View Single Post
  #89   ^
Old Wed, Jun-24-09, 06:33
Jayppers's Avatar
Jayppers Jayppers is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 651
 
Plan: Mostly carnivory
Stats: 145/145/145 Male 5'11'' (feet and inches)
BF:
Progress: -20%
Location: Ohio
Thumbs up Light Therapy

Hi, everyone.

Vitamin D has been a god send for me, but I still wasn't quite on top of energy and mood stability. There are/were still neurotransmitter imbalances that are/were really messing with my total body functioning (especially of autonomic processes like digestion, etc.) that D alone has not been sufficient in rectifying.

My mother purchased a Apollo Health goLITE P1 (with BLUEWAVE) for me a few years back and I've just gotten back into using it religiously every morning (and sometimes in the afternoon), even during this summer season where I've been getting adequate sunshine on most days. It has produced some pretty noticeable and favorable results in terms of increasing serotonin, helping to balance things overall, and aid in my sleep cycles and create for more restful sleep at night. I'm waking up on my own literally minutes before my alarm usually goes off - as if a built in clock has been established in my head. It's wonderful.

So, I just wanted to share that although obtaining adequate sunlight involves getting needed doses of vitamin D, it is only part of the whole sunlight's benefit on human health equation. So if you're still struggling while obtaining a nutrient-dense diet with plenty of D and all the other good stuff, don't hesitate to also investigate a little bright/blue light therapy.

Quote:
Vitamin D Council | Vitamin D Quotes

Natural sunlight's benefits are not limited to vitamin D production. As light enters the eyes, photoreceptors convert the light into nerve impulses that travel along the optic nerve to the brain. These impulses trigger the hypothalamus gland to send neurotransmitters to regulate the automatic functions of the body, such as blood pressure, body temperature, respiration, digestion, sexual function, moods, immune and hormonal modulation, and circadian rhythm. ~ John Maher, DC, DCCN, FAIIM.
Quote:
Direct brain serotonin measurement validates Light therapy for SAD

Results were clear. Serotonin levels in the brain plunged between June and August, corresponding to Australian winter; not so the other two neurotransmitters, nor the serotonin produced in the gut or spinal cord. Nor did serotonin levels reflect the other environmental conditions. Serotonin levels were higher on bright days no matter what the time of year, and the amount of serotonin present reflected the hours of sun exposure on a particular day – conditions the day before had no effect. This suggests that daily light therapy, which many people with SAD use, has a sound basis in biology. (The Lancet, Dec. 7, 2002, p. 1840)
Reply With Quote