The Red Light Report
Health & Wellness Perspectives From a Former NFL Player & Current Serial Entrepreneur w/ Landon Cohen
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Landon Cohen discusses the importance of balancing traditional fitness regimens with new wellness strategies to enhance longevity and recovery post-NFL.
- He highlights the role of cognitive-enhancing supplements like methylene blue in improving focus and brain function, particularly in high-stress environments.
- The podcast emphasizes the impact of modern lifestyle factors, like technology and dietary choices, on health, advocating for mindful integration of ancient and contemporary wellness practices.
Deep dives
Insights from NFL Experience
A former NFL player shares insights into the rigorous training and wellness regimens of professional athletes. He emphasizes the varying approaches taken by players, from intense weight training to massage therapy, which often depend on factors like income and physical resilience. Many players utilize methods such as Toradol, a painkiller, for recovery, revealing how such practices impact long-term health. He details his own journey of maintaining fitness through a more traditional regimen, focusing on resistance training and nutrition as means to stay competitive and injury-free.
Transitioning to a Post-NFL Lifestyle
The transition from professional football to retirement significantly alters one's lifestyle, particularly regarding health and fitness. The player describes lifting weights, but with a shift in focus from performance to longevity, adopting a mindset of maintaining strength as he ages. Emphasizing yoga as part of his routine, he mentions the importance of flexibility and mobility, contrasting his pre-and post-NFL training standards. His schedule is structured around early workouts and strategic nutrition that supports both physical well-being and entrepreneurial endeavors.
Methylene Blue and Cognitive Enhancement
The discussion highlights the potential benefits of methylene blue, especially for cognitive enhancement among former athletes. The player notes it has helped improve his focus and brain function, especially in high-stress environments relating to his entrepreneurial ventures. He describes experiencing noticeable changes in cognitive clarity and performance once he incorporated methylene blue into his routine. Through personal anecdotes, he shares how adopting this supplement aligns with his broader goal of combating the effects of past sports-related injuries.
Red Light Therapy's Benefits
Red light therapy is presented as a valuable tool in enhancing recovery and overall health. The player integrates red light therapy into his daily routine, mentioning its perceived benefits in muscle recovery and its potential to counteract the negative effects of blue light exposure from screens. He describes a practical application of red light therapy, utilizing a portable device to maximize its effects conveniently. This method aligns with his focus on holistic health strategies that he believes contribute to a higher quality of life as he ages.
Importance of Routine and Structure
Establishing a consistent daily routine is emphasized as a crucial factor in maintaining health and wellness post-career. The player has adopted a disciplined schedule, starting his day with a workout at an early hour, including cardio and strength training, to prioritize his physical health. He notes that utilizing structure, similar to that found in an athlete's training regimen, aids in achieving his business and fitness goals. This balance provides him with a sense of control and purpose in a post-professional athlete lifestyle.
Navigating Modern Health Challenges
The conversation sheds light on broader health challenges exacerbated by modern lifestyles, particularly the impact of technology and environmental factors on well-being. The player identifies seed oils and non-native EMFs as significant disruptors to mitochondrial function, advocating for conscious dietary choices to mitigate these effects. He discusses strategies for integrating modern health practices, like red light therapy and mindfulness techniques, with ancient wellness wisdom to optimize longevity. This dual approach underscores a proactive stance towards health that balances innovation with traditional knowledge.
While Landon is a wildly successful entrepreneur today, which is a grind in its own right, his days as an NFL defensive lineman (and, of course, the years and year of collegiate and high school football) took a major toll on his body and, even more so, his mind and brain. This is secondary to the perpetual banging of pads and helmets every single play between the offensive and defensive lineman. Being drafted in 2008, Landon played in an era where the repercussions of concussions was not yet on the radar in football. Fast forward to early last year, Landon was recommended by a friend to try some BioBlue and red light therapy to see if it would help with his post-NFL body and mind. According to Landon, BioBlue played a major role in regaining his sharp mind and cognition/focus, while the red light therapy (combined with the BioBlue) helped reduce so lingering aches and pains. Needless to say, he is a massive advocate of both modalities.
Along with discussing his experience with MB and RLT, Landon talks about the differences between his health and wellness mindset as an NFL player vs. his mindset in his post-NFL life, his desire and motivation to live a "clean lifestyle", how/why he wakes up around 3 every morning to start his day, his viewpoints on diet/food and some other fun topics, such as crypto, blockchain, AI and much, much more!
If you found the information in today's episode with Landon Cohen particularly interesting and/or compelling, please share it with a family member, friend, colleague and/or anyone that you think could benefit and be illuminated by this knowledge. Sharing is caring :)
As always, light up your health! - Watch this video on YouTube - Where to learn more from and about Landon Cohen:
LinkedIn - Key Points
[00:35] Landon's NFL Career Overview
[02:54] NFL Health & Wellness Regimen During Career
[06:08] Painkillers (Toradol) Experience in NFL
[09:13] Transition from NFL to Post-Retirement Lifestyle
[10:18] Fitness & Longevity Routine Post-NFL
[11:59] Importance of Structure After Retirement
[14:21] Introduction to Methylene Blue (BioBlue)
[16:34] Cognitive Benefits & Concussion Recovery
[18:37] Cycling BioBlue for Cognitive Health
[19:41] Potential of Methylene Blue in Concussion Mitigation
[21:13] Methylene Blue for Busy Entrepreneurs
[22:00] Sports Council Certification & Player Safety
[22:39] Methylene Blue's Cognitive & Mood-Boosting Effects
[23:29] Concussions, Inflammation & Methylene Blue's Role
[25:08] Landon's Red Light Therapy Routine
[26:28] Portable Red Light Therapy Devices
[27:44] Red Light Therapy Toothbrush Experience
[28:51] Outdoor Sunlight vs. Red Light Therapy
[29:52] Blue Light Blocking Glasses Adoption
[31:46] Health Benefits of Blue Light Blocking Glasses
[32:29] Preventative Health Mindset
[34:12] Synthetic vs. Natural Health Solutions
[36:55] First-Time Methylene Blue Experience & Brain Buzzing
[38:48] Mitochondria Optimization & Long-Term Use
[39:56] Supplements as Tools, Not Dependencies
[40:27] Methylene Blue's Potential Popularity Growth
[40:51] Creatine's Role in Mitochondrial Health & ATP Production
[41:20] Top Mitochondrial Disruptors: Seed Oils, EMFs, & Poor Circadian Rhythm
[41:56] EMF Exposure Proximity & Impact on Health
[42:27] Natural vs. Non-Native EMFs Explained
[43:03] Circadian Rhythm as the Foundation of Health
[43:19] Cortisol, Stress, and Mitochondrial Dysfunction
[43:43] Hidden Environmental Stressors & Health Optimization
[44:31] Mitochondrial Boosting Tactics: Grounding, PEMF, Infrared
[45:06] Prioritizing Foundational Health Habits Over Supplements
[45:23] Simple Low-Cost Health Optimization Practices
[46:28] Landon's Clean Eating & Avoidance of Seed Oils
[47:01] Navigating Health Information Overload
[47:53] Red Light Therapy Adoption in Sports Teams
[48:40] Seattle Seahawks' Early Adoption of Health Tracking Systems
[49:25] NFL & Collegiate Teams Exploring Red Light Therapy
[50:51] Dream Vision: Gyms with Red Light Therapy Lighting
[52:26] EMF Exposure Testing & Strength Loss Experiments
[53:21] Unknown Health Ramifications of Rapid Technology Growth
[53:35] Future Vision: Energy-Producing Treadmills
[54:18] Crypto & Blockchain Synergy with Health & Fitness
[54:32] MoveQuest – Earning Cryptocurrency Through Movement & Biometric Data
[55:55] Foreign Countries Using Crypto for Daily Income
[56:22] Compatible Devices for MoveQuest (Smartphones, Smartwatches, Oura Rings)
[57:48] Data Monetization vs. Big Tech Data Exploitation
[58:25] Other Crypto-Based Passive Income Opportunities
[59:38] Evolution of MoveQuest & Educational Entry into Crypto
[1:00:18] Gyms Leveraging Blockchain for Membership & Activity-Based Rewards
[1:00:48] Double dipping with crypto and exercise
[1:01:20] Future of blockchain and crypto
[1:01:56] XRP and its community
[1:02:43] Blue light, EMF protection, and avoiding Bluetooth
[1:04:37] Clean eating and daily diet breakdown
[1:05:55] Importance of wheat bread and Greek yogurt
[1:07:10] Cheat meals and restaurant strategies
[1:07:47] Caloric intake difference between football career vs. current lifestyle
[1:08:23] Sustainable weight loss and 2700 calorie daily intake
[1:10:18] Intermittent fasting and Ramadan fasting
[1:11:52] Using AI for calorie tracking and meal planning
[1:12:13] Thoughts on AI and its future possibilities
[1:13:52] ChatGPT vs. Google as a knowledge tool
[1:16:49] Importance of prompt engineering in AI
[1:18:52] Popular AI tools (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Grok)
[1:19:36] Everyday practical AI uses like route optimization and gift ideas
[1:21:25] Gift-giving with AI prompts
[1:22:01] Longevity and ultimate health goals
[1:22:37] Growing older with grace and daily motivation
[1:23:15] Longevity habits: red light therapy, BioBlue, and 1% better every day
[1:23:54] Prioritizing quality of life over just hitting 100+ years
[1:24:29] Future of longevity with stem cells and technology
[1:25:13] Gym observations: Inspired by older gym-goers
[1:26:22] Achilles heel snacks and balancing dopamine hits
[1:27:10] Viewing snacks through a calorie cost vs. gym effort lens
[1:27:41] Greek yogurt and fruit as a healthier snack alternative
[1:28:10] Nutrition as fuel vs. empty calorie junk food
[1:28:25] Competitive mindset and separating from the pack with lifestyle choices
[1:29:18] Building habits that make clean eating automatic
[1:29:51] Rejecting excuses and embracing mental toughness
[1:30:05] Simple clean foods like spinach and lemon water becoming enjoyable
[1:30:40] Spinach, lemon water, and simple foods becoming enjoyable
[1:31:21] Walking on the treadmill while podcasting
[1:31:40] Rucking with a 25-pound dog food bag for extra resistance
[1:31:59] Gary Brecka's philosophy on rucking for VO2 max and calorie burn
[1:32:33] Rucking as a way to increase calorie burn during normal daily walking
[1:32:52] Persistent fitness routine and consistency
[1:33:09] Struggling to fit workouts into a busy schedule
[1:33:44] Solution: Waking up earlier to prioritize fitness
[1:34:16] 45-minute drive to the gym each way
[1:34:47] Daily routine: Gym, work, late dinner, and early bedtime
[1:35:34] Sleep optimization and lucid dreaming practices
[1:35:52] Visualization and tactical meditation
[1:36:47] Meditation as a constant state of mindfulness
[1:37:52] Using meditation to find answers or recover from injuries
[1:38:12] Discovering Bikram yoga during NFL career
[1:38:44] Bikram yoga's intensity and mental resilience benefits
[1:39:21] Building tolerance to stress through resistance training
[1:39:57] Hormetic stress and its impact on mental and physical resilience
[1:40:29] Bikram yoga and Jiu-Jitsu as secret weapons during NFL career
[1:41:01] "Autobiography of a Yogi" book recommendation
[1:42:28] Ancient wisdom vs. modern science
[1:43:11] Blending ancient practices with modern technology for optimal living
[1:43:52] Wrapping up the conversation
[1:44:36] Landon's Instagram handle: @billionairelandon
[1:45:41] Steel frame construction business and biohacking lifestyle
[1:46:24] Mutual appreciation and future plans to meet in Miami - Save 20% when you purchase via The Mitochondrial Triad Bundle!
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Dr. Mike's #1 recommendations:
- Water products: Water & Wellness
- Grounding products: Earthing.com
- EMF-mitigating products: Somavedic
- Blue light-blocking glasses: Ra Optics
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