathon Body—Sort Of) 

 

 

Photo: HigherDOSE

One of the biggest perks is the reported calorie-burning benefits—up to 600 calories per 30-minute session, according to Duncan. "Sitting in an infrared sauna causes the body's core temperature to increase, increasing our heart and metabolic rate, which burns calories similar to the amount of a light jog," says Berlingeri.

Sound too good to be true? Maybe not. A 2017 study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that users experienced elevate heart rates for up to 30 minutes following a sauna session. And recent research conducted by Binghamton University found that on average, participants who spent a 45-minute session in an infrared sauna three times a week lost four percent body fat in 16 weeks. Still, there are few studies that can point to any direct long-term weight-loss benefits. 

But while proponents say incorporating infrared into your wellness regimen can be both a means of recovery and enhance performance, it's largely about the mental perks, too. HigherDOSE spa has private, oasis-like rooms where you can control the intensity of the heat and chromotherapy lighting, which selects a color depending on your mood and preference. You can even plug your phone into the complimentary aux cord, so you can listen to music or podcast, to get the mood. (Infrared saunas found in fitness centers, physical therapy centers, and spas offer a similar zen experience—and ability to stream Netflix!—so you can get those same perks even if you don't live near a dedicated studio.)

Kaps says that "infrared also triggers our brain's happiness chemicals (especially serotonin and endorphins) so you get your high naturally—and leave feeling beautiful and buzzed." Plus, one study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry found that exposing skin to heat from infrared lamps can mimic the effect of antidepressants by stimulating the production of serotonin.

"It's both relaxing and stimulating," she says. "After a session, you'll feel like you're on clouds, and you'll have that glow-from-within, dewy skin. You're refreshed and re-energized, but you also feel cleansed, focused, and clear-headed."

Sorry, but regardless of possible calorie-burning effects, hopping in an infrared sauna is not a replacement for an actual workout. Still, the energizing and stress-relieving potential alone make trying this wellness trend well worth it.

GET AHEAD IN LIFE WITH REGULAR TREATMENTS →

In our busy lives, we demand a lot from our bodies, it is easy to sometimes neglect and/or even take our health and wellbeing for granted until it’s too late.

Regular myotherapy and remedial massage treatments will help you get back on the track to feeling good.

Myotherapy is designed to help clients presenting with debilitating pain within their musculoskeletal system, restricting the movement of their joints and in some causes presenting with nerve pain/tension.

While myotherapy mainly focuses on treating the cause of the muscular dysfunction, you will experience benefits beyond pain relief, reducing stress and improving yours and the community’s wellbeing.

A lot of the time your first instinct to terminate pain is surgery without the thought of alternative therapies, surgery should be the ultimate last option for you.

Myotherapy can help to relieve your pain naturally and regular treatments could potentially get you to the point where no surgery is needed.

Regular treatments will also help to aid your productivity and aids to performance, increasing your levels of mental alertness and clarity, leaving you with more positive thoughts without the interruption of chronic aches affecting the way you see life, making you a better person.

A better view on life means we are left with less stress, letting us get a better sleeping routine without the constant roll overs and discomfort caused by muscle aches.

If you need to get ahead on your body and mind or want to stay on top of your health and wellbeing, we can help you get back on track and feeling on top of the world!

The magic remedies behind McCullough's shock return →

Throw together Andrew McCullough's secret cave, a few stockings and a magic home-spun remedy and you have the ingredients for a miracle cure that had the Brisbane hooker back on the field a month ahead of schedule.

McCullough waltzed through a typically dynamic 80-minute display against the Bulldogs two weeks after an elbow ligament injury had him scheduled to miss up to six weeks of action.

The 28-year-old resorted to an unconventional combination of new and old style therapies.

 

''I went to a place called City Cave where I got in a magnesium float tank and an infrared sauna and did a bit of yoga,'' McCullough told NRL.com.

''It is something a bit different and made me feel good. I am open minded and if I feel like it is going to work in my head, that is all that matters.''

The infrared sauna heats the body by penetrating the joints and provided McCullough with pain relief and sped up his metabolism.

According to City Cave, the epsom salt float tank allows participants to "switch off, deprive your senses and focus your energy.''

''Mentally if you think it is doing something for you then sometimes that is all that matters,'' McCullough said. 

Brisbane hooker Andrew McCullough after his injury.©Scott Davis/NRL Photos

''If you think you are going alright, then you are.''

For several nights McCullough also applied himself to an old fashioned cure-all.

''I got some soda crystals, put them in a stocking and wrapped it up, and then slept with it for a few nights,'' he said.

''A guy in Sydney I know is a masseuse and he helped me out with that. It is an old school remedy that brings out the fluid ... and old school sometimes works.''

McCullough said he raised a few eyebrows when he drove to a pharmacy in Brisbane to get his crystals.

''I had to buy some stockings there as well and the bloke was looking at me a bit strange,'' he said.

The Broncos rake also went to see a masseuse in Sydney and received deep tissue massages, but revealed he had other motivations for making the trip.

 

''Last year I kind of regretted taking myself away from the team when I was injured with my knee,'' he said.

''I hadn't dealt with an injury like that but it was probably a bit selfish of me as a senior player and that is something I've learned from.

''I know it is not the same injury this time but I wanted to be there to help the guys out. What I have learned is that when you give back it gives yourself a boost, and the boys certainly gave me a boost.''

McCullough's early return against Canterbury was certainly a boost to his teammates and now he has the Sea Eagles in his sights.

''I'm pretty proud of myself to get back,'' he said.

''I just want to play footy. I hate watching. I got through the game pretty well and got a lot of confidence from that.

''I've got nine days to recover now which I am looking forward to. I tell myself regularly that I get to do something I love for a living and not many people get to do that. Any opportunity I have to get back playing early is something that I cherish.''

The small health changes that can have a big benefit →

The small health changes that can have a big benefit

ON MAY 8, 2018 BY TARYN DAVIES

 

 

 

 

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Being healthier doesn’t require a drastic lifestyle change, in fact, there are plenty of small habits you can adopt that will provide a big benefit to your overall health and wellbeing.

If you want to make your life a little healthier, these are the small changes that can make a big difference.

Table of Contents

STAND, SIT AND WALK TALL

It’s important that you consider your posture on a daily basis, slouching not only looks bad because it leads to a bulging stomach and round shoulders, but it can also have affect on your spine and breathing. When you slouch you put unnecessary pressure on the spring, and this reduce how efficient your breathing is.

It’s important that you sit, stand and walk tall, lengthening through the crown of your head, you’ll not only benefit the body but you’ll appear slimmer and taller too.

TAKE A BREAK FROM TECHNOLOGY

It’s not just our phones that we need to take regular breaks from, it’s pretty much all technology as they can cause electrical sensitivity which leaves to headaches, fatigue, sleeplessness and dizziness.

Electrical sensitivity can interfere with your body’s natural rhythm, so it’s important that you take breaks from it. Things that you might be surprised to learn can affect them include using the hairdryer for more than ten minutes, having a digital clock by the bed and sitting for too long and too close to the computer screen.

EAT YOUR FOOD PROPERLY

It’s important that we take time to chew our food properly, a minimum of 30 times for each mouthful is recommended. Chewing helps to helps to stimulate the enzymes that are needed to ensure proper digestion. Chewing this many times also guarantees that the food you’re eating is mixed with saliva and isn’t swallowed with too much gas.

If you don’t break down your food properly, it can lead to many different gut problems, things like gas and bloating.

START THE DAY WITH HOT WATER AND LEMON

You’ve definitely heard this one before, but it’s a good one that should definitely be introduced into your daily routine. Lemons are great for helping to support your digestion, which is a great way to start the day. The fruit can wear down enamel, so it could be best to drink it through a straw, but the fact they help with fat digestion can help your body to absorb certain nutrients better too.

 

 

MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT WITH YOUR SLEEP

Getting enough sleep is imperative for good health, plus it makes you feel and look better too. Not only that but quality sleep can also boost your metabolism and memory, reduce the feelings of stress, and decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease.

If you need an extra hand getting some better sleep, a magnesium supplement could help. If you’re deficient in magnesium it could help with your quality of sleep as it can relax your muscles and nerves.

SNACK ON NUTS

Instead of reaching for crisps or chocolate when hunger strikes, keep almonds handy because they’re a great healthier snack option. Not only are the packed with protein, but they also have linoleic acid which is an essential fatty acid, are an excellent source of magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, copper and phosphorus.

TAKE A WALK ON LUNCH

As well as getting you to stretch your legs, going for a walk on lunch, for around 15 minutes should be enough to get the vitamin D you need from sun exposure. Ensuring you get enough vitamin D is important as it can help with symptoms associated with mild depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Plus, it also helps with the absorption of calcium, which is vital for good bone health, as well as helping to boost your immunity too.

MAKE SEX A REGULAR OCCURRENCE

Having sex regularly can make you a happier and more confident person, all thanks to the love hormone, oxytocin, that is released during sexual activity.

FAKE YOUR BURGER

Want to cut back on the amount of starchy carbohydrates you eat? Look for fun alternatives to try and make sure you’re not missing out on the foods you love. Portobello mushrooms make great alternatives for burger buns, or to replace the burger itself. Use sturdy greens like romaine lettuce in place of tortilla wraps when having fajitas, and swap out rice for grated cauliflower. These are all great ways of ensuring that you eat plenty of vegetables through the day too.

INTRODUCE A PROBIOTIC

A healthy gut can make a big difference to your overall health, and unless you’re eating plenty of foods to support your gut the best thing you can do is take a quality probiotic. These probiotics help to balance the good and bad levels of bacteria in our gut, and help to ensure that we absorb the nutrients we need and work to fight the bad bacteria.

ADD IN SOME MORE GREENS

We’ve been stressed since we were young the importance of eating our greens, and it still reigns true. If you’re eating plenty of spinach, broccoli, cabbage, sprouts and more, you could try adding in some greens from the sea as well. Try adding in some Chlorella or Spirulina powder into smoothies for an extra dose of vitamin C to help boost your immune system.

BRUSH YOUR BODY

Dry brush your body on a regular basis to help stimulate the circulation, as well aiding lymphatic drainage. Spend five minutes dry brushing your body before you hop in the shower or bath, and always brush towards your heart.

BOOST YOUR ANTIOXIDANTS

Eat more purple foods like plums, red cabbage, aubergine, blueberries, beetroot etc because they’re an excellent source of anthocyanins which are a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants are essential for fighting the free radical damage that we come into contact with on a daily basis, so eating these foods will help to fight the signs of ageing from the inside.

Lymphatic Drainage Massage Benefits →

Massage for lymphatic drainage is given to patients that have undergone surgery to help regenerate frayed tissues and nerves that have undergone surgical incisions. Also referred to as Manual Lymphatic Drainage, this is a reflexology massage technique which uses gentle movements over the body to enable drainage of lymph liquid which is made up of white blood cells and other essential chemicals. This massage may be given for lymph drainage but it also helps in boosting immune system by moving antigens into lymph nodes to relieve symptoms of chest congestion diseases like tonsillitis, bronchitis and sinusitis. This lymphatic drainage massage also works as a pain reliever for people suffering from fibromyalgia as it helps in removal of stagnant fluid. It should always be done at least a couple of months after surgery after seeking doctor’s permission as they know if a particular wound has healed from inside or not.

 

 

 

Benefits of this massage

Tissue regeneration – The massage helps in regeneration of cells and tissues around the affected area and around it so should be done very gently with delicate hand movements. As it promotes tissue regeneration it can eliminate marks on the body due to surgical incisions scars wrinkles etc.

Enables breastfeeding

Sometimes lactating mothers have complications during breastfeeding their infants like engorgement, sore nipples, plugged ducts etc., that is painful and discourages some of them to quit the practice altogether. Experts state that this problem can be reduced by lymph drainage massage as it helps to relieve swelling and reopen plugged ducts. Once these two problems are taken care of it becomes easy for the mother to breastfeed her baby.

Strong immune system and relaxed body

Our body requires steady flow of lymphatic fluids to function properly and stay immune to germs and bacteria in the environment. Lymph drainage helps to boost immunity by increasing production of antigens.

Physical Benefits of Using a Sauna →

Physical Benefits of Using a Sauna

Sauna use may lower the risk of dementia and may improve vascular function and your ability to improve focus and attention.

Other research has demonstrated the ability of heat stress to promote myelin growth, helping your brain to function faster and repair nerve cell damage.

Heat may increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, stimulating cerebral output of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, activating brain stem cells to convert into new neurons.

Sauna use may help soothe muscle tension and is beneficial in helping the body recover from strength and endurance training sessions.

In one study of 44 patients with fibromyalgia, researchers found a reduction in pain between 33% and 77% after use of a far infrared dry sauna, and months after the study had concluded, the participants continued to report a reduction in pain between 28 and 68%.

Sauna use may naturally release human growth hormone (HGH), reducing serious muscle loss and atrophy occurring with aging.

Injections of HGH are banned in nearly every professional sport due to potential side effects and long-term harm. This use is unnecessary as there are ways to naturally optimize your HGH using high-intensity exercise, intermittent fasting and saunas.

Sauna use has demonstrated benefits for individuals suffering from asthma, bronchitis and obstructive pulmonary disease. Those with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis report positive effects from using infrared sauna therapy, reporting less pain and stiffness after 4 to 8 weeks of treatment.

There are several types of saunas to choose from they are as follows:

  • Finnish sauna, either wet or dry
  • Far-infrared saunas
  • Near-infrared saunas (emitters and lamps)

The difference between an infrared sauna and the traditional Finnish-style saunas, whether wet or dry, is the Finnish-style sauna heats you from the outside in, like an oven.

The infrared sauna heats you from the inside out.

Infrared saunas are particularly known for their ability to promote detoxification, and the heating method is part of the reason. By heating your tissues several inches deep, the infrared sauna may enhance your natural metabolic processes and blood circulation, also helping oxygenate your tissues.

Near-infrared saunas have additional benefits over others, including far-infrared saunas.

Near-infrared penetrates your tissue more effectively than far-infrared since wavelengths under 900 nanometers in the near-infrared are not absorbed by water like the higher wavelengths in mid and far-infrared, and thus can penetrate tissues more deeply.

But, before you jump into a sauna, there are a safety factors to consider, they are as follows:

  1. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Heat stress or heat stroke are real possibilities from excessive fluid loss. The potential for the effects of significant dehydration are higher when you use a sauna after a hard workout. Carry a water bottle, preferably protected glass, with you and drink frequently. Do not drink alcohol in a sauna as the alcohol and heat may trigger a cardiovascular event.
  2. If you experience a headache after using a sauna or hot tub, you may want to use a cool rag over your head so your body will cool more easily. Your core temperature will still rise, but the experience may be more pleasant for you.
  3. If you are trying to have a baby, then steer clear of the sauna. As your body heat rises, so does the temperature of your testicles, reducing your fertility. This reduces your sperm count and motility. The effect is reversible, but can take up to five weeks. You’ll also want to avoid the sauna during pregnancy as it may cause fetal abnormalities.
  4. A sauna is supposed to be relaxing and not a torture chamber. Our body is designed to function optimally at 98.6 F (37 C). Raising your core temperature above 104.8 F (40.4 C) is a medical emergency. Staying in a sauna longer than you should, or becoming severely dehydrated, can lead to death. Avoid using a sauna by yourself, always sauna with a buddy.
  5. Steer clear of public saunas that are not thoroughly and carefully cleaned between clients. Remember, saunas detoxify your body of heavy metals, which are released in sweat. When entering a sauna that has not been cleaned you can potentially absorb the heavy metals and toxins from the prior users through your skin.

Health centers offering sauna therapy have rigorous cleansing protocols in place between each patient, which is something you likely will not find in your local gym or other places offering saunas for public use.

Ideally, consider purchasing a sauna for use at in your own home.

Eat healthy, Be healthy, Live lively