by Rev. Lindsay Babich

With all the focus on green, I keep thinking that the other colors may be feeling ignored. Let’s take red, for example, the color of my ruling planet, Mars. Red conjures up some good thoughts for me and some not so good. Heirloom beefsteak tomatoes, strawberries, apples, red roses and valentine hearts — all good. Fire, blood and cayenne peppers — good and bad depending upon the circumstances and quantities. Inflammation — always bad!

Even the American Medical Association cried uncle a few years ago and admitted, however belatedly, that inflammation is the source of most diseases. Inflammatory cytokines, which are destructive cellsignaling chemicals, contribute substantially to the advance of many degenerative diseases. Chronic systemic inflammation increases with aging and plays a major role in the infirmities of the “golden” years.

Among the diseases related to chronic inflammation are: Allergies, Alzheimer’s, Anemia, Arthritis, Cancer, Congestive Heart Failure, Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, Fibrosis, Kidney Failure, Lupus, Pancreatitis, Psoriasis, Stroke and even surgical complications (blocking the healing process), to name just a few. This is by no means an exhaustive list.

I think of inflammation as “red” and oddly enough have found a healing tool to mitigate inflammation that is also red – specifically FAR INFRARED LIGHT. Not light that we can see but we can feel it, and it can benefit our bodies. This non-visible red spectrum of light is so special it is described by Richard Gerber, PhD of Harvard and author of Vibrational Medicine, as negative entropy – okay – too much science, but, in short, an organizing force rather than a “decaying” force. In other words, it assists in re-forming you and your DNA in your Divine blueprint.

You know this red-on-red interaction makes perfect sense to me as it fits into my knowledge of homeopathy, “like cures like.” Allopathy, known by most as contemporary medicine, represents “opposite cures like.” This pervasive system has led us to a system that is often wonderful and very often a flawed system of symptom treatment rather than any actual curing.

So here’s the good news. There is an FDA cleared medical device called a BioMat which supplies that delicious red far infrared light. This is a very special device that harnesses crystal energy of amethyst (purple = half blue and half red) to transfer its energies and negative ions to the body. Negative ions, despite the sound of their name, are very good for you. They are the molecules fed to you by waterfalls, lightning-charged air, sea breezes, mountain mists, and natural fabrics (cotton, wood, silk). All feel-good stuff.

The far infrared light from the mat can penetrate into the body and make available the “organizing” forces of life, impacting cellular health, detoxifying tissues and reducing inflammation. The heating power of the mat can initiate the production of “Heat Shock Proteins” which fire up the natural immune response inherent in our “selfhealing” systems.

So, red is really good too! I’m eating a beautiful, lycopene-rich, tomato salad for dinner tonight with fresh basil (home grown actually) and organic extra virgin, first-press, cold-pressed olive oil with a dash of sea salt. I’ll have a glass of sulfite-free, organic, bioflavonoid-rich red wine and lounge in my organic cotton nightshirt. A healthy day’s work done, excellent personal choices made, peace and contentment and no trace of the dread-red, inflammation. It’s so simple really.

Lindsay Babich is an author, marketer, public television and international film producer, radio personality and Rockette. A “green lover” who walks her talk, a Minister to the planet and all her inhabitants. On Air: The Art of Living Well – Radio to Inspire Enlightened Living. Monday through Friday at Noon. Check the schedule for exciting guest interviews at www.theartoflivingwell.tv. Email: Lindsay@theartoflivingwell.tv