Posts about supplements, peptides, biohacking devices, etc. always get the most attention.

It makes sense.

It is human nature to want to take the path of least resistance.

The idea that certain health issues can be improved by taking a couple minutes out of your day to pop a capsule in your mouth is intriguing to the majority of people.

Do get me wrong, I'm not against these things.

I wouldn't have resolved my health issues without using supplements.

BUT, they were not the only or even most important part of me overcoming all of the health issues I dealt with including autoimmunity.

When it comes to health, the fundamentals will always be the most important and what provides the highest ROI.

Light environment is one of those fundamentals.

For most people, this is one of the last things they'll consider when thinking about gut health.

Which is the problem.

Light environment is a huge contributor to digestive issues today. Specifically, a poor light environment.

This is such as huge piece of the puzzle when it comes to how our digestion works that it is simply not possible to have a healthy gut long term without having a healthy light environment.

No matter how clean the diet is.

It impacts gut health in many ways down to a cellular level with substantial impacts on mitochondrial function.

Circadian rhythms are largely driven by light environment. These regulate our sleep, hormone levels, neurotransmitters, microbiome composition, immune system function and much more.

One of the issues I see most commonly in the people I work with is motility issues.

Irregular bowel movements whether constipation or diarrhea over an extended period often leads to bigger downstream issues like microbiome imbalances, excessive pathogen levels or leaky gut.

An EXTREMELY overlooked factor in these issues is light environment and the effects it has on hormones and neurotransmitters.

Serotonin and dopamine for example, have significant impacts in the gut.

Dopamine can have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on motility through receptors that affect muscle function and release of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine & acetylcholine.

Dopamine also affects the intestinal barrier, secretions & inflammation in the gut.

It helps protect the intestinal lining and maintains normal digestion and nutrient absorption. Dopamine levels can also stimulate immune responses, increasing inflammatory cytokines and worsening intestinal inflammation.

Serotonin can also have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on motility through 5-HT3 & 5-HT4 neuron receptors. Depending on the context, these receptors can both slow and speed up motility.

Serotonin is also involved in immune responses, sensitivity (nausea, vomiting, etc.) and satiety.

Hormones like gastrin, motilin, ghrelin, leptin & many others have significant effects in the gut as well and are also regulated by circadian rhythms.

Influencing things like hunger, satiety, digestion and protection against pathogens.

Light environment has a direct impact on not only these hormones & neurotransmitters, but also every other function involved in digestion.

Exposure to natural sunlight supports these processes.

Exposure to artificial blue light dysregulates them.

Now imagine what happens if someone gets very little natural light and tons of artificial light 90% of their life.

Unfortunately, that's what happens with most people today in the modern work. People get no where near enough natural light and way too much artificial light.

Whether forced or voluntary, the effects are still the same.

The deeper you dig into these topics, the more you realize how much this is effecting not only digestive health but overall health and wellbeing.

The good news is, there are plenty of options to help improve your light environment.

Even if you're required to be in a poor light environment for work or live somewhere that isn't always sunny.

• Wake up in time for sunrise or simply get sun as soon as possible after waking
• Keep windows open (objects like glass disrupt light spectrums)
• Take phone calls on cell phones while outside walking
• Turn off or lower blue light on devices
• Work outside if possible
• Take breaks throughout the day to get outside (even if its 5 minutes)
• Exercise outside
• Eat outside
• Use blue light blocking glasses
• Use candles or dim lights after sunset
• Swap LED for incandescent light bulbs
• Invest in a red light device
• Align sleep & wake times as close to sunrise & sunset as possible

Even if you live somewhere that's often cloudy, you will still benefit from natural light exposure. Light is capable of penetrating through clouds, clothing, etc. and these impacts are not dependent on clear skies.

So, if you’re trying to resolve your digestive issues while having a poor light environment, you’re missing a huge piece of the puzzle.

It's definitely not the only thing that contributes to issues and focusing on this alone may not resolve them.

But it's a much bigger factor than most people think and absolutely essential to consider if truly resolving your issues & maintaining long-term health is the goal.

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- Nick

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PS - registration for my webinar this week on detoxification closes at 12:00 EST tomorrow.

The webinar will be an hour long, you'll get a copy of the presentation to keep and there will be a Q&A to discuss your specific situation.

It's at 12:00 EST Friday, June 21st.

If you're interested in attending, just reply here to reserve your space.

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