The best healing and wellness support system we have is Nature. Yes, Mother Nature!
Here is the latest edition of 1 thing I’m doing, 2 things I’ve learnt and 3 things to explore lovingly created so you can live a happier, healthier and longer life. Much love, Sandy xx
1 THING I’M DOING
Bringing Red Light Into My Day. Red Light Means Go!
Timing is everything. And sometimes the universe brings you just what you need, when you need it. Or at least, that’s how I feel about how my Infrared Glow light ended up in my house, warming up my Winter days, nights and spirit. But first, let’s go back a few months…
It was during the morning drive back after dropping the kids off at school that I stumbled across a podcast that caught my attention. It wasn’t someone I had listened to previously but it spoke to me (or was it the Universe speaking to me?). The podcast featured the founder of SaunaSpace Brian Richards and the topic was using sunlight, near infrared light and EMFs to help you live a longer and healthier life. The podcast was right up my alley so I tuned in.
In this podcast, Brian discussed the healing powers of near-infrared light, its role in human biology and health, and some pretty amazing stuff about their Glow Infrared Therapy Light like…
The Glow Light mimics the natural form and shape of the infrared band of light we see in the sun, but without the ultraviolet and blue light. This means you’re able to get the full healing compliment of the sun, but without the high energy blue light.
The other clever thing that really caught my attention was this Glow Light was able to cancel the harmful blue light and flickering effect we get from our screens and lights as we work away indoors all day.
Using a fancy spectrometer, which measures light sources, when the Glow Light was on, the amount of harmful blue light coming off the LED lights, computer screen and phones reduced entirely or almost entirely in some cases.
The other thing that is damaging to us from LED lights and screens is the way the lights pulse and turn off and on many times a second – like a strobe light. Whilst our eyes don’t detect this flicker, a handy gadget called the flicker meter does (cute name!). This meter measures pulsing light, and what the clever people at SaunaSpace noticed was, that when their Glow Light was on, it seemed to filled in the gaps between the pulses as the measurable flicker also disappeared.
And if that wasn’t enough, this Glow Light was able to bring all the full benefits of red light therapy and photo biomodulation helping with reducing pain, improving healing, improving mood, sleep, gut issues, inflammation, eye sight and skin issues to just name a few.
So what’s my verdict? I absolutely love it! You know that happy feel-good feeling you get when you sit in the sun or by a crackling campfire? This light envelops you in that same comforting glow, warmth and promotes relaxation. It calms your nervous system, allowing you to shift back into a state of rest, digest and heal. The Glow Light nourishes your cells and creates a healthy light bubble around you, neutralising the adverse effects of any blue light surrounding you. It brings the full-spectrum goodness of nature indoors, allowing you to soak in that uplifting feel-good sensation throughout your day. Perfect for starting your day during your morning prayers or medication, perfect for whilst you’re working away and perfect at night, when it’s time to turn off those LED lights. This light has become an all-day friend.
✔️ Action Item – If you’ve thought about adding red light therapy and photo biomodulation to your wellness routine or know someone that could do with this, SaunaSpace is a great brand. They also have a 10% special on at the moment, which if you combine with my 10% promo code, SANDYA means you can get 20% off now. Woo hoo!! 🔥🔥
2 THINGS I’VE LEARNT
Sun Avoidance Is A Risk Factor For Death Of A Similar Magnitude As Smoking
The sun has been positioned as something we should avoid at all costs and fears for decades now. It’s time to re-think what we’ve been programmed to believe.
In one of the biggest studies on sun exposure, 29,518 Swedish women in a prospective 20-year follow-up study found that women with active sunlight exposure habits experience a lower mortality rate than women who avoid sun exposure.
Women with active sun exposure habits were found to have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and noncancer / non-CVD death as compared to those who avoided sun exposure.
This study also showed a relationship with Vitamin D levels and mortality rates from malignant melanoma…
“Studies regarding sun exposure are rare, but recently, we reported that the mortality rate was doubled in women in the Melanoma in Southern Sweden (MISS) cohort who avoided active sun exposure, compared to those with the highest sun exposure”.
We were designed to live under the sun and have enjoyed sunshine and its healing benefits for thousands to millions of years, depending on whether you believe in creation or evolution. Of course there is a way to ensure your sun exposure is done safely, especially as we come out of Winter and into the Spring, but more about that another day. For now, seeing that Spring has sprung it’s time to give getting daily sun time the same priority as you do your exercise routine.
✔️ Action Item – Think about your regular days and routine. How much outdoor time do you currently get and can you add a little more. Ideally, you should be heading out during first light for sunrise time, midday for UVB Vitamin D making time and sunset for winding down time.
The Benefits of Photobiomodulation & Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy (RLT) has been making the rounds within the health and wellness space for a number of years. Harnessing the power of specific wavelengths of light, particularly in the red and near-infrared spectrum, it’s a natural non-invasive treatment which boasts a variety of benefits that can significantly improve your physical and mental well-being.
Some key benefits of red light therapy.
Reduced Inflammation and Pain Relief: RLT has anti-inflammatory effects which can help reduce chronic and acute inflammation. This can provide pain relief from conditions like arthritis, joint pain, muscle soreness and plantar fasciitis to just name a few.
Mental Health & Mood: Exposure to RLT has been shown to help regulate circadian rhythms, promote hormonal balance and help with better sleep quality and insomnia. By creating a calming environment, red light therapy helps promote relaxation and stress reduction, contributing to overall mental wellness.
Image: SaunaSpace
Pain management: Studies show that red light therapy can reduce pain from conditions such as arthritis, back pain, and fibromyalgia. The soothing warmth of the light therapy can help improve blood flow in the targeted areas, providing relief from inflammation and encouraging overall relaxation and healing.
Skin: RLT has also been shown to improve skin tone and texture. It can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and can help manage skin conditions such as acne and rosacea. The RLT stimulates collagen production, which is essential for maintaining youthful glowing skin.
Enhanced Wound Healing: RLT accelerates tissue repair and healing by enhancing cell regeneration, making it effective for wound healing, reducing scar tissue, and improving recovery from injuries.
In fact, the list goes on. Way on. From gut issues to improving eye sight and treating dry eye disease to helping with various diseases and conditions like diabetes, brain injury, spinal cord damage, dermatological conditions, oral irritation, and in different areas of dentistry. The more I read the more I get the sense that RLT and coconut oil share a lot in common – one thing that can do so much good.
If you’d like to learn more about RLT, here is a great book I recommend. And if you’re interested in investing in a RLT panel yourself, whether you need to target a particular problem or for just enhance health and wellbeing I have some great brands that I recommend below:
✔️ Action Item – If red light is speaking to you, here are some great brands to check out with a sneaky saving or two…
BonCharge – Great Aussie Brand with a huge range. You can enjoy 25% Off Storewide (as part of a special promo weekend) otherwise grab 15% off during other times.
BlockBlueLight – Another great Aussie brand that I love. You can grab yourself a warming 10% off storewide
EMR Tek – Global leader in all things Red Light therapy. Enjoy 15% Off Storewide and their huge range.
3 THINGS TO EXPLORE
A Powerful Way To Beat The Afternoon Slump
We all know that feeling. It’s 2.30 pm, you’re starting to slide down your chair, concentrating is hard and you’re looking for that chocolate fix or caffeine hit.
Sound familiar? Hitting a wall in the afternoon is a common phenomena for many so why does this happen? Well, it has a bit to do with both nature and nurture.
First, the nature part.
During the early to mid-afternoon, our circadian rhythm naturally dips, telling our body it might be a good time to rest. This dip triggers the release of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep, making us feel like we could do with a little nana nap.
With the nurture part, we see lunch playing a big part in that afternoon slump we can feel so beating that slump starts with our lunch.
Lunch Habits To Beat Afternoon Slumps
To make your lunch more “slump-free” friendly, here are some handy little tips:
- Go for high protein, low / less carb lunches
- Eat mindfully and slowly and give the social scrolling a miss
- Follow the Japanese Hara Hachi Bu rule of eating. This means eating until your 80% full as overeating can make your body divert blood and energy to digestion causing that drowsy feeling
- Get some fresh air after lunch and go for a little walk. A bit of a stretch, fresh air into your lungs and sunshine will make the world of difference, invigorating you and giving you a little burst of energy so you can tackle the afternoon head on
A lot of people can lose 2 to 3 hours a day just due to that afternoon slump but it doesn’t have to be that way so here’s to bringing more energy to our days and making the most of them.
✔️ Action Item – If you find the afternoon slump a daily battle, rather than continue with the caffeine and sugary fix, try a change to your lunch routine instead.
More Powerful Ways To Beat The Afternoon Slump
Making our lunch more energy boosting is one way to avoid that 2.30 brain drain, but here are a few others to try.
Stay Hydrated: Our brain is over 70% water so staying hydrated can improve our decision making and boost our energy.
Stand, Don’t Sit: Sitting for long periods of time isn’t good for us full stop and it certainly won’t help us feel more energetic. If you’re getting the woozy feeling, it’s time to get up and start working standing up.
The Power of Scent: Aromatherapy is a powerful tool so bring some alertness to your environment by adding some peppermint or lemon to your diffuser.
Put On Some Tunes: Need to pump up the afternoon vibe? Try pumping up the volume with your favourite tunes. Music is a great motivator so put on some of your favourite songs that you know always make you feel like dancing.
More Cool. Less Heat: You know that warm, cosy feeling that just makes you want to sleep? Well, that’s not what you want in your afternoon. If your eye lids are starting to feel heavy, open the window, let that fresh air in, turn down your heating or take off a layer or two. A cooler temperature will make you feel more alert and ready to go.
On those days you do need a lazy day or afternoon, honour your feelings and go for it. Napping is fine if it doesn’t make you too drowsy or interrupt your sleep at night. But for those days you do need to smash out some tasks and jump over those hurdles, these tips will hopefully help.
✔️ Action Item – Don’t let your energy suffer or resort to reaching for the coffee and chocolate to get through your day. Protect your energy and your days with these easy fixes.
To All The Fathers
“A father acts on behalf of his children by working, providing, intervening, struggling, and suffering for them. In so doing, he really stands in their place. He is not an isolated individual, but incorporates the selves of several people in his own self. Every attempt to live as if he were alone is a denial of the fact that he is actually responsible. He cannot escape the responsibility, which is his because he is a father.” ―
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