Blue light, insulin resistance and obesity

It’s not just about what you eat, when you eat and the light environment you expose yourself to is as important.

YELLOWS is a British Isles based brand that is passionate about light. They design beautiful blue light filtering glasses helping you stay young and protect your health.

Old fashioned incandescent light bulbs, many of us grew up with, did a pretty good job of replicating sunlight. Modern lighting (LEDs and screens) is pretty much devoid of the regenerating red light, the heat element. This is great for saving energy but has a big impact on our biology.

There are so many aspect of health that artificial light impacts from eyesight problems, depression and sleep to the ability to fight degenerative diseases. In this article we discuss blue light and its effect on insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests a link between blue light exposure and insulin resistance and obesity.

We eat most of our meals under artificial light. When we continue to do this, we increase insulin resistance, fat deposits and the risk of diabetes. Eating carbohydrates may not be directly causing insulin resistance, but eating them under artificial blue light may be the problem.

When you look at the Mediterranean diet from a low carbohydrate diet perspective whilst they eat nuts, red meat, fish and vegetables, they also eat bread, pasta and grains and they don’t get insulin resistance.

The Mediterranean’s have plenty of sun exposure and typically dine outside, away from intense artificial light. Blue zone populations such as the Okinawan’s have diets high in carbohydrates. They have high life expectancy and low rates of insulin resistance. Is this because they have warm temperatures, lots of sun and eat outside?

Studies have shown that sun exposure reduces lipid size particles associated with obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Other studies have also show that exposure to artificial light adversely effects the bodies base metabolism. Coupled with this, we know that the body is less likely to store fat in the mornings.

Therefore, a good protocol to follow would be to have your largest meal in the mornings and smallest meal at night in natural light. Ideally you would fast after dark as there would be too much artificial blue light present. Think about limiting carbohydrates if you eat under artificial light and eating outside under natural light when you want to increase your carbohydrate intake.

This isn’t always practical. A good strategy would be to wear a pair of YELLOWS when you eat under artificial light, especially in the evenings. Besides lowering the insulin resistance effect of eating under artificial light, you will also properly syncing your circadian rhythms and get a better night’s sleep and proper hormone production which are related to a plethora of other benefits, to be discussed in a separate article. (Lack of sleep is another factor shown to increase hunger and appetite.)

YELLOWS are available online and from selected stores from RPR £30.