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Best Infrared Light Devices for Hair Loss, Workout Recovery, and More
For at least a decade, doctors, physiotherapists, and chiropractors have used infrared light therapy to heal injured muscles and treat conditions like Parkinson disease, depression, and even cancer. Now, the benefits are not just for the lettered. You can buy at-home infrared light devices to help manage everything from injuries to blood pressure, hair loss to wrinkles. Question is, while infrared light devices promise to be a medical panacea, they cost thousands of dollars. Are they worth it?
The devices vary in size, shape, and function, but all use infrared LED lights, either invisible near infrared (NIR) or visible red infrared (RI). No one is entirely sure what these lights do in the human body, but scientists believe they penetrate our cells, activating the mitochondria, our cells’ power plant. Energizing these mitochondrion make cells healthier, encouraging repair processes.NASA started studying artificial light therapy in the 1980s and the research has increased in recent years with improvements in LED light technology. Anecdotal and scientifically gathered data links NIR and RI to all kinds of health and healing benefits, but the research is limited in scale, says Brent Bauer, research director for the Integrative Medicine Program at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.“We’re still waiting for reliable, large-scale studies to validate some of these claims,” he says. “Until we have some good-quality studies that evaluate both the efficacy and safety of these new devices, caution is prudent.”He does acknowledge NIR and RI light are different than the kind of skin-damaging energy used in tanning beds or solar UV rays. Used moderately, there are few side effects or risks associated with infrared light devices.Weighed against the growing list of benefits, it’s worth taking a closer look at some of the options available. Here are the top options to consider. More - in Wellness
Gifts for Men: 20 Big-Ticket Items to Splurge On
Gifts for men can be tricky. Do you want it to be utilitarian, meaningful, personalized, or just plain cool? Some might argue the perfect gift is a combination of them all. In any case, if you’re shopping for big-ticket items that have a certain wow factor, buckle up. We have 20 epic items worth splurging on, perfect for friends, brothers, dads, partners, or even yourself.
Of all the times to treat yourself, now certainly seems like a good one. From gadgets for amateur astronomers to wellness devices to quell anxiety from a world on fire, we’ve got the best gifts for men across tech, fitness, outdoor gear, and more.
TCL 6-SERIES 4K ROKU TV Courtesy Image
1. TCL 6-SERIES 4K ROKU TV
He’s been streaming a lot of MasterClass, Acorn, and discovery+ as of late—along with the regular mix of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Enhance his viewing experience with this beautifully designed set that includes Roku’s voice control, thousands of micro-meter class mini-LED backlights for a stunning picture, and access to 250,000+ free movies and TV episodes through Roku’s built-in OS. Considering TCL/Roku has won several awards in 2021 already, you can feel confident the brand lives up to the hype.
[From $700; amazon.com]
Get itHammerhead Karoo 2 Courtesy Image
2. Hammerhead Karoo 2
Karoo 2 is a newcomer, but billed as the cycling computer Tour de France winners use. It’s smaller than industry competitors’ but boasts an impressive slew of features like high-resolution mapping, performance data visualization, navigation capabilities, and regular updates When pre-sales were available last fall, the gadget sold out in days, so cyclists should add this to their toolkit ASAP. You know, before investor Lance Armstrong and Israeli billionaire Sylvan Adam tell all their friends. More - in Wellness
The Longer You Stare at a Screen, the Worse Your Health Habits Become
Screen time is way up since the global pandemic began. While it’s an understandable diversion from life during COVID-19, it’s problematic when it comes to the rest of your health. A new study from scientists at Arizona State University shows the longer someone stares at a TV, phone, or computer screen during the day, the worse their health habits are.
Interestingly, when researchers broke down the screen use and health behaviors of the roughly 1,000 study participants, they found watching TV was linked to the worst eating habits, while smartphone use was most directly correlated to poor sleep. All screen use has some negative health consequences, says Christopher Wharton, Ph.D., associate professor of nutrition at Arizona State and co-author of the study, but if you’re going to pick your battles, start by limiting the Netflix binges and shutting off your phone an hour before bed. “Different devices matter for different health behaviors, and we can make more targeted health improvements if we think about use of particular devices,” he says.Getting away from your devices during COVID takes discipline. “For those who are having to spend more time in front of screens right now for work, such as myself, I take every opportunity to move away from them when work is done,” says Wharton. “I go play with my kids, work out outdoors, do woodworking projects, and pursue new COVID hobbies—I’m learning the violin. All of that delivers way more value for me personally than watching TV, especially after spending my whole day staring at a screen.”
Meanwhile, when you do choose to zone out in front of the tube, keep a bowl of fruit on your coffee table and pre-sliced carrots and cucumbers in a ziplock bag in your fridge so you can pull it out when the game is on. Mindlessly noshing on an entire bowl of fresh veggies with salsa dip vs. a bowl of chips with sour cream dip will save you about 2,000 calories.
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