Red Light Therapy

When it comes to your health, the advice can range from the common sense to the bizarre. 

And even when something seems to make sense, or there are people who swear it works, we don’t even know why.

So if you hear about something and the science is mixed… should you try it?

It ultimately comes down to 2 things:

Is it safe? 

And what will it mean to you – and your quality of life - if it DOES work?

I keep an open mind. And I suggest you do too. If it won’t hurt you and could make you feel better… it makes sense to learn more.

Two such therapies are red light treatments and magnets. 

And truth be told, neither can really be classified as “proven” to work.

But still… many people use them, believe in them, and because neither really has a downside, I say, to each his own.

The human body is a bit of a mystery at times. And despite a fair bit of study, we still don’t completely understand it. 

But how did these therapies come to be?  

And how might they work, if they do? 

About 30 years ago, red light therapy was used by scientists to help grow plants in space. They found that the light from red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) helped promote growth and photosynthesis of plant cells.

So, if it works for plants, will it work on us? 

The thought was by using red light, we could increase energy inside our cells. And if so, it could be a way to reduce the muscle atrophy, slow wound healing, and bone density issues caused by weightlessness during space travel.

The theory is red light triggers chemicals in your cells that strengthen your mitochondria. The mitochondria are like a cell’s engine — where energy is created. All cells of living things are powered by an energy molecule called ATP (adenosine triphosphate).

By stimulating mitochondria using red light therapy, a cell can make more ATP. If you have more energy, your cells can function more efficiently, rejuvenate themselves, and repair damage.

And the desired results? Speedier healing, tissue repair, joint support and reduced discomfort. 

The evidence so far is mixed. It seems to work for some. And in other studies, it didn’t make much difference.

Magnetic therapy goes back even farther, as much as 2,000 years. Folk healers in Europe and Asia are believed to have used magnets to try to treat a variety of ailments. These healers may have believed that magnets could actually draw disease from the body.

But the belief that magnets somehow attract the metallic elements of blood just isn’t so. 

Today, those who believe in magnetic therapy tend to point to magnets altering your bioenergetic fields, or “biofields.”  They believe energy fields surround and penetrate the human body, and magnets can impact this, and focus this energy to promote healing. 

Much like red light therapy, the science supporting magnets is mixed. 

But magnet therapy doesn’t appear to have a downside. In the end, my advice is this: If you’re looking for a way to ease aches and pains, or give your body a boost of healing “energy,” these are therapies worth exploring.

Which is why I include both in the Vital Swing. 

The passive exercise motion and massage features of Vital Swing can deliver profound benefits, especially if you don’t get as much exercise as you’d like, or you have trouble exercising at all.

Better circulation. Enhanced lymphatic flow. Reduced swelling in the legs, and soothing pain relief. Or even just relaxation. 

By including both magnet and red light therapy, you get two healthy bonuses as the icing on the cake.

Because the truth is, we don’t know everything about everything when it comes to your body. Yet. 

So focus on what’s known to work. And keep an open mind about the things we haven’t quite figured out. 

They might be just what you’re looking for (even if you didn’t know it).

What do you think? Have you noticed benefits from red light or magnet therapy? Leave a comment and let me know!