Red Light Therapy, Lights, Supplemental Lighting

[cliff]

Re: How to use red light?

The red light increases respiratory enzymes in the cell so the more cells that are exposed to red light the more energy they can produce.

 

[Ryan999]

Re: How to use red light?

So just make sure it's hitting a lot of skin?

 

[kettlebell]

Re: How to use red light?

Yes.

According to the other thread (Well worth a read) as much exposure as possible, normally upper body is likely best (More surface area).

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=187

 

[charlie]

I have merged Ryan's thread into this one.

Ryan, in a radio interview. Ray Peat said for the light to hit as much skin as possible.

 

[charlie]

Went to go do some more research on the www.heelspurs.com site and his site is down! Bummer! Hope it comes back up, if it does I will make sure to save that page.

 

[charlie]

I was able to find a web archive of it, yay!

http://web.archive.org/web/201011241706 ... m/led.html


I also saved the page and attached it to this post just in case. I had to upload it via a zip file because you cannot upload HTML files to the forum. So simply unzip the folder when you get it.

 

[narouz]

Went to go do some more research on the http://www.heelspurs.com site and his site is down! Bummer! Hope it comes back up, if it does I will make sure to save that page.

Looks like it's back, Charlie!
http://heelspurs.com/led.html

 

[Franz]

I was wondering, if an easy set up of a single (or perhaps two) 500 watt incandescent would be worthwhile. The rest seems to be too much of a hassle.

http://www.heatbulbs.eu/en/order?page=s ... egory_id=6

 

[charlie]

Incandescents seem to be a very good choice. I am running 350 watts in incandescents, and 250 in heat lamp. I hope to bring it up to around 700 watts in incandescent. And then work on getting some kind of LED array going after that for short bursts of intense red light.

 

[charlie]

Went to go do some more research on the http://www.heelspurs.com site and his site is down! Bummer! Hope it comes back up, if it does I will make sure to save that page.

Looks like it's back, Charlie!
http://heelspurs.com/led.html

Yay!!

narouz, check out what Clint over on fans said, I respect him and his knowledge so check it out:

I've tried several types of red light, but nothing has been more effective than laying one of these LED panels directly against my abdomen for 15-20 minutes. It has a noticeably thermogenic effect throughout the entire body -- my toes get hot when the LED panel is against my abdomen. When I use it prior to falling asleep, it induces a much longer deep-sleep cycle.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008A6 ... =rapefo-20

Of course now they are sold out now due to everyone from fans buying it up. I do have another source if anyone is interested PM me.

Anyways, I want to build my own array but dang its really complicating figuring out the current and all. Uggggh! Gonna need a lot of sugar to figure this out!

 

[narouz]

narouz, check out what Clint over on fans said, I respect him and his knowledge so check it out:

I've tried several types of red light, but nothing has been more effective than laying one of these LED panels directly against my abdomen for 15-20 minutes. It has a noticeably thermogenic effect throughout the entire body -- my toes get hot when the LED panel is against my abdomen. When I use it prior to falling asleep, it induces a much longer deep-sleep cycle.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008A6 ... =rapefo-20

Of course now they are sold out now due to everyone from fans buying it up. I do have another source if anyone is interested PM me.

Anyways, I want to build my own array but dang its really complicating figuring out the current and all. Uggggh! Gonna need a lot of sugar to figure this out!

Charlie--
That is interesting.
I went over to "Ray Peat Fans" (is that where you meant?)
but didn't see anything about the lights.
I did see a poster named Clint...well, it was a combo team of "Clint&Susie" or something,
but no light stuff.

And I went to the Amazon link to see that indeed they were sold out
(how much were they?--the ad did not say.)

So you say you have an alternate source?
PM me, if so. :)

 

[narouz]

Searched harder and did find "Clint's" post.
I clicked on the Amazon link there,
and this time the light panel was back in stock. $28.
So I bought one!

Another interesting thing on that Ray Peat Fans thread
was some info relayed from Dr. Peat.
an Angela Desz wrote: "I have a 250w bulb 1.70 mts behind me all day long... Dr. Peat advised me it's best to have it shinning on the head and abdomen."

 

[charlie]

Narouz, the only thing about that light is its 12 volt. So you will need a 12 volt power supply. The one I have a link to that I am waiting to share till I decide if I am gonna get one this weekend, is 110 volt.

I will get the link up to the other one in a day or two. Just trying to figure out if I am gonna buy one, or make one. Making one is not incredibly hard, but it definitely will take some effort.

Narouz, let us know how that light works out!

 

[charlie]

Sent an email to Scott over at heelspurs.com and was asking him about strength of LED's and notice what he said in bold:

MCD is not a good measurement for light strength. The lower number might
provide more light energy. 660 nm will provide more than 630 nm even when
it's MCD is 4 times lower. 6,000 mcd at 25 degree beam angle is more
powerful than 12,000 mcd at 15 degree. Basically all LEDs are fairly
close in power based on the amps*volts you send to them. The voltage
supply determines how to design it. The cheapest source is red
flashlights or red light signals off ebay. If you use a 12VDC supply,
you'll have 5 or 6 LEDs in series with a single resistor. For more LEDs
you wire them parallel, not to exceed the amps supply of the power source.
30 mA is the max for typical 5 mm "bullet" type if you don't use a fan
for cooling. Pull through is fine, cheap, and easy. See also bgmicro,
allelectronics, futurlec, and mpja. Halogen lights are better than LEDs
or anything else as explained on my web site.

 

[charlie]

So I figure if I get a couple bright incandescents, a couple halogens, a couple heat lamps, and an LED array I should be fairly covered.

 

[narouz]

So I figure if I get a couple bright incandescents, a couple halogens, a couple heat lamps, and an LED array I should be fairly covered.

Charlie-

Yeah, I was sortuv thinking the same thing!
I didn't notice that the LED array runs on a 12V supply. :?
I guess I'll need to use an adapter.

Good info from Scott.
A lot of what he says, though,
is a bit beyond my scientific comprehension level....

 

[charlie]

So I figure if I get a couple bright incandescents, a couple halogens, a couple heat lamps, and an LED array I should be fairly covered.

Charlie-

Yeah, I was sortuv thinking the same thing!
I didn't notice that the LED array runs on a 12V supply. :?
I guess I'll need to use an adapter.

Good info from Scott.
A lot of what he says, though,
is a bit beyond my scientific comprehension level....

Yeh you will need a 12V power supply, the other one I have the source on is around $40 but it runs on 110 so I guess it has its own adapter built in.

Scott is definitely the smarty pants when it comes to that stuff. So I tend to want to agree with him.

 

[charlie]

Went to Walmart today and picked up a halogen light for around $12 it comes with an extra bulb too. Its the light at the top (SL-1002) on the page below. Its 500 watts.

http://www.baycoproducts.com/industrial ... ogens.html

 

[AnnB]

This topic is interesting as we inherited an infrared lamp and I purchased some SAD lamps around January or February. Put them away during the summer, but if it is just brightness, then these should do the trick. I live in Washington State which has the same darkness as Eugene, Oregon and I have never been an outdoor person.

I also prefer the light of incandescent bulbs and they do put out a lot of heat.

Found this article where the author placed different colored cellophane over light to see the effect of growth on plants, and the red helps the plant make glucose. Blue actually makes plants grow faster...etc.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_red_ ... row_faster

Perhaps we need to focus less on the cost of finding the correct bulb and focus more on the inexpensive solution of creating red light. Ha! Could it be that simple. Filtering light through cellophane or red plastic/glass?

From what I read with my new eyes: Dr. Peat seems to delight in finding the least expensive way of eating and renewing/maintaining health. Milk, fruit diet with a carrot daily, occasional liver. And he does expect us to find the solutions to his suggestions.

I repeat, can it be that simple?
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Colored-Windo ... _sbs_hpc_5 Flexible, cut to size with scissors/rotary cutter to cover a lighting lens
http://www.amazon.com/Cast-Acrylic-Shee ... _sbs_hpc_1 Rigid, can be cut to replace a lighting lens

 

[narouz]

Went to Walmart today and picked up a halogen light for around $12 it comes with an extra bulb too. Its the light at the top (SL-1002) on the page below. Its 500 watts.

http://www.baycoproducts.com/industrial ... ogens.html

Wow. That's an excellent price!
I'm planning a mixed array, like you Charlie.

Few mysteries for me still:

1. What about the retinal light therapy thing?
I feel like this may be dangerous with anything other than the regular incandescents.

2. In the late '90's, in a newsletter, Peat said intermittent bursts of short duration,
like of a few minutes per hour, might be as effective as sustained exposure to lower wattage.
I wish knew more about that. I'm not in love with the notion of sitting/lying under blindingly bright
lights for hours on end.

3. Peat told someone (see earlier in thread) in private consultation that the lights should be
focused primarily upon the head and abdomen.
-head=face...?
-abdomen...I wonder why better than, say, back...? I mean, if it is, as some think,
just a matter of max skin exposure....

4. Charlie, as you may have noticed, the HeelSpurs guy, Scott, has, in his halogen light therapy bed
photo, some red water filters. Now, I'm pitifully weak on light science, but my understanding is that the
red water filters out spectrums other than the desirable red we're after.
Halogen's, I think, have, in addition to a big blast of good reds, some substantial blues--
which are not desirable. (Then again, so does the sun...so maybe a silly concern).
But anyhow: I've been wondering if, when I get my halogens, I should try to rig up
some red water filters....