For as long as we can remember, diet, exercise and hydration have been promoted as important means of wellness. However, there is one element not talked about enough: light. Light provides functional support for the human body and is a vital piece of the wellness puzzle. 

If you have yet to indulge in the goodness that is light therapy, now is the time. Professional athletes, movie stars and biohackers have been using light as a mode of wellness for many years to enhance performance and keep the body in prime condition. Now, light therapy is more available and affordable for everyday people wanting to optimize their health. 

Light Emitting Diode (LED) therapy, also known as red light therapy, low level light therapy or photobiomodulation (PBM), is a process that uses varying wavelengths of light including red and infrared light for a non-invasive, soothing and gentle treatment. It sets in motion the body’s inherent pain-relieving process while promoting total body wellness and peak physiological function.

This type of treatment is typically approached with hesitation by the consumer, but the results speak for themselves. Below is a list of the benefits from light therapy:

• Increases nitric oxide levels (for more on the benefits of nitric oxide: Podcast Link Here)
• Improves circulation & reduces lactic acid build up
• Promotes hair growth
• Provides testosterone enhancement for men
• Optimizes sleep
• Reduces wrinkles, fine lines and acne
• Stimulates collagen & elastin production
• Reduces inflammation
• Decreases joint pain and stiffness
• Accelerates healing
• Improves brain, mood & heart function

LED does not contain ultraviolet rays which therefore makes it safe for regular use. Consistency is key. Using red light therapy on a regular basis will maximize results. However; in most cases, you will begin to see positive results after just one use; typically in the areas of skin, soreness and pain!

All red light devices are not created equal. It is important to ensure the device you choose (either full bed, handheld and/or single panels) is high quality.

At Victory Men’s Health, we use the LightStim LED Bed, which is the first LED bed to receive FDA Clearance. It is FDA cleared to relieve arthritic pain, a variety of minor aches and pains, relax muscles and increase local blood circulation. The LightStim bed delivers a comprehensive full body treatment with 18,240 medical grade LEDs. The unique, custom design ensures the closest proximity of the skin to the light source for superior results. It also includes sophisticated sensors that monitor and adjust body temperature on a millisecond-by-millisecond basis for consistent tissue temperature and increased blood flow throughout the entire body.

To book your session or talk to one of our team members regarding red light therapy, please contact us below

Victory Men’s Health Town and Country, MO

moinfo@victorymenshealth.com

Available at the Town & Country, Missouri clinic only. 

IV therapy (Intravenous therapy) is a technique used to deliver vitamins, minerals, amino acids, or antioxidants directly into your body via your vein. IV therapy is common practice when sick or in the hospital, but it can also be used to help optimize your overall health and well-being. 

IV therapy is a more superior route of administration as opposed to getting your nutrients through oral supplements or food. While it’s not a substitute for eating well, it’s a great addition. Unfortunately, our food is not as nutrient dense as it once was due to soil depletion along with harmful pesticides and herbicides sprayed on crops. Even if you eat sustainable and organic food for EVERY meal (we all have that one friend), you’re still not getting the same quality of fruits and vegetables from a nutritional standpoint as our ancestors once did. To add more fuel to the fire, most people have gut or microbiome issues and are unable to absorb nutrients efficiently, whether it’s malabsorption, leaky gut, or inflammatory conditions. Oral supplements are extremely beneficial to fill gaps in the diet, but don’t guarantee 100% absorption, especially when not taking a quality product. With IV therapy, the nutrients bypass the gut, so your GI tract doesn’t require any breakdown work. Intravenous administration allows your cells to be immediately saturated with nutrients so your body can start using them right away, resulting in you feeling better faster. It’s so quick acting, sometimes you can even taste the vitamins once the IV starts to drip! 

Therapeutic dosing

Depending on the vitamin/mineral, delivering higher doses can sometimes be challenging in an oral form. For example, magnesium. Magnesium is documented to have great effect on vascular smoothing, muscle relaxation, and relieving headaches; however, there is no way to get the optimal amount orally to achieve results without GI disturbances. Magnesium is known for its effect in laxatives. If you have ever taken an over-the-counter laxative, you know it’s not a walk in the park and taking too much magnesium orally would bring back memories of your evening spent running back and forth to the bathroom. If you’re looking to supplement high doses of this mineral, you’ll need it supplied through an IV to avoid the uncomfortable side effect through GI absorption.

Hydration

Our bodies are made up of 60% water. As mentioned, very few people drink the daily recommended amount of water necessary to refuel our bodies and function properly. Because so much of us is made of water, it is critical for the healthy function of every one of our cells. Some functions include lubricating your joints, regulating internal body temperature, transporting protein and carbohydrates, and eliminating waste. Symptoms of dehydration are not rare for most of us. Headache, dry mouth, fatigue, to a name a few, all can be associated with not drinking enough water. Fluid is the foundation of IV drips and is delivered through a bag of IV fluid solution, usually 500-1000ml containing electrolytes to help restore your body’s hydration more efficiently than you can accomplish by just drinking water. Most people aren’t reaching that volume in an entire day let alone in 30 minutes!

Being properly hydrated is essential for various events whether you’re preparing for your next Spartan Race or a bachelor party in Vegas, you may need some extra fluids for occasions that dehydrate you. Did you know that being dehydrated also effects your skin? Is your skin looking dull, scaly, or more saggy than usual? These characteristics can be a sign that you’re not getting enough water and an IV helps restore fluid balance immediately.

Travel

Going on vacation? IVs are an excellent resource to include on your to-do list before going out of town. Traveling to different geographical locations or even being in an airport can expose you to various pathogens. If your immune system is down, you’re putting yourself at risk for contracting a virus that could devastate your 10-day trip in Mexico. Throw in a time change, lack of sleep, alcohol and eating outside your normal routine, you’re probably not going to feel so hot in your new fedora. Getting an IV before and after a trip is the fastest way to boost your immune system and to protect yourself from getting sick.

There are a multitude of reasons and/or conditions that are beneficial for seeking out IV therapy:

• Micronutrient deficiencies 
• Chronic illnesses such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lyme Disease, cancer, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson Disease.  
• Fibromyalgia
• Psoriasis, eczema
• Migraines
• GI infections, Crohn’s disease
• Inflammation

It’s a therapeutic experience! At Victory Men’s Health, we sit down with you when you arrive to determine which IV cocktail is most appropriate for your symptoms and goals if you haven’t already decided. Stuck between two choices? Drips can be combined/customized! Once your bag is primed and lined, you’ll be ushered to a zero-gravity massage chair in our IV lounge to sit back (literally), relax and enjoy your drip. The Himalayan salt wall provides a calming ambiance and purifies the circulating air helping reduce stress, increase energy, and boost mood. You’ll forget what you’re here for! Have a friend, family member or significant other looking to join? The more the merrier!

Micronutrient testing is a great tool to find out exactly what IV drips are best for you. To learn more about vitamin supplementation, micronutrient deficiencies, testing and more, listen to our podcast or contact one of the medical professionals at any of our locations.

To schedule an IV:

O’Fallon, IL 618.632.9000 info@victorymenshealth.com

Town and Country, MO 314.833.9000 moinfo@victorymenshealth.com

Winghaven, MO 636.229.9000 winghaven@victorymenshealth.com

References:

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What are Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)?

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals are exogenous chemicals that have the ability to alter our body’s natural hormones leaving us unprotected in a way that affects our overall health and they cannot be avoided in our day-to-day life. Over the past 60 years, a growing number of EDCs have been used in the production of just about everything we purchase and breathe from environmental pollutants, plastics and cosmetics. In 2022, we are under attack by the myriad of chemicals we’re exposed to every day and they are constantly bombarding our bodies and contributing to negative health outcomes.

To understand EDCs, it’s important to grasp the importance of our hormones and their functioning. Hormones are chemical messengers such as testosterone, estrogen and insulin and they don’t just pertain to sexual and reproductive health. The fact is our body relies on an exquisitely balanced system of glands and hormones to deliver signals to tissues throughout our entire body that are critical for maintaining overall health and fighting illness. Brain function, thyroid, gut, immune system, and heart all critically require hormones to run smoothly. Our bodies are set up like a physiological internet system where hormones send email messages to cells telling them what to do to keep us functioning at optimal health. Imbalances and insufficiencies arise when our system freezes or wanes. EDCs hijack our system by turning on false hormone messages. We are chronically out of balance due to the exposure of EDCs and their negative effect on our messaging system. 

Issues associated with EDCs

Exposure at very sensitive stages of fetal development can result in profound changes in physiology and functions that may not manifest clinically until much later in life even after ceased exposure. Disruption in the womb can affect male and female hormonal development for the rest of their lives! Pollutants have even been found in umbilical cord blood samples, proving we know it begins in utero. Over the past 20-30 years there has been a disturbing increase in asthma, lower testosterone levels, increase in childhood obesity, development disorders, complications with conceiving, just to name a few that have been linked increased exposure to EDCs.

There are hundreds of harmful EDCs in the world. So many, in fact, that scientists have a difficulty isolating the effects of just one chemical over a person’s lifespan due to the vast volume of different chemicals we are subjected to. They are not safe at any level of exposure for any duration of time. The common offenders you’ve probably heard of are found in plastics but are also in pesticides, flame retardants, tap water/foods, heavy metals and the list goes on.

Bisphenol-A (BPA), is a xenoestrogen chemical used in the manufacture of plastics found in food and drink containers, plastic water bottles, baby bottles and a variety of household products. Exposure is primarily via dietary ingestion from the inner lining of cans and microwave containers during the heating of food materials. If you frequently indulge in reheated take-out in your to-go box, this applies to you!

Xenoestrogen, a foreign substance that mimics estrogen, amplifies a feminizing effect and down regulates the masculine androgenic effect. Phthalates, another chemical found in plastics and personal care products such as perfumes, nail polish, wood stains, actually block normal testosterone production. Regular exposure to anti-androgenic chemicals for males can cause testosterone levels to decline resulting in symptoms of low testosterone such as low energy, vitality and sex drive. In addition, chemical exposure in the womb can lead to infertility, immune diseases, penis size (yes, you read that right), penis abnormalities, hormonal cancers and depression. In females, can cause PCOS, infertility, fibroids, endometriosis, hormonal cancers and even early menopause. Concerned yet?

Some EDCs have the ability to make our fat misbehave and contribute to the hormone insulin being less responsive to glucose, increasing our risk for becoming resistant and developing type-2 diabetes! Despite efforts through lifestyle changes, toxins are preventing those fat cells to budge making it that much more difficult to maintain a healthy weight and body composition. The importance of keeping excess body fat off to avoid chronic conditions is no secret.

How to avoid EDCs?

We are faced with the challenge of our modern-day environment that is a chemical soup. EDCs are gaining entry into our body and while it’s impossible to eliminate them all, the best course of action is to limit your exposure. Simple steps you can take right now:

• Replace all plastics used for storing food and drinks with glass products (NEVER heat plastics in the microwave or put in the dishwasher – plastics release chemicals when heated)
• Switch cookware to cast iron, stainless/carbon steel or glass and stay away from non-stick cookware (Non-stick coating is toxic)
• Request electronic store receipts (receipts are coated with BPA)
• Choose organic when possible and be aware of foods containing higher amounts of pesticides
• Switch to non-toxic personal care and cosmetic items
• Check your labels!! They are hiding in products you would never think of. Avoid anything with known harmful EDCs

EDCs are truly a silent killer in the world and limiting exposure is crucial for our future. Pete Myers, founder, CEO and chief scientist at Environmental Health Sciences names EDCs as a top threat to humanity next to global warming and nuclear war. Knowing that vulnerability starts in the womb and can pass on through generations makes it imperative that people are made aware and know how to limit subjection because no one wants a small penis.

References: 

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