readjustment of the therapy schedule. No deleteri-
ous effects on the eyes have been reported. Some
do not find relief, and in their case, SAD may be
superimposed on other psychological problems, or
the diagnosis of SAD may not be appropriate.
Attention should be given to the quality of the light
used in light therapy. The illuminated area should
be large so as to avoid uncomfortable glare, and the
presence of ultraviolet rays should be minimized by
careful choice of the light source and by the use of
filters. Some alternative forms of light therapy have
been developed. For example, a dawn simulator
used at wake-up time which slowly reduces dark-
ness over a forty-five minute period to a low light
level of 100 lux is apparently also effective in allevi-
ating SAD symptoms. A light visor producing con-
stant low light illumination has had mixed results,
and was not readily accepted by patients. Of course
exposure to natural daylight is highly recom-
mended whenever possible and not surprisingly
winter holidays in the sun invariably relieve SAD
symptoms. Exercise is also found to be beneficial,
but the effects of outdoor exercise may in part result
from the accompanying exposure to daylight.
“Light therapy is used regularly to treat various
forms of sleep disorders and is used also to over-
come the effects of jet lag and changes in shift-
work schedules. Here, the timing of the light
therapy is all-important as it is used to accelerate
the establishment of the appropriate pattern of
melatonin secretion. Light therapy is used in the
morning or before the work shift. In these appli-
cations, oral ingestion of melatonin before going
to sleep also helps to reset the circadian rhythm,
and is found to be effective in promoting sleep.
Disruption of sleep patterns is often observed in
the very old and in patients suffering from demen-
tia, with poor links between night-time and sleep-
ing time. It has been suggested that light therapy
is effective in restoring the circadian rhythms and
the sleep pattern in such patients. One possible
explanation for the effect of light therapy in this
case may be a result of the increased opacity of the
cornea in the elderly. Above the age of sixty, the
cornea transmits to the retina less than two thirds
of the light which it transmits in young people.
This means that the light cues are not as marked
in the elderly as they are in the younger popula-
tion, resulting in the possible de-phasing of the
circadian rhythms. It is reported that some forms
of blindness are also accompanied by loss of circa-
dian rhythms.”liniment From the Latin linimentum, or “smearing
substance,” a liquid such as tincture of green soap
or camphor, mixed with oil, alcohol, or water and
applied topically by rubbing sore or injured parts of
the body.liver flush Herbal remedies designed to rid the
liver of excessive toxins, sludge, and stones caused
by fats, proteins, and consumption of large quanti-
ties of food over a period of years. One liver flush
consists of drinking lemon juice (or cider vinegar)
in water with a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon
of royal jelly; another treatment is an olive oil liver
flush along with a coffee enema. Liver detoxifica-
tion also may involve fasting with vegetable and
fruit juices and taking various supplements, such as
milk thistle, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E,
herbal teas, and chlorella.
See also COLONICS; DETOXIFICATION; JUICING.longevity medicine An alternative discipline
now considered a subspecialty of conventional
medicine, focused on early diagnosis of predisposi-
tion to and prevention of age-related diseases and
on the enhancement of cardiovascular, immune,
and endocrine systems in order to prolong life. The
objectives of longevity medicine include slowing
the aging process for individuals, thereby in turn
increasing life expectancy in the population;
extending the number of years individuals may be
free of age-related diseases; and increasing physi-
cal, mental, and emotional vitality. Factors that
intensify the aging process include genetic charac-
teristics, excessive free-radical production, stress,
hormonal imbalance, poor nutrition, toxic over-
load, impairment of the immune system, occluded
arteries and lymph vessels, and sluggish brain cell
functioning. Two organizations are centered on the
many longevity-medicine preventive measures and
treatments: the American Academy of Anti-Aging
Medicine (www.worldhealth.net) and the Interna-
tional College of Advanced Longevity Medicine
(www.healthy.net/icalm).76 liniment