I was talking to some people at work about the topic of red light therapy, and realized there’s several variations of the same well-being trend happening right now. The basis of these trends is that by living in environments with artificial rather than natural surroundings, we induce several chronic health problems that would be avoided had we simply remained in nature. This essay explores the consequences of that decision, and explores how it might be mitigated.
Temperature Variation
In nature, temperatures vary. Some climates could sustain human life year round, and others would require shelter or migration. Our biology expects variation in temperature caused by weather to act on the cells of our body at all times. In the absence of exposure to temperature variation, our nervous, endocrine and cardiovascular systems atrophy among others.
There are many health benefits to being too hot or too cold for comfort, which is why both saunas and cold plunges, but also more mild temperature variation, is healthy. Temperature variations as low as 3-4 degrees below typical room temperature ranges of 69-71 can increase insulin sensitivity (good) by 40%. Saunas benefit primarily the cardiovascular system, including heart health, blood flow, skin health, muscle recovery and more. Cold plunges improve sleep, optimize sex hormones, increase focus, decrease inflammation in nerves and muscle cells.
The reason these wellbeing measures are effective is that we spend too little time being weathered outdoors relative to the expectations of our biology. The more time we spend in temperature controlled indoor climates, the more effective these measures are. We could realize similar or greater benefits simply by dressing inappropriately for the season outdoors.
Light Exposure
In nature, animals and plants are exposed to light from the sun. The sun sends abundant full spectrum light down to earth during the daytime. The exact composition of the light in terms of which spectrums are most present vary by time of day. In the morning, blue, violet and ultraviolet light mostly scatters while red, orange and yellow spectrum light reaches earth. Full spectrum light peaks midday, before shifting back to warmer tones prior to sundown.
The health benefits to red light therapy are becoming a more widely known phenomenon including cellular energy production, wound healing, skin health, inflammation reduction and more. Likewise, the most widely recommended supplement is Vitamin D due to a chronic deficiency of this critical hormone in modern living which helps with bone health, immune system regulation, muscle function, cardiovascular health and mood.
The reason taking Vitamin D supplements and using red light therapy products like face masks, full body panels and helmets works is that we are underexposed to the sun. While experiencing too much midday sun can lead to sunburns and an increased risk of carcinoma, the right amount is essential to good health. We could realize similar or greater benefits simply by being consistently outside the right amount for our biology for both red light and Vitamin D benefits.
Contact with Earth
In nature, our bodies remain in contact with the earth at all times whether sleeping, eating, running or otherwise. Our bodies and their cells expect to remain in constant contact with earth since the alternative would not have existed during the period in which we evolved. Earthing allows the positive charge in our cells to be neutralized by the negative charge of the earth.
There are many health benefits to earthing and grounding. There are various products available that allow people to ground themselves without having to actually go outside in bare feet, such as earthing shoes, earthing mats, earthing mattress covers and so on. Every surface of your life can be covered in material that connects you back with the earth that underlies everything. Earthing helps with inflammation, sleep, cardiovascular health, stress and mood.
The reason why all manner of earthing products work (to varying degrees) is that they make direct contact between the weak negative charge of the earth and the weak positive charge of the cells in our body in order to neutralize them. We could realize similar or greater benefits simply by walking around, resting, sleeping or playing outside with bare feet.
Air and Breathing
In nature, we breathe air that is constantly being recycled by trees and other plants. Plants take in carbon dioxide from the environment and convert it into oxygen that can be consumed by animals that require oxygen as part of respiration. Breathing fresh air enables us to live.
There are various health benefits to breath work as well as air filtration, purification and outdoor air exchangers. Investments in air filtration, purification and air exchangers can significantly improve the quality of indoor air. Breath work provides active modulation of the flow of air through your lungs which can help to change the balance of carbon dioxide, nitric oxide and oxygen in your body. Breath work can reduce stress, enable focus and improve general health, while air purifiers and filtration can reduce allergies, viral illness duration and blood pressure.
The reason breath work and air purification work is that they come closer to the balance of gasses and relatively low VOC content of outdoor air in a natural setting. We could realize greater benefits simply by breathing normally in places with low CO2 and nitric oxide pollution that have naturally typical balances of oxygen and other gasses in the air, and low VOCs.
Water
In nature, we consume water from natural springs, rivers and wells. All animals consume water from these sources, and while it can by a source of disease, naturally occurring water also contains Vitamin B12, magnesium and other electrolytes and trace minerals like zinc and iron. Everything water in nature contains tends to overlap with micronutrients we’re deficient in.
There are various health benefits to drinking clean, safe drinking water. Drinking water that has been treated reduces the risk of bacterial infection, viruses, parasites and other pathogens. Filtration can remove agricultural chemical runoff, dirt, plant and animal matter and other contaminants. Electrolyte drinks help us replenish our cells after exertion and evaporation. The benefits of drinking sufficient water with the right balance of electrolytes are extensively known.
Water is something where the natural way is not entirely better, similar to the consideration around the sun and sunburns. Occasionally, animals in nature get sick or die from drinking water contaminated with viruses, bacteria and parasites, and that is a risk to ‘natural’ water. That said, water in nature contains many things modern people are deficient in, including magnesium, vitamin B12 and zinc (which just happens to be my morning vitamin routine, in addition to vitamin D). We are making a steep trade off ensuring our water is safe to drink.
The reason drinking alkaline, electrolyte rich water and consuming vitamin B12 and magnesium supplements is a popular health intervention is that our water is lacking in these things that occur in nature. Were we to drink spring water or well water from the source, we could realize equivalent or greater benefits assuming that source was free of contaminants.
Movement
In nature, movement is required in order to provide sufficient nutrition to survive. Humans hunt by persistence, tracking prey for hours or days until the prey runs out of energy to continue. Historical humans consumed most of their calories from plants, which require spreading out over large areas and foraging. This movement is an essential fact of life required to survive.
There are many health benefits to exercise in it’s various forms, including low intensity cardio like walking, high intensity cardio like running, resistance training like weight lifting and more. Each of these forms of exercise can improve health, including cardiovascular and heart health, muscular strength, bone density, metabolic system benefits, mental and neurological health.
The reason movement is beneficial to health is that in nature we were required to move in order to persistence hunt and to eat. It is built into our being and an expectation of survival. We are the most effective persistence hunting species on earth, which requires sustaining a walking pace for many hours. When foraging we would crawl, walk, climb, carry and squat. Were we to return to a hunter gatherer lifestyle, we could realize the same benefits as we do in exercise.
Conclusion
These are just some of the examples that came to mind when reflecting on the anthropology of modern wellbeing and how we now use technical interventions to essentially re-create the experience of being hunter gatherers. Many of our technological and technique interventions in life come with a price to our overall health and wellbeing, and were we to make some different choices, we could realize all the health benefits of these interventions at zero cost to ourselves. In many ways, we have become less sophisticated in our ability to realize these benefits.