Creating Your Best You

BY SHEILA HELMBERGER

We all know the importance of eating our fruits and vegetables and keeping up with a good exercise routine to stay healthy. But when it comes to taking care of the one body we have, there are a lot of other things we can do to look and feel our best. From a good massage to an intravenous boost of a little something we are lacking, this year when you make investments, make one in yourself.

Iv Therapies

Intravenous therapy allows vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to be administered directly into your bloodstream through a vein.

Lakes Area IV Wellness Clinic and North Star Family Medicine are just two of the facilities in the area that offer a variety of options. IV can be administered onsite to have you feeling and performing at your best.

“IV Vitamin Infusion Therapy is great for acute illness, someone with a chronic disease, and for overall wellness,” says nurse practitioner Tracy Matros, the owner of Lakes Area IV Wellness Clinic, located on Commercial Park Road in Brainerd. The business specializes in IV Vitamin Infusion, ozone therapy and Chelation.

“IV Vitamin Infusion Therapy is great for acute illness, or someone with a chronic disease, or looking to achieve overall wellness. It can also aid with energy support, bone health and inflammation,” she says. “During influenza season a lot of people don’t like taking antibiotics or other types of medication. They can come here if they are acutely ill, and we will give them an immunity booster.”

People who are traveling may consider the immunity booster as a preventative, or if they have already been exposed to someone who was sick, a session can boost their body’s own immune system.

Sam Rudolph is a registered nurse at North Star Family Medicine, located on Wilderness Road in Brainerd. “We look at the patient’s symptoms and what vitamins they already take,” she says. “Then we can determine what a client might need during a visit for IV Hydration.”

Vitamin D can be administered to help boost your immune system, protect against infection, reduce fatigue, help chronic pain, and aid in migraine relief. Depending on the infusion you get, it can boost your metabolism and help with recovery time if you are recovering from surgery. Vitamin C can aid in immune support and even help relieve some cancer symptoms. Brainstorm is an application that improves cognitive function.

Since it takes the express route to your system, if you are getting an infusion because you are sick, Rudolph says some people feel better before they even walk out of the door. The full effect will be felt in 12 to 24 hours.

Both North Star Family Medicine and Lakes Area IV Clinic offer a popular Myers’ Cocktail. It includes a high dose of vitamins B and C, magnesium and calcium and is used to reduce fatigue and chronic pain.

Red Light Therapy

Red light therapy has been around for over 20 years, said Noelle from Elevate Wellness in Baxter, and has become sought after in the journey to achieve health and wellness.

The treatment is not invasive and works on the cellular level to heal cells. By exposing the body to low levels of red light, it can be used to reduce pain and inflammation. Treatments are typically less than 15 minutes and will leave you feeling relaxed and renewed.

Red light therapy, also known as photobiomodulation, is an exciting aid that has proven useful in healing injuries and for those recovering from surgeries by helping cells regenerate more quickly than normal.

The treatment has been found to boost collagen production, in turn helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin texture and tone. It can be used to treat redness in the skin and acne. A study in 2012 found red light therapy to be safe when used to improve the look and feel of skin, with no adverse effects.

For those who struggle to lose weight, red light therapy two to three times per week helps accelerate the body’s ability to burn fat. Fat cells respond to the light by opening and shrinking, boosting metabolism in a natural way.

“We have people who come in once a week and use red light to manage their pain and inflammation,” said Noelle. It can help with neuropathy by increasing blood flow throughout your body and brain. Recent studies show red light may also aid in anxiety and depression, offering a modest improvement for those with seasonal disorder or depression symptoms.

While red light therapy is generally safe, people with specific medical concerns should check with their doctor first.

— NOELLE

Massage

“Massage has been used for thousands and thousands of years,” says Kelley Aicklen, Licensed Massage Therapist at Panache Salon and Day Spa in Baxter. “Massage is something that is so natural to the body, but here in the midwest, it has been reserved for only the elite upper echelon. These days more and more people understand work and life balance and are looking for natural ways to get relief other than pills.” Aicklen specializes in deep tissue and sports massage.

“You are the foremost expert of your body,” she said. “You know what hurts, what is keeping you up at night. I will ask you about your massage goals, and what you would like to achieve with a massage when you come in.”

A treat for yourself, from the very beginning the massage appointment will be relaxing.

A table and towel warmer are used with hot towels for the feet and back.

Aicklen offers hot stone massage, too, a type of massage therapy that eases tense muscles and damaged tissue throughout your body.

“When you make an appointment for your massage, you are making time for yourself when it is most convenient in your life. You have an appointment to do nothing but take care of you for an hour.”

Rachel Gutlovics owns Brainerd Therapeutic Massage in Brainerd. She specializes in the relief of pain and stress in women.

“I use hot rocks. I do cupping. I use reflexology, essential oils, deep tissue and Swedish massage. When someone comes in, we talk about what she wants out of her massage. It should feel good to you, and everybody is different with the amount of pressure and what they like. The conversation before a massage is important,” Rachel said.

Having a massage increases your circulation, she says, which is good for the blood in your body and can in turn help with your immune system and increases your general sense of wellbeing. It can help with limited range of motion due to pain and muscle tension and it will take stress out of the body.

“Massage can also help to ease anxiety and depression through physical touch. Physical touch is something that is important for all of us,” she said.

Skin Care

“As we age, our skin changes and our body produces less collagen and elastin, resulting in fine lines, wrinkles and loss of facial volume resulting in a less vibrant appearance,” says Dr. Kristina Britton of Central Minnesota Dermatology. The clinic offers cosmetic, women’s health and hair loss services.

Cosmetic services include neurotoxin injections, dermal filler injections, platelet-rich fibrin injections, microneedling combined with radiofrequency, non-invasive skin tightening and rejuvenation. Visit the office for a free cosmetic consultation with a cosmetic nurse to determine which procedure would be right for you.

Skin care is an important aspect of our self-care. “One in five Americans will develop non-melanoma skin cancer,” says Dr. Britton, “It is the number one cancer in the United States. Skin cancer is treatable and if caught early, can be lifesaving.” Central Minnesota Dermatology has licensed medical providers that are able to perform skin cancer screening exams.

There are many ways to care for our own bodies to get the most out of them that we can, and the lakes area has a lot to offer.