The past six months I’ve taken inventory of the total impact of stress – emotional, physical, biological caused by COVID-19. If anything, one can make the claim the world has gone mad. But I’m not here to politicize but rather to find common ground and solutions needed for individuals who are in dare need of care and healing. For me, 2020 started by me winning my third book award for ROOTED in PEACE: An Inspiring Story of Finding Peace Within– a self-help analysis of today’s eco-health world. Dr Mark Hyman states, “You vote three times a day with our forks: You vote for your health, you vote for the environment, and you vote for what’s happening globally in our world. What most people don’t get is that sustainability of their health is connected to the sustainability of the planet. You damage your health, you’re damaging the planet. Greg Reitman’s personal journey of ROOTED in PEACE reconfirms the interconnectedness of our humanity from the inside to the outside.“ I asked the reader to stop the cycle of violence and to be proactive in making personal choices to enhance one’s life. Whether through meditation for 20 minutes, exercising, eating organic food, following a Keto diet, or just being more mindful and having more love and compassion for one another – friends, neighbors, siblings, parents, grandparents, or loves ones.
Last week, I had the extraordinary opportunity to meet owner Michelle Hickok- owner of the Photon Genius machine. She invited me to come down to her Energize Your Life office in Huntington Beach, CA to experience first-hand the health benefits of ultra-violet light therapy technology. At first, I thought I was experiencing just another regular sauna, but after my first thirty-minute session and the days proceeding, I started to notice a physiological and emotional change in my body, including endurance, vitality, strength and overall well-being.
At this juncture, I decided to get educated on this technology and took a deep dive to learn more about this amazing Photon Genius machine. Many researchers and doctors throughout the globe claim that light therapy infused with infrared diodes can help promote the healing process in the body. At the root level all cells have a miniature power plant called the mitochondria – this is where our cells originate energy. The technical term for this energy is called adenosine triphosphate or ATP for short. ATP is formed from oxygen and glucose. Both of which are carried by blood flow. Individuals suffering from neuropathy have decreased blood flow, which means all cells, including nerves are not receiving adequate amounts of oxygen and glucose. Therefore, the mitochondria is unable to manufacture normal amounts of ATP. Nerves most commonly in these extremities sense this lack of ATP production by sending pain signals to the brain. In some cases, a lack of sensation rather than pain is the chief symptom. This is one the main reason why individuals suddenly collapse or fall to the ground because the mitochondria are very sensitive to light.
Infrared light therapy stimulates ATP production in the mitochondria enabling the nerves to receive glucose and oxygen through increased blood flow to them. Light energy stimulates the release of nitric oxide from hemoglobin into the bloodstream. When nitric oxide is released from hemoglobin it enters the muscle cells in walls of the blood vessels. The muscle cells relax as the blood vessel diameter enlarges allowing more blood to flow through the vessels. Increasing nitric oxide levels in the body offers a host of benefits. These can include anti inflammation. By increasing blood flow via nitric oxide reduces inflammation. Second, infrared light therapy regenerates tissues which is required to heal through increased amounts of oxygen, nutrients, ATP, and growth factors. Nitric oxide provides an environment for enhanced healing. The key to accomplishing this- better blood flow pain reduction. Pain occurs when oxygen levels at the nerve are too low. Think of how painful your finger becomes if you wrap a rubber band around it; the rubber band cuts off blood flow, thereby depriving nerves and other cells of oxygen. The pain recedes when the rubber band is removed, increased localized circulation, nitric oxide is increased locally when light energy is applied to any specific site. Along with it blood flow increases at the same point.
Light is composed of photons. Photons are quantum units of energy. Photon emitted at a specific wavelength or color contains the same energy irrespective of the source. Light near the blue end of the spectrum penetrates about 2 to 3 millimeters; light at the red end of the spectrum penetrates about 8 to 10 millimeters; and near infrared light penetrates about 20 to 100 millimeters. Near infrared light is more energetic than visible light, less resistant to reflection and absorption, and therefore penetrates soft tissue to a deeper level. These are just broad generalizations because the increase of red cells with hemoglobin in the path of the photons, the shallower the depth of the penetration. Remember hemoglobin absorbs the near infrared light energy thereby releasing nitric oxide.
The net result of light therapy is a cascade of beneficial chemical reactions throughout damaged nerve cells that stimulate healing. This response can be directly attributed to increased blood flow. This enhanced localized blood flow improves tissue oxygenation, and therefore plays a role in the following. Improved sensation, which offers better gait and balance when walking. Reduced pain, which can allow for better sleep at night, as well as reduced burning and stinging sensation in the extremities. Increased oxygenation, which acts to reduce inflammation, and finally increased circulation, which offers the body decreased wound incidences and shorter healing times.
The photon genius machine is a rare find and anyone who knows a friend whose suffering from cancer, I highly recommended you spend a little more time down the rabbit hole getting educated on this miraculous technology. More importantly, regardless of your condition always consult with your primary doctor.