Description

Harnessing the Healing Power of Light-Based Therapies to Overcome Cancer, Precancer, and Chronic Diseases

By Andrei V. Reshetnickov, PhD

and M. Nathaniel Mead, MSc

“Message of Love & New Beginnings” by NHF Chairman Harrie Vink

Foreword by Keith I. Block, MD

Click HERE to read the opening of Chapter 1.

If you’re interested in learning about an innovative cancer treatment that blends ancient healing principles with newly emerging science and pioneering technology, The Medicine of Light is for you. The book’s central premise is that light has astounding curative and health-promoting properties. Although we humans have known about light’s healing power for thousands of years, it’s only within the past few decades that we’ve developed highly effective light-based therapies that can support the body’s ability to target cancer and other diseases, while also helping us to restore and sustain good health. Light, by itself, is not the answer. The secret lies in knowing how to harness the power of light with the help of the plant world. The Medicine of Light reveals how the light-sensitizing effects of various natural compounds—such as those derived from the chlorophyll found in green plants—can be used to treat cancer, heart disease and many infectious diseases. This approach, known as photodynamic therapy or PDT, has already begun to revolutionize the practice of cancer medicine as we know it. It may come as a surprise to learn that light-sensitive compounds called porphyrins have at least a 100-year history as PDT agents. And yet, thanks to the introduction of antibiotics and chemotherapy, these important compounds were largely ignored until the 1970s. Indeed, medical science is just now waking up to the awesome power of these and other light-sensitive molecules, which are broadly referred to as photosensitizers. The compounds accumulate in areas of cancer, pre-cancer, or infection, causing those areas to literally glow or fluoresce upon exposure to light. At the same time, with the right type and dose of light, the photosensitizer will trigger a chemical reaction that kills or modifies the unwanted cells—be they the cells that comprise a malignant tumor or those driving a dangerous infection. The light-sensitizing potential of porphyrins, along with a related group of compounds called chlorins, has profound implications for both the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. For example, by lighting up cancerous tissue, this effect can be very helpful in surgical situations in which the surgeon is unable to discern cancer around the periphery of the surgical site. Thus, using what’s now called fluorescence-guided surgery, the photosensitizers help guide surgery and ultimately makes the treatment more effective. These days, photodynamic methods are being used to overcome a wide range of medical conditions—not only cancer, but also many pre-cancerous conditions, various skin disorders (e.g., acne and psoriasis), heart disease, and the common form of blindness known as age-related macular degeneration. The Medicine of Light devotes several chapters showing how light is being harnessed to treat these conditions, with ample scientific documentation provided for the more skeptical reader. Chapter 6 focuses on dietary and lifestyle suggestions that the authors believe can reinforce the benefits of PDT. In The Medicine of Light, readers will discover how the proper use of light can favorably influence the body’s anticancer immune defenses. This emerging approach, known as Immuno-PDT, essentially “wakes” the immune system from its slumber, so that the system becomes highly active against cancer rather than tolerating the disease. Immuno-PDT strategies already are bearing fruit against some advanced cancers, particularly when used in tandem with conventional modalities such as radiotherapy. There is evidence that Immuno-PDT may help these patients overcome the problem of treatment-resistant disease that so often spells doom for cancer patients who experience a relapse after undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Written in a clear and accessible style, The Medicine of Light explores many cutting-edge topics that should be of interest to anyone seeking innovative treatment for cancer and other serious diseases. Andrei Reshetnickov, PhD, is a bioorganic chemist with extensive experience in developing agents for light-based therapies, notably the approach known as Photoimmunotherapy (PIT). In the final chapter, Dr. Reshetnickov explores photodynamic strategies for breast cancer and other specific situations, and shares ideas on how leading-edge photosensitizer products, such as Fotonaflor® and FloraDynamica®, can be used to optimize health and healing. Medical writer M. Nathaniel Mead, MSc, skillfully balances simplicity with sophistication in addressing complex scientific topics throughout the book. The Photoimmune Discoveries team feels that modern medicine is at a crossroads, and that, as integrative cancer expert Keith Block, MD, states in the book’s foreword, “a major paradigm shift is now in order” in terms of our approach to cancer treatment. The Medicine of Light is a “must read” for anyone interested in transforming our health care system and the future of cancer medicine in particular. Proceeds from the sales of this book will go toward supporting the mission of Photoimmune Discoveries. It is our hope that The Medicine of Light, together with the information provided on this website, will catalyze new thinking about effective cancer therapy, ultimately helping to transform the entire practice of cancer medicine. Andrei Reshetnickov, PhD, is a bioorganic chemist who has synthesized numerous photosensitizing agents and developed a wide range of light-based medical technologies. A reviewer for the medical journal, Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy, he continues with his laboratory research in Moscow (Russia). M. Nathaniel Mead, MSc, is a nutrition research consultant and writer who has contributed to numerous health-related books as well as Natural Health, Alternative Medicine, Integrative Cancer Therapies, International Journal of Cancer, and Cancer Treatment Reviews. Read more about the authors…