Los peligros de la iluminación LED

The dangers of LED lighting

The danger of LED light bulbs

After reading an article by Dr. Joseph Mercola and remembering that since I was in high school I had suffered with the white fluorescent lights along the main corridor, I realized that this sensitivity to this type of light and other artificial ones such as LED (light emitting diodes) was not just that. In reality, the electric light that has changed the world since the early 1900s has a very dark side that we must take into account if we are interested in having a good and lasting quality of life.

Dr. Mercola mentions the studies of physician and epidemiologist Samuel Milham (85 years old) who has conducted extensive studies on occupational mortality in different states of North America and is the author of the text Dirty Electricity : Electrification and the Diseases of Civilization 1 .

According to Milham, sunlight is a natural or native form of electromagnetic frequency (EMF). But there are also 4 basic forms of non-native or artificial EMF: magnetic, artificial light, electrical, and microwave (which includes not only microwave ovens but also cell phones, routers, and cordless phones).

Dirty electricity refers to the electrical component of this EMF spectrum, but the more accurate term is electromagnetic interference or (EMI).

For his part, Dr. Mercola in his research on mitochondrial function has found that EMI increases free radical damage to mitochondria (the true energy source of the human body) causing mitochondrial dysfunction. Although there are other contributing variables such as processed foods, pesticide contamination, unbalanced nutrient ratios and more… It would be foolish to ignore EMI.

However, with the argument of energy savings, a radical transition has been made to LED bulbs as the main source of interior lighting since it reduces electrical requirements by up to 95% compared to incandescent thermo-analogue sources.

However, the heat produced by incandescent light bulbs, which is infrared radiation, is actually good for your health and I will explain why later, so it is worth the extra cost.

LED lighting, which has to be the largest artificial EMF we are currently exposed to on a daily basis, according to Dr. Mercola, if we do not take certain measures, can have long-term consequences, especially in terms of age-related macular degeneration, which has been the leading cause of blindness both in North America and elsewhere.

According to Dr. Alexander Wunsch, a photobiologist interviewed by Dr. Mercola, light has a broader spectrum (300 to 2000 nanometers) than the eye can perceive (between 400 and 780 nanometers), but this last measurement was the basis for the development of light sources such as fluorescent lamps since the 1930s and which today produces LED lighting because they are “high performance” meaning they take into account only the visible side of the spectrum.

Physicists believe that infrared radiation is just thermal waste, while doctors think differently, especially since, in the last 30 years, conclusive studies have appeared regarding the benefits of the near-infrared part of the spectrum.

Near-infrared radiation does not feel like heat and cannot be seen, although it has several health benefits. However, near-infrared radiation is precisely what LED bulbs lack.

Why lighting plays an important role in biological energy production

The enzyme Cytochrome c oxidase, whose molecule absorbs light, is the last step before ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is produced in the mitochondria. This is the point where the wavelength range of light between 570 and 850 nanometers is able to stimulate energy production, especially when the cells have run out of energy.

Since Cytochrome c oxidase is responsible for the increased production of ATP, the cell has a better supply of energy, which allows it to function better, no matter where the cell is located.

This means that liver cells that have more ATP will be able to detoxify the body more efficiently; skin fibroblasts will be able to synthesize more collagen fibers and so on throughout the body because ATP is crucial for cellular functions.

According to Wunsch, as little as 1/3 of the body's energy is required to maintain equilibrium from the food consumed. Electrons transferred from food, primarily fat and carbohydrates, are ultimately transferred to oxygen and generate ATP. The closer to infrared you get, the less nutritional energy is needed to maintain thermal homeostasis.

In conclusion, most of the energy used at the metabolic level comes from food. But there is a thermodynamic component as well : maintaining a normal body temperature (37° C or 98° F) involves two mechanisms: energy production from food and photonic energy (near-infrared radiation derived from sunlight and incandescent light bulbs) that is able to penetrate deeply into the tissue, even through clothing.

The real dangers of LED lighting

Here's what Dr. Wunsch says:

“Typically, a natural light source is a blackbody radiator that emits all kinds of wavelengths in a more or less continuous manner.

LED fluorescent lamps, on the other hand, consist of blue LEDs, a driver and a fluorescent coating that protects the blue LED, transforming part of the blue light into longer wavelengths and thus creating a yellowish light. The yellowish light from the fluorescent coating combines with the residual blue light to produce a whitish type of light, much of which is an aggressive blue light.

By now, you already know that blue light at night reduces melatonin production in the pineal gland. But remember that there are also cells in the retina that are responsible for producing melatonin to regenerate the retina during the night.

If LED bulbs are used after dark, the regenerative and restorative capabilities of the eyes are reduced. It goes without saying that with less regeneration, the consequence is degeneration. In this case, degeneration can lead to age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness in the elderly in North America. However, and this is what most people don't realize, exposure to LED lighting that is not balanced with full sunlight, i.e. including the red parts of the spectrum, is harmful to human biology and even more so at night.” 2

What measures can be taken to illuminate without negative effects on health ?

At this time, it is very difficult to avoid a place that does not contain this type of lighting, but there are some measures that can be taken to balance this effect.

  1. Try to get some sun, not only to absorb the much-needed vitamin D, but also so that our retina has the option of receiving the full spectrum of light and regenerating our ocular organs during the night.
  2. If you work in an office, try to have it near a window where you can see daylight.
  3. To the extent possible, use incandescent bulbs (although this is becoming increasingly difficult) or halogen bulbs.
  4. Since the goal is to prevent macular degeneration, it is important to understand that white or blue light at night, which many people use to work on the computer, watch movies or do other activities, is blocking the natural production of melatonin (melatonin begins to be produced around 11pm when the person has already entered deep sleep), although the body is preparing itself after dark before going to sleep. To remedy this, there are two downloadable applications that help you in this process. One is I.Flux , and the other is Iris, both of which can be programmed or disabled, depending on your needs.
  5. Infrared saunas or the artisanal version that are inipis and temazcales that help not only the eyes but also detoxify the body and activate the metabolism.
  6. For people who already have some type of eye condition, Dr. Mercola recommends the Bates Method and it is worth checking out as it speaks to a different way of approaching the treatment of eye problems.
  7. Certain foods help maintain eye health, such as peas, broccoli, lettuce, and more. And others, when consumed at night, will not hinder the quality of sleep.
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