Introduction to Red Light Therapy

Further by modulation is actually scientific term, which basically means that we use in light with benefits for health, photo stimulation and photo modulation.

In to in the breakdown more will easy for for people for listeners to understand is just think of the as sunlight. Yes. So the sun is the ultimate source of energy on the planet.

And it generates light and B perceive it as a white light. But. Welcome to Doctor Talks. The podcast where every episode leads to a healthier you. Join us as we navigate the world of optimal health, uncovering groundbreaking strategies to conquer chronic disease.

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Everyone, welcome back to the Integrative Health podcast with Doctor Jen. Today we're going to be talking about red light therapy. We have Doctor Zulia Frost.

She is a doctor of general medicine and pediatrics. She's also a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncturist. Zulia is a renowned clinical worldwide for her use in research as neuromodulation, photo bio modulation therapies in energy and other energy based treatments.

Zulia devoted 30 years of clinical practice and treated over 10,000 patients accumulating experience and has helped thousands of patients, making her personal contribution in promoting a healthy lifestyle and well-being.

Seen high rates of success in relieving pain and regaining function while using photo bio modulation, setting her on the path to pursue her vision for this advanced technology to become a standard of care in every home, she co-founded recharge and now works as a clinical director, dedicating her efforts in promoting red light therapy with Flex beam.

Targeted wearable red light therapy device. Welcome, Doctor Frost, so excited to have you here today. So tell us a little bit about your background. Thank you so much, Jen, for having me on your podcast.

Yeah. Well, my background. So I was clinician from the moment that was born, I think. Yeah, I was my mother was a medical doctor. So I was in the medical environment all my life.

And of course, I studied medicine, work as a pediatrician for a number of years.

Doctor Frost's Background and Clinical Journey

And then I discovered this, you know, technology, which actually changed my life because I suddenly realized you can use, different modalities to, upregulate your body, to make your body to be working more efficiently and heal faster.

But of course, it happens because I was, in unfortunate, the traumatic situation, and I had to heal myself. I became a patient. Yeah. So, that kind of put me on this path of discovery.

What else is there? What are the technology and modalities we can use to get our health under control? And, I would say my latest years I've been using technology.

So treating people with lights, I was treating people with electricity, with sound, you name it. And I was getting results. Fantastic results. So, eventually, I just thought, you know what?

I want something for people to take home. Like a device where they can, after seeing me, they can take something home. Tangible energy device. And they continue the healing at home.

And so when they see them next time, they will be much more, you know, progression with their injury or inflammation or whatever. They experience better.

So I think it's hard because, you know, you you go to the doctor, you go to the hospital, whatever, and then you're sent home. But most healing has to be at home.

So stuff you do every day. Yes. And trust me, I don't know any patient who would be compliant because people in fundamental, in their nature, they're lazy.

Yeah. Like, yeah. Well, it's not the lazy lazy. It's because we have so many responsibility and we have to work. And you know, there is so much pressure if you if you mom in the house, you have kids, you have family you have to cook to to do, you know, serve everyone.

And there's just never enough time for you to complete that healing. And if you have a tool which helps you in this journey to make it faster, to make it more efficient, why not use it?

Right? Absolutely. So what exactly is photo bio modulation? And that includes red light therapy. Could you define those? What those are for those listening.

Yes. Photo by modulation is actually scientific term, which basically means that we use in light with benefits for health photo stimulation and photo by modulation.

In to in the breakdown. More more easy for for people for listeners to understand is just think of the as sunlight. Yes. So the sun is the ultimate source of energy on the planet, and it generates light and B perceive it as a white light.

But really, remember, lesson from physics at school, when you put the prism, you can break it down and the light becomes blue, green, red and invisible infrared.

So when we talk specifically or fuze in a specific colors or nanometers of the wavelengths, then they talk with specific therapy, most research and safest out of all this therapy I listed, it's the use of red and near-infrared light.

Because the wavelengths are long and they don't cause any problem with health. Of course. Scientist, learn how to basically harness the power of the sunlight.

So it's literally the same wavelengths as coming from the sun. So it's very natural for us. But many people are very surprised. And when they hear this, what is red light could do?

I mean, red light. What is this lamp? Red color. Whatever. What is red light? What is basically that? Exactly what I describe. It's a part of the spectrum of the sunlight, which then scientists managed to put either in the form of laser or LEDs.

And when you shine, you get benefits to health. Yeah, absolutely. And there's a lot of research with long haulers, with photodiode modulation. And this is really an untapped area that a lot of conventional doctors maybe aren't talking about.

And it's it's accessible. You can do it at home. It's painless. You know. And for those that are watching that know what red light therapy looks like, you know, it's just it can be a panel on the wall.

I like mine because it's on the go. So I take this when I travel and I will wear it around when I'm cooking dinner or something. I'm going to wear it now while I'm walking on the podcast, but I, I really like I like things to be accessible to, especially like working mothers or stay at home mothers.

Anyone who is just running around. And that's the hardest part about a lot of these, you know, maybe biohacking or even just other modalities that aren't taking a supplement or a drug, you need to have time to do it.

So that's why I really like that. It can be on the go for me. So how does how does this red light therapy help? So there are different spectrums of light.

They do different things like how does it actually work when you use it. It's a very, very good question and I totally agree with you. Because, you know, we need something which can help us once we do something else.

So, how does it work?

What Photobiomodulation Means

Its light has unique properties, and particularly in when it's in red and near infrared light, it's absorbed the photons of light absorbed inside your cells by the organelles called mitochondria.

So now you ask what mitochondria. It's basically your, energy center in the cells. So something which make energy for the cells to be alive and to run any functions in the cells.

So it makes sense to keep your mitochondria healthy, strong and functioning. So you have many, many, many of them. There's the scattered there on the cell.

And so if you have a means to optimize it and work harder and make more energy, what does it mean? It translate for your cells in the body that your sales will be a little happy and they can, run all the physiological processes, in, in time efficiently.

And the you not going to be basically you're not going to be sick if you use it, on regular basis. So one specific area we took it's energy. Then there is another effect of, light therapy.

It's kind of, bypass of the effects, like when the photons bind in mitochondria, it's somewhat like solar panels. You know, solar panels also accept the photon of light, and they use it to make the energy in the house in the same way mitochondria, except the photon and make energy in your body.

But in the bypass of this process, it's, releases nitric oxide, nitric oxide. It's a it's a gas, but it's good. Very unique property of vaso dilating.

So make the blood flow better. And this is crucial if you have any injuries or inflammation, it always comes with the price. Your muscles become very tight very tense.

And it restricts the blood circulating. Leave you physically broke some tissue, let's say ligament or muscle. Or cartilage. You know, they will be restricted blood supply to this area.

So you really need blood present at this point so you can initiate healing. So when you shine red and infrared light, you can do it on the go. You make the energy, but you also improve that circulation locally where you shine in the light.

And, besides that one more effect, it's to produce a high quality of collagen and you probably even thinking now. Okay, cool it in. I know that it makes my skin look wonderful, and that's true.

And, that is good, but collagen actually needed everywhere in the body because, collagen, you know, all your subcutaneous tissue, connective tissue made out of quality.

And then when you want to heal your wounds, and you have this scar. Also, collagen plays important roles because it makes this scar the pliable, nice scar.

So you don't have that horrible scar. So here you go already. Three city benefit, three effects. Yes. But, with, the skin benefits, that's mostly more red light.

Not in for light infrared, right? Yes. Yes. Because, the red light is typically absorbed at the surface of the skin. And that's why when the red light, if you want better skin, we don't need big infrared light.

Yes, because it just going to stimulate already collagen, which is superficial. But if you have the inflammation inside the body at depth, we need something stronger and but simply out of all these listed wavelengths so different colors, infrared light is the one which penetrates deep so it can deliver energy to the tissue you want to regenerate.

Maybe it's a broken bone, maybe it's a torn muscle, but you want to fix it at depth. And for this you need infrared light. And that's why they, they pair so well together.

Yes. Exactly, exactly. Also I know light has good property to affect the inflammation, but not every light. Again it's red and near-infrared light. They specifically, affect mitochondria and they specifically stimulate healing and specifically reduces inflammation.

So I've seen it I've seen it in clinical use when people come up with osteoarthritis. And if I just put the plates beam over the knee of the osteopath, it's literally in ten, 20 minutes, you taking it off.

And then it's like, cool down inflammation gone. Pain's gone.

How Red Light Therapy Works in the Body

You know, so many good benefits from, from use of red light. There really is. Now what about mitochondrial health? So we hear about how red light can really help with our mitochondrial health, which is the powerhouse of our cells, which gives us energy.

How does it help my with the mitochondria? You're absolutely right. Mitochondria is literally a cornerstone of this. It it's it's basically making you energetic, number one, because if every cells work in and then energize, you feel generally energetic and, I would say that, also very important to, to mention that, our aging process is happening because cells become really stuffed with a sort of bypass, waste products like called reactive oxygen species.

And that drives the aging process of this cell at the cellular level. So if you shine red light, what it does, it creates inside the mitochondria, melatonin, which clears this oxidative stress.

And this is recent studies demonstrate that you can actually be energized and rejuvenated from inside from the cellular level. When you use red and particularly infrared light.

Yeah. And that's that's what makes it so great. You can you can do this at once too. You can have them both at the same time. Right. And one certain device, this, this, this year, unique wavelengths also have impact on your melatonin production.

You probably know this, that, in the past, people used to, particularly in biohacking community, you sit and you watch red light, and that's where you produce lots of melatonin, which helps you to sleep.

It regulates your circadian rhythm. But, what we learned recently, you don't need to look at it. You can just put it on the body and you still going to have impact on melatonin.

And then how many people not sleeping well and you know, how can you function in the day if you have terrible sleep. You can't I mean, I personally cannot I need a proper good sleep.

We all need sleep. Yeah. And you're not sleeping. Your immune system will be trash. Exactly. Yes. And again, what is a major contributor to aging, to feeling, looking and looking older?

It's an inability to sleep when people have insomnia. And, to be honest, I think, when people take, drug therapy, it's not giving you the same restful sleep.

No, it's not you off. And they it's not giving you, good restorative sleep, which we need. Right. Same with alcohol. A lot of people, they're like, I'm gonna have a nightcap.

It's like somewhere where a tracker, like an aura ring. And see. See what that does to your your deep sleep. But trash is a just because you're not awake doesn't mean you're getting good sleep.

So that's that's a really good point from TCM point of view. You know, every organ has activity, peak activity and trough activity. So a liver peak activity is between 2 to 3 a.m..

And this what we see, people have maybe knocked themselves out with alcohol. But then three, 432, 3 a.m. they wake up and then they go back to sleep because they labor is overworking, overwork and trying to detox the body. So.

Absolutely. And a lot of sad, sad livers. And sluggish livers. So many toxins. Yes. So, yeah. So, so many benefits of red light therapy. So I, I benefited, with case studies, flex beam, this particular device to impact people, sleep, even people who, you know, anxious, they can't fall asleep because the heart goes racing.

They feel anxiety. So this kind of blood into it relaxes you, but it also makes you hard to slow down and get rid of that anxiety. And, it's all done without any side effects, because there is no it's light.

It's just focused light, concentrated light. So there are no side effects to. And that's amazing. And that's one of the things that people would want to know, you know, are there are there any side effects who who can use this.

Everyone. Right. Yeah. And that's why I think flexible is quite uniquely, unique device in my view. Why? Because it's not only you use it when you're injured or you have some, you know, issues with health.

If you complete health healthy, but you want to maintain your optimal energy like, like use it Preventatively you can just put it on the on the body sit and watch movie and you just keep it like this and then you will see, that over a period of time you just feel more energized.

You just feel more alive. That lingering fatigue gone. You feel like, okay, I'm up to doing things. I'm up to go in full gym session or up to go for a run because it's really difficult to get this yourself.

You know, first step to get out of the house and do some activity. Yeah. Yeah. No. Is there like so where should people be using the flex schemes specifically?

I, I usually use it personally on my neck just to really loosen up those muscles. I try to not keep my tension in my neck and my traps, but I do, so I'll use it there.

My kids, if they have an injury, they will. They will wear it once a day. Is there a maximal like, can you overdo it? You know, on a certain area? Well, you technically, yes you can.

If you read science or photo bio modulation, they will tell you that is there are slow or a biphasic dose response, which is basically saying that if you use too much, you gonna negate the effect from it.

Well, it's really depends. To be honest, I personally have an observed this with, flex beam. I think I have only one guy who emailed me, some time ago, and he says, you know what?

It doesn't work. And I said to him, how do you use it? And he told me he uses four hours continuously for hours.

Mitochondria, Sleep, and Recovery Benefits

And then like, where did you get this? This is in every instruction. This is use three for placement. They and people have been using it. So my recommendation to use it, where you experience in problem like you said, it could be the neck because we're all sitting in front of the computer all night.

It could be low back for most people because they're sitting not like you. Walking and started walking. Yeah, I just started walking during podcast. I'm like, I got a good setup.

Very good idea. I've got no standing up this as well, so. And, and, or if you have the injury or if you have like osteoarthritis or you have tennis elbow, just put it there where you feel something is wrong.

Yes. You put it there and it's going to do the job. And then you need to use it once a day. I give very simple instruction. Use Monday to Friday, keep the weekend off.

Why is that? It's not like I want people to use Monday to Friday. It's just meaning like you use it, for example, for five days in a row and then have a short break so you don't you break the that feeling out sort of, capacity for energy.

And then you will be continuously to improve. So but overall it sorry. That's an interesting concept because we do that for hormones. It's called a hormone holiday.

So we kind of reset the receptors for hormones. So we do that. It's not as we don't really do it with progesterone but or testosterone but for estrogens or estradiol astral for hormone replacement and postmenopausal women.

So we have this hormonal holiday where we take one day off a week. Some people can do four days at once, but most like the ones one day a week. So is that kind of the same thing?

You're resetting the receptors? It it might be the case. It might be resetting receptors. I found it practically because I've been, you know, working with red light therapy devices for decades, but with flex beam as well.

I studied inside out and I found this is a way, the best way. So people continuously have result. I think also our receptors will be with mitochondria.

So say would you somebody is so very, very depleted, you know, people so fatigued. Now there is some, some of them running into this, adrenal crisis. And so, for them, they don't have enough mitochondria.

So to stimulate in too much is not going to be effective. So small portions and short exposures, longer break and sit in between will give you results.

But if you are, you know, healthy individual, very athletic, you're doing stuff and you look enough to yourself, you can use it. You can use, you know, for placement day, every day, maybe two weeks and then make a break.

But in average, our recommendation is to use it, for five days, for example, a couple of days off and so on. Got it. Yeah. You know. Yeah. What's interesting about this device is it has the three different settings.

Could you maybe explain that a little bit like what each setting is used for because you're targeting different issues with each setting. That's true.

We designed it to be really suitable for a variety of scenarios. So we have three programs. They are designed to target therapy at different level of penetration.

So program one most superficial program two a little bit deeper. Program three very deep. So if you have program with skin I can list anything like from wounds from from scars from let's say dermatitis, you know, like or egg eczema, you know, even conditions that bruises anything on the skin use program one.

Program one because they all energy will be assimilated within the skin area. But if you feel like if you bruise is deeper in the body, yes, you probably need program two because it's a mixture of both red and the infrared light.

But that would be, more of like muscle tissue, right? Like, yes. Also my joints like, like a, like a, like a little joints here, for example. Or you can use it on ligaments like Achilles tendon and arguments, of the, until you can use it all around.

Then you can use program to it would be beneficial then. So, program two has both red and the infrared. And they love it because it kind of gives the it makes a broader application.

But also, there is a little secret because in program two, we have, sweeping frequencies and the eyes will stop in very specific frequencies, which we found beneficial for the body.

So it's kind of going to have this stimulating effect. So cell will be waking up. So in this case, in my view, if somebody has some very chronic condition and you use program three to have deeper penetration, but maybe time to time introduce the different like chop chop chop chop stimulation, you know, different type of stimulation.

So mixing two and three is absolutely fine. There is no set in stone application. But what we found so for example, was like ACL ligaments, knee injury, a program two works well. Yes.

But if you want hip joint sciatica pain, so the, the frozen shoulder, you need three. You need really deep penetration.

Using FlexBeam Safely and Effectively

And that will give you program three, which is continuous near infrared light and very, very powerful. I love that because you just get variety with the one machine like I said, I like this for my kids because I have a lovely infrared panel, but my kids really won't just sit in front of it in my room.

They don't want to do that. They want to sit on the couch or in their room. So it's a great because it's portable and they can take it with me. I just took it with me overnight on a trip and I use it in the car sometimes.

Got it? You got it. Get in the biohacking when you can, especially if you're you're running around. So what's your favorite way to use infrared and red light therapy?

I like to use it here on my chest. Yeah. Because it's like so comfy. It's like holding the baby. And I just see if I watch some film or whatever. Interesting. I'll just do the YouTube.

And I also like using on the stomach, which, I'll get up. So, it's over the stomach either, like this or like a gross, these, these two obligations are really, really important because, you know, to me, the stomach is your engine in the body.

It's, you know, your gut microbiota, they they make things for you. They make your own neurotransmitters. They make your own hormones. It's all happening.

The immune system, all the. It's everything there. So, I read the research which talks about microbiome being light sensitive. It makes absolute sense to put it on the stomach and grow good bacteria and energize your body.

Make your digestion system good, because, you know, to be honest, in practice, I see, I see lots, lots of patients and I would say 85% of every person who comes through the door will have digestive issues.

And so it's, I don't know, is it either our lifestyle or the food we eat or being stress something or maybe combination of everything. So it makes us very vulnerable.

So gut application I love yeah, I love it. And it's literally so flexible with how you can use it. And if you're not using red light therapy, you probably should add it in.

Like I was saying before, it's just it's a lower cost everyday thing that you can, you can use at your home. And any concern for like EMF or anything with, with using this, I mean, should anyone be concerned about anything when using it.

Yeah. Would you do the with panels. You do get this issue because then you plug them into this one. You charge and it's typically last for, I don't know, 7 or 8 applications on one charge.

I use it charged. So there is zero like literally so little EMF completely. And so, I, I like it because it's also on the body. You can target data. You can just wrap around, you know, your wrist, for example.

You wrap around this, it's it's quite effective. And yes, compliance. I mean, we will busy. I cannot see it for half an hour or whatever. More will stand in front of the panel, especially naked and wearing logos.

You don't need any of this. You just stick it on the body and you can play computer games, you can chat with your friends, and I, I like you, I put it on my low back and I sit type in front of my computer.

So, lights when it escapes. Like when you move it around and it escapes, it's fine. It's absolutely no issue. The only thing we tell people that, do not sit and look at is because, you know, I told you by hackers, they like looking at the light, but this is very strong light.

You should understand that. They're, Why this device is so special is by its power. It's so powerful. If you can play with it. This, panel, for example, it's 2 to 3 times more powerful flex being grounded.

And it's all concentrated in one area and it's on the skin. Imagine how much power is there. So it is a stroke. You need to protect your eyes. If it's a case, if somehow you escape in for the whole duration of ten minutes, and we also say don't put it on the head because it's kind of, it's awkward.

Right? Just to twist, to use it on the head. It's not designed for it. And for using on the body. Yeah. But on the, on the head, it's only because we don't know the dose.

What is safe dose for the brain. And that's the only concern. But there is no recorded or with any issues with using flex beam. We say you can use it over the dental issues over there.

TMJ if people have. Yes. Yeah. The program two, program two is a pulsed and red means that it would be suitable even sinuses. But you need to wear goggles.

On the and then the thyroid two. We know red light therapy is really nice for the thyroid. So I want to it is I think with thyroid, you can use direct stimulation.

But remember again it's really powerful device. So five minutes would be maximum I would say because it's so close. It literally behind the skin. And you just, you know or you can stimulate to the back of the neck.

Yeah. You know effective because you put on program three and it gets and improves the blood flow to your thyroid gland. And, and for thyroid gland, they, they the issue often is the gut function.

So I invite inseparably to come in to use stomach and maybe local applications. Yeah. Got to treat the root cause. Exactly. Last thing, I want to just warn you, if you go through cautious is, tattoos because lots of people now have tattoos.

Where to Use It and Safety Considerations

And, from Physics of Light, lights will accumulate on the surface of the skin if it's, black ink and it's not going to get through. So too much light on the surface can create blistering.

So do not put on to to put it around. It's somewhere. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. You don't don't mess with that. Those are really helpful tips. I think everyone out there is probably just really excited to get started and maybe try this out.

So how can everyone find you and your company? I know I'll put a link in there. I have a discount code for everyone out there. Yes, yes, we have very good websites.

And, we've got a fantastic team. I'm actually really enjoying working with my, colleagues with small team, but, we will very capable. And, our goal is to recharge people's health, which, basically, we want people to be able to use this at home, and we want to look after our, customers.

Users. That's why, if any question, any issues, you can always put it through the website and you will definitely get somebody to get back to you very, very quick.

And we also recently launch, a platform on the circle, on the circle platform, a forum where people can come together who love red light, therapy and, you know, interact with each other, learn from each other and learn what can be done.

And that I am uploading lots of videos, protocols on this platform so that people can just access and use it. So, our company is called recharge Health and quite.

Yeah. And you are so passionate about red light and it is definitely life changing. It's something that I know has made a difference in my life. I started using it red light therapy about six years ago and I haven't stopped and my kids use it, trying to get my husband to use it more.

But men are difficult sometimes, so I just love your passion for the research behind this. Thank you so much. For me, it makes little sense because after seeing this, in clinical practice, seeing how people quickly respond and quickly recover, you know, in the end, they say, you know what, why don't I why didn't I hear about this?

Why didn't I know about this? I would have done it years before before coming to this very chronic stage. So this drives my, passion because I want to help people personally, but also team with really great and they all and, for people to get better.

Yes, absolutely. Thank you so much for being here, doctor Frost. We appreciate you so much. Thank you so much, Doctor Jen, for inviting me. And sharing with the knowledge about Flex Beam and Red light therapy.

Thank you. Thank you for tuning in to Doctor Talks. We hope today's episode has enlightened and inspired you on your path to optimal health. Each day is a new opportunity to make choices that empower your well-being.

For more insights and strategies, subscribe to our podcast and visit our website WW di doctor Talksport.com. Stay connected, stay healthy and join us next time on Doctor Talks.

Real talks from real doctors on the issues that matter to you most.

Zulia Frost, MD, DC

How Red Light Therapy Can Recharge Your Body’s Healing Power