We have discovered a way to cut cancer risk in half but nobody cares. It’s like we had a party, but nobody came. The science behind our idea is very solid, but since there are no expensive pills to sell, no one is that interested.

The warning has been out since 1992 that exposing the eyes to light at night increases the risk of cancer. The reason is that exposing the eyes to light causes the pineal gland to stop making melatonin, a powerful cancer fighting hormone.

Before we used electric lights people experienced an average of 12 hours of darkness each night. Now the average person is in darkness only 7 hours a night. Blind people have only half the incidence of cancer. They make melatonin 9+ hours a night. Women who sleep 9+ hours a night have only a third the rate of breast cancer as women who sleep 7-8 hours a night.

Until 2002, people didn’t think there was much that could be done about it. People aren’t going to bed when it gets dark. In 2002 it was discovered that it is only the blue component in light that causes melatonin suppression.

At the Lighting Innovations Institute at John Carroll University in Cleveland Ohio light bulbs and glasses that block blue light and do not suppress melatonin were developed. They are described on a web site http://www.lowbluelights.com. So far, nobody cares. Not even those who claim to be advocates for people with cancer. They all ask have you proven by clinical testing that wearing the glasses for a few hours before going to bed reduces the cancer rate. Of course not, that will take many years and who will pay to do it.

In the mean time, thousands of people who could benefit have no chance to try this simple change in lifestyle. We need to spread the word to those who have the greatest need to know (cancer survivors and those with a genetic mutation). There is is a chance to reduce the cancer risk.

Posted on behalf of Richard L Hansler, of the Lighting Innovations Institute, John Carroll University, Cleveland, OH

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