Simply Lightening Up
I love to find simple, natural, safe, non toxic yet potent ways to live well and healthy. And its a passion of mine to share about the great stuff I find with others. That's part of why Anima Botanica exists.
Ok, I've got to tell you about one of my new favorite optimal wellness care supports in the world! It is multi-functional, super impactful/ effective and has tons of fascinating scientific research that has confirmed its many benefits. There's good reason you're seeing praise for it pop up everywhere.
If you haven't yet heard about it, I'm so happy to introduce you to it... And if you have, then you already know exactly why I'm so in love with this potent wellness modality. This one is sort of a departure from my usually plant based offerings, but I can't help it, I just love it so much.
What's got me feeling shiny and buzzing with new energy these days is Red Light and Near-Infrared Light Therapy also known as PhotoBioModulation.
Nikola Tesla is revered for once saying, “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”
Red and near-infrared light are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and more specifically, part of the healthy spectrum of light emitted by the sun. These wavelengths of light are “bioactive” in humans. Red and near-infrared light are able to penetrate deeper into the human body and are able to reach the cells, tissues, blood, nerves, into the bones and even into the brain. Just like plants, we use light for our overall health. Specifically red and near infrared light therapy have been repeatedly shown in thousands of scientific studies to have positive effects on cell function in humans and animals alike and to aid in significantly improving a wide range of conditions.( It has also proven safe and effective in numerous trials in order to gain FDA approval.)
Besides the abundance of science backing its benefits, one of the biggest reasons I love red light therapy is how it helps improve SLEEP AND ENERGY. I have struggled with serious insomnia since I was tiny ( like 4 years old tiny ) with a creative and active mind. Good sleep is absolutely key to overall health and wellness.
Here's just part of what I discovered while diving into the world of red light therapy:
I've learned a lot since starting to experience positive results in my sleep and energy cycles using red light therapy. It turns out that most modern individuals are exposed to too much artificial blue light which can not only cause digital eye strain and headaches during the day but in the evening it can make it harder to get to sleep and stay asleep. (Some of these sources of artificial blue light include computer screens, televisions, smart phones and overhead lighting). When we expose ourselves to this artificial blue light our bodies get the signal that it's time to be awake. This light throws the body's biological clock—the circadian rhythm—out of sync. Worse yet, research shows that it may contribute to the causation of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.
Poor quality sleep not only use to plague me but is also pretty much an epidemic in the modern world ..... and light exposure is a big part of the problem. More specifically getting the wrong kinds of light at the wrong time of the day.
It's been discovered that exposure to typical room light in the evening has been shown to suppress the onset of the release of the sleep hormone melatonin and shorten melatonin duration in humans while red light therapy has been shown to have an opposite effect. One study even found increases in their serum melatonin levels of up to 75%! I know its helped me fall asleep faster, get a better quality of sleep and feel more oomphy ( yup, that's a word now ) the next morning. I've had the best results combining organic Full Spectrum CBD oil ( a high CBN formula for Sleep and Pain is my favorite for this ) before bed with 10 minutes of red light therapy. Here is a link to where you can find the best deal on the red light device with which I've had real, effective insomnia relief: Red Light Device
and another great link for you to get the pure organic reiki infused CBD products I've found to be the very best: ThoughtCloud CBD
But there is so much more to it all than just getting a good night's sleep.
Red light therapy is a NATURAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY that’s been shown to reduce swelling, soreness, and strain in numerous clinical studies. It is an effective natural treatment in cases of arthritis, inflammation, post workout muscle recovery and pain reduction. Red light therapy reduces inflammation by INCREASING CIRCULATION AND BLOOD FLOW to damaged tissues. DECREASING OXIDATIVE DAMAGE, which degenerates joints, and is another way that light therapy can benefit soft/connective tissue. Furthermore, PRODUCING MORE CELLULAR ENERGY helps tissues regenerate and heal faster. It works perfectly on my old injuries ( among other things, I've fallen off a cliff rock climbing and down a huge flight of stairs while holding a baby ) and newer post workout aches. It has helped melt away layers of my pain and tension that were previously stuck. I'm currently using photobiomodulation to help ease carpal tunnel inflammation from years of playing musical instruments. It's really helping.
What I find so beautiful about this recent addition to my wellness habits is that there are also multiple other benefits to using a simple red light therapy device regularly..... Benefits like healthy younger looking skin, wrinkle reduction, more ATP, increased hair growth and hair recovery, increased collagen production, increased testosterone production ( in men ), higher energy production, pain relief, tissue healing etc all without taking any supplements or using any topicals.
Its a lazy, wonderful way to boost overall wellness. Like do next to nothing, gain a bunch of benefits. You just turn on the light, sit and receive.
Its all in the way that red light and near infrared light interplays with the mitochondria ( the energy centers of the cells ). These bio active light spectrums are natures perfect design in feeding our cells the frequencies and wavelengths that power active healing, healthy body rhythms and energy production. The specific photons found in red and near infrared light interact with photoreceptors within our cells called cytochrome c oxidase. This interaction stimulates the mitochondria in our cells to use oxygen more efficiently, which allows the mitochondria to produce more ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Adenosine triphosphate is a complex organic chemical that provides energy to drive many processes in living cells, e.g. muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and chemical synthesis. Found in all forms of life, ATP is often referred to as the "molecular unit of currency" of intracellular energy transfer. When our cells have more energy, they simply perform better and the whole body follows suit. We really are beings of light!
For me, I use my red light device for about 10- 15 minutes on most days and I feel the immediate layering of these really significant multiple benefits. All this while I'm just straight up chillin', meditating, stretching, dancing, doing breathwork or just clearing my head for the day. I can think of few other techniques, supplements, treatments or wellness modalities that offer such great gains for so little effort. It's one of my favorite reset buttons from the craziness going on in the world. Instantly revitalizing. I'm completely hooked!
The red light therapy device I use is called MitoRed. It is, in my opinion, the very best. It's on my must have list for good reason.
If you are interested you can purchase a Mito Red device or learn more about if red light therapy is right for you by clicking this link : Mito Red Light Therapy Devices
Here's some tech geek stuff specifically about why I chose the Mito Red as my red light therapy device:
Some red light therapy device brands use only 2w or 3w LEDs. At Mito Red they use very high quality 5w LEDs. Their 5 watt LED configurations actually deliver industry leading power that are validated by unbiased independent 3rd party testing.
This Higher Irradiance = Better Results in Less Time.
Since my time is precious to me, I absolutely love this about the Mito Red devices! 10- 15 relaxing minutes and I'm good to go. Its a super relaxing, comfortable experience, kind of just warm and relaxing. Especially since gyms and spas are mostly still closed, I really love having a professional grade at-home device I can use at any time. I actually prefer getting to just plink down in front of it at home. Its way more cost effective and time efficient than heading to a gym, spa or treatment center for red light therapy.
There are many brands from which to choose, all of varying quality and cost. Some manufacturers claim their devices have irradiance of >100mW/cm2, but they leave in the fine print that this is at the SURFACE of their device. Others make bold claims but fail to provide any independent diagnostic data. Mito Red lays out all their specs and data, and I really feel, based off of all the specs I've researched on multiple brands devices that they have made a superior device to most others on the market at this time.
Mito Red devices have what they call Enhanced Spectral Energy Output™ (aka ESPEO).... This essentially means that the Mito Red devices deliver light energy across the entire spectrums of Red nanometer relatively long wavelengths (620-700nm with peak at 660nm) and Near Infrared nanometer relatively long wavelengths (800-900nm with peak at 850nm) at therapeutic levels. Red light has a frequency of between 405-480 THz ( THz = terahertz.... hello!... for all my sacred musicians and healing frequency adepts reading this, red light vibrates in that 432 THz peaceful, well-being attunement range )
It is the most powerful, legit red light device I've found at the very best price. Some of the other brands are outrageously priced ( like 3 xs or more for the same size unit ) while not offering any higher quality. The Mito Red devices ticked all the boxes for me... A powerful therapeutic grade high quality device, backed by independent 3rd party testing, supremely easy to use design, like zero maintenance required and very reasonably priced. Its my absolute top pick for red light devices.
I love red light therapy so much that I'm sure I'll be writing more in depth posts about its many benefits in the future. Its just a game changer! I haven't even scratched the surface of everything this kind of light therapy can do. As always, I encourage you to do your own research when it comes to your unique biology, but I'm glad to begin to share with you about the tools and techniques that have helped me feel and be at my best.
I hope you find this helpful on your own journey through wellness. Get and Stay healthy my friends!
What are YOUR new favorite wellness allies these days? We'd love to hear from you ❤ Share your experiences and favorites in the comments.
You can SHOP Mito Red Light here
Aleli Estrada
Thanks, Joao. It’s my pleasure to share about things have that have helped me most!
Great inspiration!
Gratitude for sharing.