During the few short months of summer we experience here in New England we all do our best to get outside, enjoy the beautiful weather and “obtain our vitamin D”. With all the research out there showing the benefits of vitamin D on bone health, enhancing mood, preventing sickness, preventing tooth decay, optimizing hormone levels, and preventing cancer we could all benefit from getting a little sun on our bodies. However did you know that getting a little sun in your eyes can actually be just as beneficial?
After recently reading an article in an older edition of the popular family wellness magazine “Pathways”, I came across a write-up that addressed the importance of light, specifically full spectrum light, on the eyes. Full spectrum light is defined as light that includes a balance of wavelengths from all colors of the visible spectrum including ultraviolet and infrared. Although this form of light (aka “natural light”) is most commonly recognized as benefiting health when it strikes the skin, the same is also true when it strikes the eyes and plays a vital role in body chemistry. According to two researchers, German Ophthalmologist Fritz Hollwich, MD as well as John Ott, Hon. D. Sci, the array of bodily organs and systems that depend on full spectrum light is astounding. “When the eyes are exposed to natural light the pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands, ovaries, testes, pancreas, liver, and kidneys all function better.” In fact, when studies were performed using full spectrum florescent lights vs. cool-white light bulbs (which allows strong yellow light but is deficient in most other wavelengths and contains no ultraviolet or infrared light) it was shown that “the development of the male sex organs was only one-fifth as great in hamsters under the cool-white light as compared to hamsters under full spectrum light”. This is primarily due to the lack of vitamin D (which is naturally made in the body when exposed to sunlight) necessary to synthesize Testosterone, a steroid hormone. Also interesting was another hamster study in which those hamsters without enough direct sunlight through the eyes, more particularly through the retina of the eye, had sleep disorders. Since the hypothalamus was not stimulated due to lack of light, the pituitary and pineal glands could not be influenced to make proper body chemicals and this caused a disruption in the animal’s diurnal rhythms affecting proper sleep. These same effects can be seen in people who are always indoors. A third and final study the “Pathways” article touched upon was one involving children. It mentioned that children under full spectrum lights in school had fewer cavities in their newly formed permanent teeth, whereas ten times as many children under cool-white bulbs had new cavities. This study was also confirmed using hamsters and showed that hamsters placed under cool-white bulbs 12 hours per day for 15 weeks had 5 times more cavities and 10 times greater tooth loss than hamsters placed under a more natural full spectrum light. This again demonstrates the importance of vitamin D on bone health.
What all this great research seems to suggest is that natural aka full spectrum light (which contains ultraviolet and infrared light) is necessary for increasing and maintaining health despite the popular belief that these particular light rays are damaging. In fact, in our society today, especially during the heat of summer, we do everything possible to avoid these rays- whether it is slathering toxic sunscreen on the largest organ of our body (our skin) or blocking our eyes with the newest and most effective UV light blocking sunglasses- all in an attempt to avoid what we have been brought up to fear- poor eye site and blistering sunburns leading to cancer. Unfortunately, by doing these things we are actually being counter-productive to our bodies and purposely avoiding a means to good health because of the bad name UV rays have been given. In fact, the article mentions that there has never been any research showing the health benefits of blocking UV light to the eyes yet it is impossible to find sunglasses that don’t block this type of ray. In conclusion, the article recommends either getting outside for 20-60 minutes without wearing glasses, or functioning under full spectrum lighting indoors rather then cool-white lighting. Also if you are unable to do either, the article further recommends that Vitamin D can be acquired through supplementation of distilled Cod Liver Oil which is high in vitamins A and D but has all the heavy metals removed or to check with your naturopathic physician. Of course, getting adjusted regularly can help your body function better and allow all your hormones and body systems to work at 100% to make its own vitamin D when you are exposed to the ideal environment/light. I thought this was an interesting article to share especially during these beautiful sun-lit days of summer and figured it may cause you to re-evaluate and perhaps question some of your everyday practices. Wishing you a wonderful remainder of this awesome season and better health every day.
Dr. Denise Ingrando 🙂
Blog based on interpretation of the article “Why Light Matters” by Colleen Huber, NMD. Published in the December 2008 issue #20 of Pathways Magazine
