Could Red light be considered a nutrient like food?

When we think about keeping our pets healthy and full of life, diet is usually the first thing that comes to mind. ‘You are what you eat and so is your pet’, but ever wondered if the energy from Red light could work like a nutrient? 

Just as food fuels your pet’s body from the inside out, there’s a growing body of evidence showing that light, particularly red and near-infrared light, can also act as a form of cellular nourishment.

This is the principle behind red light therapy, or Photobiomodulation (as defined by MeSH in 2015). It’s recognised as a safe, non-invasive way to support all animals’ energy, recovery, and overall wellbeing.

Just like humans, every pet from dogs, cats, small furries, birds and even reptiles can make the most of their ATP in tiny cell structures called mitochondria, which are the “powerhouses” of every cell.

The mitachondria takes nutrients from foods: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates and converts them into ATP or cellular energy. However, the better the mitochondria work, the more energy and vitality your pet will have.

The Photizo Vetcare harnesses special wavelengths of red and near-infrared light, which can penetrate through fur, skin, scales and feathers to power the Mitachrondria.  Reaching deep into the tissues, the light creates a cascade of biological effects, being absorbed by an enzyme called cytochrome c oxide, which is a vital part of the mitochondrial machinery.

When this enzyme absorbs red light, the mitochondria is able to produce ATP more effectively, just like when the right minerals and vitamins help the body increase the bio-availability of certain foods.

Whilst light doesn’t replace food and nutrients, it works like a catalyser, promoting its absorption by stimulating a healthier functioning metabolism, which in turn promotes optimum health from the inside out.

Apart from being painless, drug-free, and completely non-invasive, its designed for use at home as well as in-practice. Helping with a host of physical conditions, including joint and mobility support, the Vetcare helps relieve arthritic symptoms by promoting circulation and reducing inflammation.  It’s also used to promote skin and coat health, as well as wound healing, muscle recovery and general vitality. It also triggers endorphins to make sessions a calming experience.

The hand-held Vetcare device is pre-programmed to deliver 30 second evidence-based doses of red and near infra-red light. As the light source uses LED (Light Emitting Diodes), its completely safe for the eyes and doesn’t require cumbersome eyewear. 

I’ve been using the Vetcare since 2014 when Molly, my first Miniature Bull Terrier needed help with her feet. She’d suffered all her life from paws that were slightly too small for her body. Her front digits and paw pads had overtime become slightly deformed and encrusted.

When the Vetcare rejuvenated Molly’s front paws from the inside out, that was my Eureka moment with the Vetcare. Nothing else had worked. I’d tried every cream, lotion and potion even surgically removed layers of the encrusted paw pads, which simply accumulated worse than ever. 

Since then, I’ve helped many dogs (and cats) benefit from the Vetcare, which is available as a silent model as well as the original version that beeps every time the 30 second pre-programmed dose begins and ends. I love the beeps as it makes the practice easier to monitor, but for cats and noise sensitive dogs, the silent option is a gamechanger.

Mr Binks my re-homed English Toy Terrier has benefitted from the Vetcare for 11 years. He has a condition called Legg calves Perthes disease which affects the hip joints. He had his left hip joint removed at only nine months, however the regular use of the Vetcare, combined with his raw super bio available diet, and Green Lipped Mussel supplement, has kept him not only mobile but its barely noticeable that he is missing a hip!

In fact, the Vetcare helped my first cat Gremlin recover after the occasional ‘punch -up’, and keeps the ever boisterous, Prudence, in shape including helping to manage her ‘slipping knee cap. And for Baggy the stray feral tomcat who landed on my doorstep after Gremlin’s passing, it’s helped restore his health, not least as a calming solution.

Thinking of Light as a nutrient is ‘food for thought’ into why an integrated approach to healthcare combines different aspects and modalities.