Color Light Therapy & Why It Should Be Taken Seriously

 

Why is it that we understand the power and importance of light for the world around us, but we don’t appreciate the effect it can have on humans? We understand how light affects the world, the earth, the sea, the depth of the earth that we cannot reach, and just about anything we comprehend globally. But the medical field is yet to fully comprehend or embrace the power that light has over us as humans. Flavia Schlegel, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences spoke at the Internal Year of Light conference in Merida, Mexico in February 2016.. Schlegel discussed the importance of light therapy being cost effective and practical for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Julianne Bien, owner of Spectrahue Light & Sound Inc., is the inventor of the Spectrahue method of color light therapy. She owns a Toronto-based company that sells handheld light therapy tools and educational tools. Bien wrote a piece for Common Ground’s “health and spirit” section of their website. Bien discussed how incredible it is that light therapy is finally being taken seriously. Bien writes, “Health-related uses of light include diagnostics, surgery, psychiatry, psychology, revitalization, rejuvenation and emotional and spiritual makeovers. We have laser-based instruments, LED-based apparatuses, full-spectrum lights and various digital and analogue devices. Where we lag behind is in understanding how, exactly, our bodies respond to light. This is why terms such as chromotherapy, phototherapy and light therapy in general – although ancient in origin – very slowly progress toward full endorsement of the medical establishment.” (commonground.ca)

The world inside of us is just as important as the world around us. Light therapy can help us effectively manage the world inside of us. Conditions such as emotional trauma, autoimmune problems, allergies, metabolic imbalances, seasonal affective disorder, jet lag, sleep and attention deficit disorders have been showing better results with the use of light therapy than other medical options such as medicines and surgeries. Bien claims that there are very good reasons for this, but the medical world hasn’t quite explored it yet.

Back in the 20th century, John Ott, a photo biologist, made an interesting discovery. Ott was assigned to document the effects that pharmaceutical drugs had on living cells. He used an electronic microscope and a special camera to do this. Ott discovered that when he changed the color filters on his camera lens, the cells’ behavior changed as well. Ott claimed that the color changes had even more of an effect on the cells than the drugs had. This is what inspired Julianne Bien’s company. Bien discussed this in her Common Ground article as well by stating:

“On the ‘ground level’ where life in our bodies unfolds, light and colour have more say than chemical compounds which we concoct. Our cells naturally understand the language of light and its messages – which the colours convey through their frequencies – to ignite, burn, sizzle, scorch, smoulder or go off. That’s the same cycle the stars in our universe undergo.

“I’m often asked how colour light therapy really works. It appears esoteric and mystical, bordering on magic. The best analogy I know – one we all know well – is fire.

“Fire is quirky. It is our species’ first tool, process and weapon. It gives off light and heat on demand, echoing our life-giving star in the sky, and we get to wield it at will. If you look closely, it varies in colour, depending on intensity. At first, it’s yellow and orange; green flame tips and blue-ish bursts will tell you it’s sizzling; you’ll want it bright white, though, if you wish to melt metal or bake clay.

“Still, starting and maintaining a fire is tricky, at best. It’s moody. It might flare up in an instant or just smoulder for hours. Sometimes, a trained hand gives up in frustration; another time a fire will light itself up. Too much moisture around it and it won’t even start; too little and it burns itself out.

“So it is with us. We are internal combustion engines, with trillions of tiny burners. Our cells burn up oxygen and produce heat. They use the resulting light as an ultra-fast messaging system. It all works to perfection – from toes to teeth – except when it won’t.

“When an imbalance sets in, our internal flame in an organ dies down. Or it flares up, past all safety limits, causing redness, fever and pain. We don’t know what triggers this any more than we can pinpoint the cause of a wild forest fire or control it.

“Knowing how tiny our internal burners are, it’s easy to see how fine-tuned and delicate any support we give them must also be.” (commonground.ca)

Bien sells handheld color light therapy devices that she believes are even more effective than normal light therapy. Most light therapy devices output a bright light, with a wide surface being covered, in just one direction. Handheld color light therapy illuminators “work off the silent communication between the person sending faint light and the person receiving it”, according to Bien.

The concept of color light therapy is an ancient finding. Records exist from thousands of years ago that show conditions and disorders being effectively cured with color light therapy practices. This form of therapy is harmless and brilliant, but the world seems to have forgotten the importance of this discovery over time. If an equal amount of time and money that is used for chemical drug experiments was used to further research color light therapy, the world would quickly become a much healthier – and brighter – place.

Posted on April 27, 2016 In Color Light Therapy, Light Therapy, Uncategorized
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Light Therapy & Huntington’s Disease

What Is Huntington’s Disease?

Huntington’s Disease is a devastating disease that currently has no cure. It is a complex neurological genetic disorder that causes motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. It is caused by a hereditary gene defect that damages specific nerve cells in the brain. This is a progressive disease. The symptoms and damage progressively worsen over time. The disease can affect movement, cognition, which is perception, awareness, thinking and judgement, as well as behavior. The disease ends with a loss of motor and executive function. It is extremely heart wrenching and difficult for anyone involved.

The Symptoms…

The symptoms for Huntington’s Disease vary depending on the person. While each victim ultimately ends up with the same symptoms, the first symptoms to appear can vary. Throughout the course of the disease, some symptoms appear to have a more dominant effect than others. Movement, cognitive, and psychiatric disorders appear in each victim. MayoClinic, a website dedicated to answering all of our medical questions and needs, wrote a piece on Huntington’s Disease. They accurately described the symptoms by writing,

Movement disorders

The movement disorders associated with Huntington’s disease can include both involuntary movements and impairments in voluntary movements:

  • Involuntary jerking or writhing movements (chorea)
  • Muscle problems, such as rigidity or muscle contracture (dystonia)
  • Slow or abnormal eye movements
  • Impaired gait, posture and balance
  • Difficulty with the physical production of speech or swallowing
  • Impairments in voluntary movements — rather than the involuntary movements — may have a greater impact on a person’s ability to work, perform daily activities, communicate and remain independent.

Cognitive disorders

Cognitive impairments often associated with Huntington’s disease include:

  • Difficulty organizing, prioritizing or focusing on tasks
  • Lack of flexibility or the tendency to get stuck on a thought, behavior or action (perseveration)
  • Lack of impulse control that can result in outbursts, acting without thinking and sexual promiscuity
  • Lack of awareness of one’s own behaviors and abilities
  • Slowness in processing thoughts or ”finding” words
  • Difficulty in learning new information

Psychiatric disorders

The most common psychiatric disorder associated with Huntington’s disease is depression. This isn’t simply a reaction to receiving a diagnosis of Huntington’s disease. Instead, depression appears to occur because of injury to the brain and subsequent changes in brain function. Signs and symptoms may include:

  • Feelings of irritability, sadness or apathy
  • Social withdrawal
  • Insomnia
  • Fatigue and loss of energy
  • Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide

Other common psychiatric disorders include:

  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition marked by recurrent, intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors
  • Mania, which can cause elevated mood, overactivity, impulsive behavior and inflated self-esteem
  • Bipolar disorder, or alternating episodes of depression and mania

In addition to the above symptoms, weight loss is common in people with Huntington’s disease, especially as the disease progresses.

(MayoClinic.org)

Light Therapy & Huntington’s Disease…

In recent studies of Huntington’s Disease, scientists have discovered that there are other non-motor symptoms that are associated with the disease. These symptoms are related to sleep and circadian rhythm abnormalities. This is where light therapy comes into play.

While it is still unclear whether the sleep and circadian rhythm abnormalities are caused directly by Huntington’s Disease or they are simply a result of the neurodegenerative disease, this is still an impeccable discovery. Looking at it from the disease victim’s point of view, it doesn’t necessarily matter what is causing the sleep-wake changes. These disturbances affect the quality of life whether someone is struggling with a disease or not. This is why it should be treated in people with Huntington’s Disease. It is important to note that these abnormalities in Huntington’s Disease victims will make their symptoms worse and exaggerated, ultimately leading to a faster decline in health. Why make something that is already bad, even worse, when there is an option to fix it?

With light therapy, it is easy to take the proper steps towards getting a good night’s sleep. It is important to be logical and treat the symptoms that can be prevented.

The Treatment…

Using a light therapy box is the best way to treat sleep disorders in people struggling with Huntington’s Disease. Patients are told to spend thirty minutes to an hour in front of a light box each morning. A standard light box emits 10,000 lux of light at about a 14 inch distance. To understand these forms of measurement better, it’s important to understand how the sun works. On a bright sunny day, brightness levels will range from 10,000 lux (normal) to 100,000 lux (direct sunlight). If patients spend a chunk of their morning in front of a light box, there body’s internal clock will be regulated. Regulating patient’s internal clocks, or their circadian rhythms, will help them feel energized and more productive throughout the day. It will also allow the brain to shut down easier when it’s time for bed, allowing for a full night’s sleep. Once again, light therapy is making the world a better place…saving people one disease at a time.

Posted on April 26, 2016 In Depression, Insomnia, Light Therapy, Mental Health, Uncategorized
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Light Therapy & Children

When discussing light therapy, children aren’t typically brought up in conversation. It’s easy to assume kids are primarily happy.  Children would seem to have  far less to worry about day-to-day. They can power through just about anything, have endless energy, and they wake up ready for the day. Most of the time….

But kids are sensitive to the world around them, too. In fact, some things may be more difficult for children to deal with because they are not old enough to understand what’s happening. Children can be just as easily affected by the outdoor weather, seasonal changes, jet lag, depression, and skin conditions. Light therapy is equally as important and ground breaking to children as it is to adults.

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a form of depression that occurs in the fall and winter months as the days become shorter and the nights become longer. When this seasonal change occurs it’s hard to keep our body’s internal clocks or circadian rhythms in check. The change typically results in decreased moods, low energy levels, trouble sleeping, and more. The depression begins to subside in the spring when the days start to become longer again. Anti-depressants prescribed for depression are dangerous for children and not recommended. This is where light therapy comes into play. Drug-free, harm-free, all natural treatment sessions can raise children’s energy levels when they need it the most.

Color light therapy has a wide array of benefits for children as well. This form of light therapy shines different colored lights into children’s eyes to stimulate the brain and enhance it’s functions. Unlike light boxes used for SAD and similar conditions, colored light therapy is medically supervised. Doctors guide their patients through a series of therapies involving many different colors of light. This form of therapy has been proven successful in treating many different conditions and disorders from allergies, to vision improvements, to speech problems, and more.

Growing Up Easier is a website dedicated to helping parents and guardians raise their children in the best way possible. John Downing, PhD, a contributor to the website, wrote a piece about light therapy for children and youth. In his piece, he lists all of the ways that light therapy has helped children:

  • Allergies
  • Anxiety
  • Arithmetic difficulties
  • Arthritis
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Hyperactive Disorder
  • Autism
  • Balance problems
  • Behavioral problems
  • Borderline personality structure
  • Brain damage
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Conduct disorder problems
  • Coordination
  • Depression
  • Developmental retardation
  • Digestion problems
  • Disorganization
  • Down’s Syndrome
  • Dyslexia
  • Epilepsy
  • Headaches
  • Hyperactivity
  • Learning differences
  • Learning disabilities
  • Rage
  • Reading difficulties
  • Seizures
  • Short term memory deficiency
  • Speech problems
  • Stress
  • Wandering eye problems

(GrowingUpEasier.org)

Downing also explains how light therapy can directly affect a child’s lifestyle and well-being in five different categories. Downing has been researching light therapy in children for some time and strongly believes in the treatment’s powerful effects. The website reads…

Body: Light Therapy eliminates physical problems such as fatigue, insomnia, hyperactivity, poor coordination, balance difficulties, autonomic and endocrine imbalances.

Spirit: Light Therapy gives the soul back its light and helps the spirit soar. It takes the innate energy of the child or youth, which the mind sends out into the world, and grounds it more deeply into the soul. It allows the child or youth to control their energy instead of the energy controlling the child.

Mind: Intellectual difficulties are lessened; including poor reading comprehension, pronunciation, concentration, memory, organizational ability, and mathematical ability.

Emotions: Emotional problems are reduced or eliminated; including low self-esteem, depression, fears and anxieties, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

Social: When the body, mind and emotions of a child are functioning optimally and the spirit is soaring, social interactions will be appropriately smooth and rewarding.

(GrowingUpEasier.org)

Light therapy is safe for children and is a wonderful and effective alternative to medication. If your child or someone you know is struggling with any of the disorders or conditions discussed, light therapy might be a good option. Give it a shot!

Posted on April 25, 2016 In Children, Color Light Therapy, Depression, Insomnia, Light Therapy, Mental Health, Uncategorized
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Light Therapy & Jaundice

 

What Is Jaundice?

Jaundice is a common condition in newborn babies. It affects full term and pre-mature babies and usually occurs during the first week of a baby’s life. The condition is temporary and usually harmless but treatments still must be conducted to cure the condition.

Jaundice occurs when there is a build up of bilirubin in the baby’s blood. Bilirubin is a naturally occurring substance, but of course, too much of anything can be dangerous. This substance is an orange/red pigment in the blood. According to to the University of Michigan’s Children’s Hospital, “Bilirubin is produced by the normal breakdown of red blood cells. It is normal for everyone to have low levels of bilirubin in their blood. As bilirubin begins to build up, it deposits on the fatty tissue under the skin causing the baby’s skin and whites of the baby’s eyes to appear yellow.” (med.umich.edu)

What Causes Jaundice?

There are several causes for Jaundice. The University of Michigan’s Children’s Hospital also discussed this topic in the health and education section of their website. We have borrowed the list of causes from them…

  • Physiological jaundice: This is the most common cause of newborn jaundice and occurs in more than 50% of babies. Because the baby has an immature liver, bilirubin is processed slower. The jaundice first appears at 2 to 3 days of age. It usually disappears by 1 to 2 weeks of age, and the levels of bilirubin are harmless.
  • Breast-feeding jaundice: Breast-feeding jaundice may occur when your baby does not drink enough breast milk. It occurs in 5% to 10% of newborns. The jaundice symptoms are similar to those of physiological jaundice, just more pronounced. The jaundice indicates a need for help with breast-feeding.
  • Breast-milk jaundice: Breast-milk jaundice occurs in 1% to 2% of breast-fed babies. It is caused by a special substance that some mothers produce in their milk. This substance causes your baby’s intestine to absorb more bilirubin back into his body than normal. This type of jaundice starts at 4 to 7 days of age. It may last 3 to 10 weeks. It is not harmful.
  • Blood group incompatibility (Rh or ABO problems): If a baby and mother have different blood types, sometimes the mother produces antibodies that destroy the newborn’s red blood cells. This causes a sudden buildup of bilirubin in the baby’s blood. This serious type of jaundice usually begins during the first 24 hours of life. Rh problems formerly caused the most severe form of jaundice. However, they are now preventable if the mother is given an injection of RhoGAM within 72 hours after delivery. This prevents her from forming antibodies that might endanger other babies she has in the future

Light Therapy & Jaundice…

Phototherapy, which is a form of light therapy, is used to treat Jaundice in newborn babies. Phototherapy is the most common treatment used to reduce the high levels of bilirubin  found in newborn babies.

For this treatment, a baby lies in a bassinet or an incubator, which is an enclosed plastic crib. The baby is exposed to a fluorescent light that is absorbed by the baby’s skin. Throughout this process, the bilirubin in the baby’s blood is changed into another form. This form is easily excreted in the stool and urine. The time frame for the phototherapy treatment ranges depending on the intensity of the Jaundice. Some babies require several days under the phototherapy light. WebMD, a credible website for all things medical, explain the specifics of the treatment:

“During this type of phototherapy:

  • The baby is undressed so that as much of the skin as possible is exposed to the light.
  • The baby’s eyes are covered to protect the nerve layer at the back of the eye (retina) from the bright light.
  • Feeding should continue on a regular schedule. There is no need to stop breast-feeding.
  • The bilirubin level is measured at least once a day.”

(WebMD.com/parenting)

There is also an at-home alternative for phototherapy. A fiber optic blanket or band can be wrapped around the baby and used for treatments. While fiber optic phototherapy has been proven to show results in treating Jaundice, it is not necessarily as effective or as powerful as in-hospital treatment sessions. The at-home treatment take more time to show hospital level results. This is a great option for babies with mild cases of Jaundice or babies who have no other health issues besides Jaundice. It’s important to fully understand everything related to phototherapy and Jaundice before performing treatments at home.

Phototherapy is a highly effective form of light therapy that is gaining more recognition each day. If light can save our baby’s, what else can it do?

Posted on April 24, 2016 In Children, Light Therapy, Skin Treatments, Uncategorized
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Light Therapy & Veterans

 

Veterans struggle more than most people understand. Life after war is a never ending battle. From depression, to sleep disorders, to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), to chronic pain, the war is never truly over. All of these conditions can result in a lack of sleep and insomnia, the last thing a suffering veteran needs. However, new help is being found with light therapy. Light therapy is enabling veterans to get the daily sleep they need in order to remain healthy.

Nearly half of returning veterans suffer from chronic pain. Veterans are four times as likely to develop sleep disorders. 19% of veterans have traumatic brain injuries. 31% of veterans suffer from post traumatic stress disorder and 50% of veterans with PTSD do not seek treatment.

These statistics are sad, but true. For decades, doctors have been treating these suffering veterans with medications. But new studies are regularly surfacing whichshows that light therapy, an all natural, drug free, harm-free treatment, can help veterans.

Our world has 24-hour days. For humans, the sun rises, our days begin, the sun sets, our days come to an end. But depending on where you’re located in our world, sometimes it’s difficult for our bodies to understand this schedule, known as our circadian rhythm, our bodies’ natural clock. Our circadian rhythm helps control the release of Melatonin to our brains. Melatonin is essential for a good night’s sleep but difficult to power through if released at a time other than bedtime. This is when we need Serotonin.

King 5 News in Washington recently covered a story on Lisa Smith, a war veteran who has been dealing with sleepless nights for nearly 30 years. Smith claims that she can fall asleep for about 15 minutes each night. She falls into a deep sleep but is woken up after 15 minutes and the rest of the night is spent tossing and turning. Smith explains that this all began when her tour of duty came to an end. While her duty was over, her body’s internal military clock wasn’t. Smith explained to King 5 News, “I’m still getting up early in the morning, 4:30, 5 o’clock in the morning, getting ready as if I’m going to stand in the 6 o’clock formation.” She also developed back pain due to her sleep disorder which is making everything even more difficult.

Smith is currently undergoing light therapy treatments and not only is she sleeping through the night, her chronic pain has also subsided. Smith, along with other patients who are part of a study at Rush University, are spending about an hour a day in front of a light box. This form of light therapy is UV free and drug free, a healthy alternative to sleeping medicine. As soon as Smith wakes up and sits in front of her light box. She reads the paper, eats her breakfast, talks on the phone.

Spending an hour a day in front of a light box helps keep our bodies’ circadian rhythms in check. The light box mimics the outdoor sunlight, creating a sunny day no matter where you are, regardless of the weather or time. When it’s time for bed, Smith says that her body is tired and ready to sleep. She recalls memories of being a little kid and crashing into her bed after a long day outdoors playing with friends. She says the light box creates a very similar feeling.

Light therapy is constantly surprising the world and consistently making it a better place. This medication free treatment is changing the world for veterans. Isn’t it time for you to get on board?

Posted on April 23, 2016 In Depression, Insomnia, Light Therapy, Mental Health, Uncategorized
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Light Therapy & Autism Spectrum In Children

 

What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism spectrum disorder or ASD is a term used to describe a group of disorders. These disorders include Aspberger’s syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder, known as atypical autism. The most commonly occurring form of Autism spectrum disorder is autism. The symptoms that are brought about by ASD are seen early on in childhood which is why it is called a developmental disorder. The word spectrum is used to describe the disorder because the symptoms, severity, and intensity can greatly differ between children. On average, 1 in 160 children will be diagnosed with ASD. Boys outnumber girls 4 to 1. 75% of these children have low intelligence levels while around 10% show high levels of intelligence typically in mathematics and computer sciences. Some children have incredible abilities in fields such as music and memory.

What are the causes?

While there is vivid explanation for the cause of autism spectrum disorder, research is constantly being conducted. According to the Australian Psychological Society, “There is no clear explanation about what causes ASD. However, family studies have shown that genes play a role. For example, if one identical twin has autism then the other has around a 75 per cent chance of also having autism. In non-identical twins, there is a five to eight per cent chance that both twins will have autism. ASD also tends to occur more often than expected among people with certain medical conditions. Researchers are investigating the link between children whose mothers had problems during pregnancy or delivery, as well as the contribution of viral infections, dietary imbalances, and exposure to environmental chemicals.” (Psychology.org)

Light Therapy & Autism Spectrum…

Children with autism spectrum disorder do not have easy lives. Consider most people’s daily struggles and then add ASD to it. When the natural ways of the world weigh on their shoulders, life can get tough. Light therapy is known to treat conditions such as seasonal affective disorder, depression, insomnia, chronic pain, skin conditions, and more. When children struggling with these conditions are also battling ASD daily, they need a little help. This is where light therapy comes into play.

My Aspergers Child is a website dedicated to helping parents of children with aspergers and high functioning autism. The website is run by Mark Hutten, M.A., a counseling psychologist, home-based family therapist and online parent coach. Hutten claims that his website is education and counseling for individuals affected by ASD. Hutton wrote a blog about light therapy being used for children and teens on the autism spectrum. Hutton writes,

“Phototherapy (also called “light therapy”), which involves exposure to artificial light, is quickly becoming a popular way to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in children on the autism spectrum. SAD is a type of depression that occurs at a certain time each year, usually in the fall or winter. During phototherapy, your child sits near a device called a light box. The box gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light.

Phototherapy is thought to affect brain chemicals linked to mood, easing SAD symptoms. Using a light box may also help with other types of depression, sleep disorders and other conditions. You may want to try phototherapy on your child for a number of reasons:

  • If the child is on medication for depression, it may allow him or her to take a lower dose of antidepressant
  • It’s a proven treatment for SAD
  • If the child has another condition (e.g., OCD, anxiety, insomnia)
  • If you want to try a treatment method that is safe and has few side effects

Generally, most children with SAD begin treatment with phototherapy in the early fall when it typically becomes cloudy in many regions of the country. Treatment usually continues until spring when outdoor light alone is sufficient to sustain a good mood and higher levels of energy.

If your child typically has fall and winter mood problems, behavioral issues or depression, you may notice symptoms during prolonged periods of cloudy or rainy weather during other seasons. You and your physician can adjust the light treatment based on the timing and duration of your child’s symptoms.

During phototherapy sessions, your child will sit near the light box. Many children use this time to complete homework. To be effective, light from the box must enter the eyes indirectly. Your child can’t get the same effect merely by exposing his or her skin to the light. While the eyes must be open, your child should not look directly at the light, because the bright light can damage the eyes. Be sure to follow your physician’s recommendations as well as the manufacturer’s directions.”

(MyAspergersChild.com)

How It Works…

Light therapy treatments are most effective when there is a perfect combination of three key elements. These elements are timing, light intensity, and duration.

Timing is most effective when done in the morning. It is recommended for children to begin their light therapy treatment session as soon as they wake up. Eating breakfast or reading in front of the light box is a good option to keep this a routine. When it comes to intensity, light boxes are measured in lux. Lux is a measure of the light received from the light box from a certain distance. Boxes usually range from between 2,500 lux and 10,000 lux. The distance the child can sit away from the light box depends on the level of lux as well as the session time required. For example, a light box that emits 10,000 lux will probably only require a 30 minute treatment session. A light box that emits 2,500 lux will probably require a session close to two hours. It’s important to consider a child’s energy and patience levels before purchasing a light box. The third key element is timing. It’s important to discuss this element with a doctor. During the beginning stages of treatment, a shorter time frame is typically recommended. For example, 10 minutes. As daily sessions continue, the time frame can lengthen.

Light therapy requires time, routine, and scheduling. It’s important to find a light therapy box that fits complacency into a child or teenager’s lifestyle. While phototherapy/light therapy doesn’t necessarily cure seasonal affective disorder, depression, insomnia, or any other similar conditions, it does ease symptoms, raise energy levels, boost confidence and increase happiness in children. But most importantly, it can improve the quality of life for a children struggling with ASD. Is it time for someone you love to try light therapy?

Posted on April 22, 2016 In Children, Color Light Therapy, Depression, Light Therapy, Mental Health, Uncategorized
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Light Therapy & Alzheimer’s Disease

 

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is quite possibly one of the most heart-wrenching diseases that people all over the world struggle with every day. It is the most common form of dementia, which is a general term for memory loss and other mental abilities which are serious enough to affect people’s daily lives. Sixty to eighty percent of dementia cases are Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease. It slowly destroy’s people’s memories along with their crucial mental functions. It most commonly affects people around 65 years old and above. In the most recent years, Alzheimer’s feels as if it is a normal part of the aging process, with more than 3 million U.S. cases being reported each year. Even though most cases begin around the age of 65, Alzheimer’s is not just a disease for the elderly. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “Up to 5 percent of people with the disease have early onset Alzheimer’s (also known as younger-onset), which often appears when someone is in their 40s and 50s.” (alz.org)

The Symptoms…

Dementia symptoms gradually become worse as the years go on, meaning that Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease. During the early stages, memory loss is mild and not necessarily life changing. However, during the late stages, individuals lose most of their memories, cannot carry on conversations, and have trouble responding to their environment. Alzheimer’s is the sixth most leading cause of death in the United States and most people only live around eight years past the point where their symptoms become recognizable to the people around them.

There are mild, moderate, and severe cases of Alzheimer’s. Depending on the stage of the disease, the symptoms vary. The National Institute of aging explained the symptoms for each stage. We have borrowed their words below…

Mild Alzheimer’s Disease:
 
As the disease progresses, people experience greater memory loss and other cognitive difficulties. Problems can include:
  • wandering and getting lost
  • trouble handling money and paying bills
  • repeating questions
  • taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
  • losing things or misplacing them in odd places
  • personality and behavior changes

Alzheimer’s disease is often diagnosed at this stage.

Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease:
 
In this stage, damage occurs in areas of the brain that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought. Symptoms may include:
  • increased memory loss and confusion
  • problems recognizing family and friends
  • inability to learn new things
  • difficulty carrying out multistep tasks such as getting dressed
  • problems coping with new situations
  • hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia
  • impulsive behavior
 
Severe Alzheimer’s Disease:
 
People with severe Alzheimer’s cannot communicate and are completely dependent on others for their care. Near the end, the person may be in bed most or all of the time as the body shuts down. Their symptoms often include:
  • inability to communicate
  • weight loss
  • seizures
  • skin infections
  • difficulty swallowing
  • groaning, moaning, or grunting
  • increased sleeping
  • lack of control of bowel and bladder

(nia.nih.gov)

The Cause…

Alzheimer’s is caused by brain cell death. It is a neurodegenerative disease. This means that there is a progressive brain cell death that happens typically over a slow amount of time. The total brain size actually shrinks, leaving the tissue with progressively fewer connections and nerve cells. It’s quite morbid when you think about it. This disease leaves people feeling helpless and as of right now, there is no cure. But what if there a possible cure on the horizon? What if we could see the light at the end of the tunnel for Alzheimer’s disease?

Can Light Therapy Treat Alzheimer’s Disease?

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have been conducting experiments on mice that are leading them to believe that light therapy can actually bring back memories in people suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s. Although this is currently just a proof of concept, the world of possibilities that can follow are endless. This is notable, important, and life changing.

The scientists at MIT have successfully activated feelings from lost memories among mice with the use of light stimulation therapy that was developed in 2012. These mice are genetically engineered to have early on-set Alzheimer’s disease. This form of therapy is referred to as optogenetics and although it can currently only be performed on mice, these studies show extreme promise for the future.

How It Works…

Fox News’ health department covered this remarkable story on March 18, 2016. They explained how the light therapy process works by stating,

“Study authors put healthy mice and mice with Alzheimer’s into a chamber where they received a foot shock, an experience that caused them to sense fear one hour later when placed in the chamber again. But when the two groups of mice were placed in the chamber a few days later, only the normal mice were fearful, while the Alzheimer’s mice appeared to have forgotten about the experience. However, the memory of the fear was still there among the Alzheimer’s mice; the memory just couldn’t be activated with natural cues.

By using the light therapy they developed in 2012— whereby the relevant engram cells were tagged with a light-sensitive protein then activated with light— the researchers activated those memories.

“Directly activating the cells that we believe are holding the memory gets them to retrieve it,” lead study author Dheeraj Roy, an MIT graduate student, said in the release. “This suggests that it is indeed an access problem to the information, not that they’re unable to learn or store this memory.”

Study authors also identified that the engram cells of the Alzheimer’s mice experienced disrupted signaling from other neurons, which affected the natural cue that should have reactivated their memory.

“If we want to recall a memory, the memory-holding cells have to be reactivated by the correct cue,” Tonegawa said in the release. “If the spine density does not go up during learning process, then later, if you give a natural recall cue, it may not be able to reach the nucleus of the engram cells.”’

(foxnews.com/health)

A Game Changer…

Conducting optogenics on people at the stage that it is at is far too invasive and it requires extreme precision. However, knowing what we know now and carrying this research into all future Alzheimer’s experiments is a complete game changer. Far too many individuals suffer from this severe, heartbreaking and devastating disease each year. Seeing a light at the end of the tunnel is the first step to success.

Posted on April 20, 2016 In Light Therapy, Mental Health
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Get Ready For Summer With Light Therapy!

 

With summer right around the corner, now is the time to get your body in tip top shape! We’re not just talking about a great bikini body, we’re also talking about your mindset! The key to happiness and confidence is a healthy body, inside and out.

Light Therapy is capable of helping people achieve greatness for all aspects of their minds and bodies. With the help of Light Therapy, skin rejuvenation is simple and easy. Regular treatment sessions can cosmetically enhance all parts of your body, not just your face. A body that is capable of being active and energized starts with freedom. Chronic pain, wounds, joint and muscle pain, and more can make you feel trapped inside your body. Light Therapy treatments targeted towards pain relief can free your body and have you ready for summer adventures in no time. Similar to external pain, internal pain and stress can have us feeling trapped as well. Whether it’s depression, insomnia, or another mental condition, Light Therapy is constantly being proven effective in lifting mood and energy levels. Treatments leave patients feeling refreshed and energized, which is necessary to fully take advantage of the best season of the year!

Glowing Skin…

Many factors can contribute to your skin not being on it’s A game. Lack of sleep, a depressed mood, acne, and other skin disorders can all leave you looking tired and in need of sleep. There are two different forms of light therapy that can give you the glowing skin you want and deserve. Fighting insomnia and depression is one of the first steps to having perfect skin. Light therapy boxes and lamps are used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder, depression, and insomnia. Spending part of your morning in front of a light therapy box/lamp can help raise energy levels as well as allow you to sleep more. Both of these results can lead to glowing skin.

Acne makes it hard to have glowing skin. Using a light therapy device targeted towards treating acne, such as a red, blue, or green light wand can kill the acne causing bacteria in your pores. Each color light has it’s owns benefits so using all three in your treatment process is going to have the best results and leave you with healthy glowing skin.

No More Wrinkles…

Light therapy can also reduce wrinkles and fine lines which will increase your confidence and have you running for the beach. The same products that are used for treating acne can be used to treat wrinkles and other cosmetic appearances that arise with age. Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you have to look your age, right?
Cellulite Free…

While the cosmetic appearance of your skin doesn’t actually affect your physical health, it can raise your confidence levels and have you ready for summer. The first step to the perfect bikini body is a healthy mind and body. Light therapy is proven to effectively reduce unwanted lines and markings. Red light therapy wands, lamps, and beds can be used to smooth cellulite and stretch marks anywhere on your body. Red light therapy works in a a couple different ways. In one instance, the red light increases circulation by forming new capillaries. These new capillaries speed up the healing process in damaged skin. Red light also stimulates the production of collagen. Collagen is a high elasticity protein that repairs damaged skin.

Active Body…

How are you going to feel your best for the summer if you can’t be active? Summer activities require energy and a youthful body. When fighting chronic pain, your body feels low and useless. Red light therapy is being used to treat chronic pain, joint and muscle pain, heal wounds, and more. Red light therapy wands, beds, wraps, and lamps works to treat these forms of pain in the same way it treats cosmetic details. The red light penetrates deep into the skin, all the way through to the tissue and can heal damage that is causing physical pain.

Right Mindset…

While fighting mental conditions and disorders can leave you with glowing skin, as discussed above, it also creates a healthy and long last mindset that will have you summer ready. Light therapy boxes, simulators and lamps for Seasonal Affective Disorder, depression, insomnia, jet lag and bipolar disorder work by raising seratonin levels and decreasing melatonin levels. Increasing seratonin levels in the brain is proven to effectively lift your mood, leaving you energized and ready for anything. Especially summer!

The best way to experience summer is to feel your best. Treating these 5 categories can result in confidence inside and out and energy for activities. Both of these results are crucial for the best summer ever!

Posted on April 19, 2016 In Uncategorized
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Does Red Light Therapy Work?

What Is Red Light Therapy?

Red light therapy is a specific form of light therapy that uses red LEDs to treat skin and body conditions. Red light therapy has been proven effective in treating acne and aiding in anti-aging. For example, it tightens and firms the skin to rid of wrinkles and fine lines. It also aids in treating severe skin conditions such as Psoriasis, Eczema, Roseacea, sun damage, and more. Aside from skin disorders and conditions, Red Light Therapy can relieve joint and muscle pain. It can even help people struggling with chronic back pain. Yes, you read it correctly. Chronic pain! It doesn’t get much more impressive than that.

Why Would You Need It?

If you want to continue dealing with acne, or you enjoy the aging process happening with your skin, or you enjoy your body aches and chronic pain, red light therapy is definitely not for you. But I’m just going to go out on a limb here and assume you don’t prefer living with these conditions. This is why you need red light therapy in your life.

Red light therapy, like all forms of light therapy, is the natural treatment route. This therapy is safe, non-invasive, chemical free, drug free and inexpensive when done at home. Acne creams, washes, and lotions are inexpensive, filled with chemicals, and hardly ever effective. Skin rejuvenation serums are also expensive and unhealthy and don’t get me started on plastic surgery! No way! And pain killers. If pain killers can be avoided, they probably should be. Pills can upset your stomach, leave you addicted, and come with a whole book full of side affects.

How Does It Work?

Red light therapy works by penetrating the skin with LEDs in the form of many different devices, depending what you’re hoping for as an end result. As for acne, red light therapy devices penetrate deep into the skin to kill acne causing bacteria and bring your skin back to it’s normal health. With skin rejuvenation, the red lights help heal and tighten the skin by repairing damaged skin cells underneath the surface of the skin. The result is reduced fine lines and wrinkles and a healthy, young looking, glow.

When it comes to more serious skin conditions, such as Psoriasis, sun damage, scars, and more, Red Light Therapy treatments penetrate into the skin, helping to cure the damaged skin and stop what exactly is causing the damage.

As for pain relief, red light therapy penetrates deep into the tissue underneath the surface of the skin. From here the light is absorbed by the mitochondria, or the energy of the cells. This increases the metabolism of the collective cells in the body. Healing can then begin in the muscle, skin, bone, and tissue. This speeds up the healing process and helps relieve pain.

But…Does It Actually Work?

This is the common question when it comes to light therapy. Does it actually work? Our answer and the answer of doctors from all different fields of work…yes! Red light therapy actually works. It is still being studied, and the world still does not not know the maximum potential of the treatments, but it has proven more than effective in treating an extremely diverse array of conditions and disorders. Red Light Therapy is a total game changer for the medical world.

Some Quotes!

“Traditional drugs stop the pain but are expensive, have potential side effects and do not heal the cause of the pain. Light therapy has no known negative side effects. Because no drugs are used, light therapy is a natural, noninvasive treatment for pain. Part of the natural spectrum, infrared light is something you are exposed to in a less-concentrated way every day. Light therapy is a cost-effective, natural way to heal the body and eliminate pain.”

-Linda Tenenbaum, LiveStrong.com

“Dermatologists are investigating red light (in the range of 600 – 950nm) therapy to treat acne, rosacea and wrinkles. Red light works theoretically by stimulating the skin’s energy making machine, known as the mitochondria. As such, stimulated mitochondria make older cells behave more like energetic youthful cells – which holds the key to red light’s anti-aging potential.”

-American Academy of DermatologyWhat Is Red Light Therapy?

Posted on April 18, 2016 In Red Light Therapy, Skin Treatments, Uncategorized
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Sunlight & Our Skin

 

What Is Sunlight?

Sun sun sun! It keeps us warm, gives us perfect tans, it generates electricity, and so much more. We know all these things, but something that most people don’t consider is how the sun can help our skin! This is an area where the sun is not being taken advantage of. But before I get into that, let’s learn a little more about that warm sunshine. Let’s learn the facts.

Sunlight is a portion of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the all mighty and powerful sun. Using more specific terms, the sun gives off infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. For us down on Earth, sunlight is filtered through the atmosphere surrounding the Earth, thus providing us with daylight. This means the sun is present above the horizon. When the sun’s rays are not being by clocked by clouds, which creates diffused light, they shine right on down to us. This creates sunshine, which is an unbeatable combination of radiant heat and bright light.

Too much sun isn’t always a good thing. It’s important to always wear sunscreen, protect your skin from overexposure, and always drink enough water. The sun is more than powerful and can easily affect our bodies.

If you’re like me, you cross your fingers, pray to the weather gods, and hope with everything inside of you that every single day of the year will be sunny. This is because not only is sunlight proven to have positive effects on the brain, it can also gives us that dreamy skin we’ve always wanted. Whether you struggle from a severe skin conditions such as Rosacea or Psoriasis, or you have acne like millions of other people in the world, the sun could be your medicine. If we are smart about how we manage our time with the sun and how it fits into our lives, we can be exposed to a world of skin care benefits. This is so important to know. Our skin is such a big part of us!

Our Skin…

Our skin, which is the outer covering of our body, is the largest organ in our integumentary system. Our skin has many layers of ectodermal tissue. These layers guard and protect our muscles, bones, ligaments, and internal organs. Our skin is sensitive and it is crucial to take care of it if you want to remain healthy on the inside and outside.

There are many things that can affect our skin in negative ways, one of those things being the sun. But if our exposure to the sun is kept under control, we positive effects.

How The Sun Helps…

The sun works in marvelous ways. Being exposed to sunlight on a regular basis while using the proper protection is a step in the right direction when it comes to treating acne and other skin conditions and disorders.

The rays from the sun will not outright cure your acne, but it will work to reduce redness and inflammation on the skin. UV rays in the sunlight have antiseptic effects on bacteria. The sun suppresses the immune system, which isn’t necessarily the best thing for the body, but in doing so, it suppresses the immune cells in the acne. These cells are the ones that create redness on the skin.

A Smarter Option…

Because the sun can be so harsh on our sensitive skin and we can not monitor the strength of it, using light therapy has been proven to be a smarter option for treating acne and other skin conditions. Because too much sun exposure can lower our immune system  harsh sunlight can sometimes make acne worse. Also, sun screen is necessary but it tends to be thick and greasy which isn’t always the best for sensitive skin.

Light therapy, which can be monitored and set on a regular schedule, tends to be extremely effective. The severity of the condition and the medical diagnosis of it determines which light therapy device would be best.

There is a wide array of light therapy devices that can help treat skin conditions. The options range from hand held wands to panels, boxes, beds, and more. Treatments can be done in a doctor’s office but that can get expensive. At-home treatments can be done at your own convenience, have a one time cost, and with the new technology, can be just as effective as a doctor’s device. For example, a hand held red light therapy device is commonly used for treating acne. The intensity of the infrared light bulbs penetrate the skin and kill the acne causing bacteria in the pores. Other forms work similarly but it is important to determine a goal, a schedule, and a budget before experimenting with the all natural treatment. Facing Acne, a website for helping people deal with acne problems posted an article about why they think light therapy is better for the skin than the sun. In the article, the author summarizes which forms of the light treatment do what. The article reads,

  • Sunlight is good for treating acne, but it is specifically the red and blue wavelengths of visible sunlight that make a difference.
  • Red light reaches deep into the skin and activates hemoglobin. Red light treatment cuts off just enough of the blood supply of oil-producing sebaceous glands that pores don’t get quite as oily.
  • Blue light penetrates pores and kills acne bacteria—but not all the pore’s acne bacteria. There are always some acne bacteria in the sebaceous gland that can’t be reached by blue light.
  • When it comes to acne light therapy, more is not necessarily better. Drying or burning the skin by holding the face too close to the lamp does not help.
  • The best way to use blue and red light therapy at home is for helping keep the skin clear between acne treatments.
  • Acne light therapy is always most effective when used as part of a complete skin care system such as Exposed Skin Care.

(FacingAcne.com)

Healthy skin is not only good for our body and physical health; healthy, glowing skin is good for the mind. It raises confidence levels drastically and will help spread good energy. If you’re struggling with skin conditions, give light therapy a chance.

Posted on April 17, 2016 In Light Therapy, Skin Treatments, Sunlight, Uncategorized
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