Is Light Therapy the wave of the future? Light has been around since creation, but does light have healing properties? There are many kinds of light, wave lengths, colors and aspects of light, so what does it all mean?
Exposing the skin to sunlight, creates vitamin D in the body, but a body deficient in vitamin D and without adequate sun exposure, creates disease. A 2007 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that cancer-free survival was 77% higher in women who received 1,100 IU of Vitamin D and 1,450 mg of calcium a day compared to those who received a placebo or just calcium. Did you know that using infrared light can minimize the effects of low vitamin D levels?
Photo biomodulation therapy is the all encompassing title for the different kinds of light therapy. Harvard professor Dr. Michael Hamblin says that the most commonly used therapy is the near infrared light (750 to 1200 nano meters) which penetrates well into the body, unlike blue or green light. Its wavelength is also highly active. According to Hamblin, near infrared light is anti inflammatory and has a number of health benefits for diabetes, blood lipids (cholesterol), psychological well being, and even metabolism. It also increases nitric oxide and ATP in the body.
Near infrared light, thought to be superior by some experts, penetrates and regenerates the body allowing for the best production of energy, which includes food and exercise. Infrared waves carry 10 times the energy than a far infrared wave, steam or electricity so that’s why it is popular for powering indoor saunas.
“Visible red light, at wavelengths from 630 to 700 nm penetrates tissue to a depth of about 10 mm. Light at this wavelength is very beneficial in treating problems close to the surface such as wounds, cuts, scars, trigger and acupuncture points, and is particularly effective in treating infections. Infrared light (800 to 1000nm) penetrates to a depth of about 40mm and deeper which makes it more effective for treating organs and provides relief for ailments of bones, joints and deep muscle tissue.” Source
University of Chicago researchers discovered that the average wavelength of cell tissue in the human body ranges between 600 nm and 720 nm. 660 nm, the midpoint, works better than any other single frequency because it is closer to the resonant frequency of cell tissue and absorbs better in hemoglobin.
The visible light spectrum ranges from short-wave length violet to long-wavelength red. Photons of light from the violet end of the spectrum have the highest energies and the highest frequencies, while red photons have lower energies and lower frequencies.
Therapies
Low-level | Power Laser Therapy (LLLT)(LPLT) applies to low-level lasers typically used for diagnostic purpose. Low level therapies include: low-power laser therapy, low-intensity laser therapy, low-energy laser therapy, soft laser therapy, bio-stimulation laser therapy, photo biomodulation, cold laser therapy, photo biotherapy, therapeutic laser, and monochromatic infrared light energy therapy. When LLLT is administered to acupuncture points, the procedure is called laser acupuncture. When applied to the head, the therapy is called transcranial photo biomodulation, transcranial near-infrared laser therapy (NILT) or transcranial low level light therapy.
Here are some examples of LEDs that can be used at home:
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Light Therapy | Phototherapy is exposure to daylight or a specific wavelength of light. A good option is a LED light used on the surface of the body to relieve pain or enhance cell function. It is also used on skin disorders, jaundice, eyes, sleep issues, for psychiatric disorders and SAD. Light therapy uses either a light box which emits up to 10,000 lux of light at a specified distance, much brighter than a customary lamp, or a lower intensity of specific wavelengths of light from the blue (460 nm) to the green (525 nm) areas of the visible spectrum. Source.
Here are some examples of light therapy boxes: [amazon_link asins=’B000W8Y7FY,B075V62YKF,B0094HBU6I,B077SKCGWK’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’homremformom-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’1d2fc88b-5a0f-11e8-8188-5b7c7109af14′]
Research
Red light therapy is an FDA approved with some of its research coming from NASA. They found that red light devices reduced bone and muscle loss in space. They also found that plant growth in space did improve with a certain spectrum of red light.
Light and Dementia patients: “Fourteen inpatients with dementia showing sleep and behavior disorders (average age = 75 years), and 10 control elderly people (average age = 75 years) were carefully observed for 2 months. Four weeks of morning light therapy markedly improved sleep and behavior disorders in the dementia group. The measurement of sleep time and the serum melatonin values suggests that sleep and behavior disorders in the dementia group are related to decreases in the amplitude of the sleep‐wake rhythm and decreases in the levels of melatonin secretions. Morning light therapy significantly increased total and nocturnal sleep time and significantly decreased daytime sleep time. These results indicate that morning bright light is a powerful synchronizer that can normalize disturbed sleep and substantially reduce the frequency of behavior disorders in elderly people with dementia.”
Light Therapy Possible Benefits
Increases blood circulation and vascular activity. Relieves pain and enhances cell function. Can be used on skin disorders, jaundice, eyes, sleep issues, for psychiatric disorders and SAD. Increases Nitric Oxide and ATP function. Enhances immune and lymphatic system. Reduces inflammation. Encourages wound healing.
To learn more about Dr. Hamblin and his findings, see this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr3kuabexV4
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