In partnership with

Gm.

We’re talking about light today: different sources, colors, and more - Ghiblified.

No time to waste, let’s goooooo.

Light exists on a spectrum (like me fr fr 🥹), from long, cozy infrared rays to short, high-energy blue and ultraviolet rays. Different frequencies of light interact with your body in wildly different ways. And while we evolved under the full spectrum of natural sunlight, modern life has thrown us into artificially lit environments that are…not lit. On gang.

On The Spectrum 🫡

In a nutshell, light is basically radiation that we can see. It’s part of the full electromagnetic spectrum which encompasses everything from radio waves to gamma rays. Today, we’re only going to be covering the ends of the visible light spectrum and how it affects us:

• Infrared/Near-Red/Red: Low frequency. Chill af. Heals your gut, boosts mitochondria, and a bunch of other health benefits—think campfire glow, the OG red light therapy.

• Blue Light/UV: High frequency. Jacks up your brain, fries your rhythms, messes with your sleep.

• In Between: Green, yellow, etc.—the neutral middle children. They’re kinda just there tbh. Their effects are mild.

Common Indoor Lighting

Light quality varies much more than you probably think, especially with the products we buy. Light bulbs have evolved quite a bit over the years, prioritizing energy efficiency more than anything else. If you’re going for cheapest, most efficient options, you may be saving some money on electricity and bulb replacement, but make no mistake, you are paying the difference with your health. Here’s a basic overview on the different types of artificial light you encounter on a daily basis:

• Incandescent Bulbs: The cozy, warm glow of yesteryear. Heavy on red and infrared, light on blue. Basically like a hug from gram-grams — call her and tell her you love her. Now.

• Fluorescent Lights: That buzzing, sterile hellscape in every office. Skewed toward blue.

• LEDs: The modern overlord. Cheap, bright, and blue-heavy. There are warmer color LEDs that may have less blue light, but they all flicker — which is a major problem. Read on to learn more.

• Screens (Phone/TV): Blue light cannons aimed at your eyeballs. Your late-night TikTok doom scrolling is messing with you more than you know.

Big LED’s Dirty Secret

Ever record a slo-mo video indoors and notice the lights flickering? That’s LEDs and fluorescents pulsing at 60+ times a second. Your eyes miss it, but your brain doesn’t. A guide for the lighting industry published in 2023 highlighted that temporal light modulation (TLM) from LED lights can have negative effects on human health, including annoyance, headaches, eyestrain, migraines, and more. In other words, even the people who make these lights know they’re not good for you.

If you have the lights on right now, record a slow-mo video and test them yourself.

Ditch the disco. You need to be natty light maxxing.

The sun is without a doubt the best source of light you can possibly get, but before we discuss this somehow controversial topic, I want to give a quick shout out to our sponsor, 1440:

If you’re enjoying reading this newsletter, you’re based 🤝.

For more based info that doesn’t feel like it’s brought to you by Pfizer™, check out 1440. Their daily newsletter is great for a high level pulse on what’s going on in the world. They cover current events, finance, sports, and more. Check ‘em out:

Receive Honest News Today

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Sign up today!

Sunlight Is Goated 🐐

Ok now let’s talk about the sun.

If you take just one thing away from this post, I want it to be this:

Fr. The demonization of sunlight is criminal. It has to be one of the most underrated “supplements” and chances are that you’re not getting enough of it. It’s supplies that glorious D (no diddy), regulates our circadian rhythm, improves our mood, and much more. How many minutes per day do you spend under the sun? Time to pump those rookie numbers up. ⬆️

“NooOoOo!!! bUt MuH sKiN CanCeR sTuDiEs!!”

F*ck your studies. Peep these instead:

• Melanoma isn’t caused by sunlight

• Benefits of Sunlight

• Heavy blue light exposure causes skin cancer

“yOu’Re ChErRy PiCkInG!!”

Maybe I am. Maybe I’m not. Maybe go f*ck yourself.

“bUt I sUnBuRn rEalLy EaSiLyyy!!!”

Sounds like a skill issue. If you want to stop sunburning, listen up and do these 2 things:

1. ☀️ Develop a solar callous - Start getting as much regular sunlight as you can without burning. Start as small as you need to, even if it’s just 5 minutes a day. Gradually increase the duration until you can tolerate more and more sun. As long as you’re not burning, there’s really no overdoing this. I promise, gingers DO have souls, and can get a beautiful tan just like everyone else. Trust.

2. 🧈 Fix your omega-3:omega-6 fatty acid profile - It’s well known that omega-6 fatty acids are inflammatory, suppress the immune system, and increases the damaging effects of UV radiation. Omega-3 fats do the opposite. Eat more saturated fats (animals fats, coconut oil ✅) and fade the polyunsaturated fats (vegetable oils 🙅‍♀️).

If you have plans to be outside for a longer duration than your body can currently tolerate sunlight for, then feel free to use sunscreen. But skip the big brand slop and opt for natural zinc-based, mineral sunscreens. (Your weekly reminder to READ INGREDIENT LABELS.)

If anything that I just said sounds crazy to you, consider this: you are the only organism in the entire world that fears what is the source of life for everything on this planet. Keep fading it if you want, but you’re the crazy one. I will die on this hill.

Red Light Therapy Is So Hot Right Now

Sunlight is the GOAT, but red light therapy is also legit.

Red and near-infrared (NIR) light therapy taps into the healing frequencies of light — the same ones found in sunrises, sunsets, and firelight. These wavelengths penetrate deeper into the body than visible light, reaching skin, muscle, and even organs. The benefits for gut health are pretty insane. Your gut lining is one of the most energy-demanding tissues in your body. If it’s inflamed or sluggish, red light can help jumpstart its healing process.

⚙️ How It Works

• Stimulates mitochondria in gut lining cells → boosts ATP production, aka cellular energy.

• Reduces inflammation in the gut wall — major for those dealing with IBS, Crohn’s, colitis, or just general poor digestion.

• Enhances blood flow and tissue repair → helps heal leaky gut and supports mucosal lining integrity.

• Supports vagus nerve function, which plays a major role in the brain-gut axis (aka mood ↔ digestion link).

🔦 How to Use It

• Panel or lamp: Shine it directly on your bare abdomen for 10–20 minutes.

• Best timing: Consistency matters more than exact timing, but doing it after meals or in the morning may support motility and inflammation.

• Frequency: Start with 3–5x per week. Daily is ideal.

• Bonus tip: Combine with gentle abdominal massage or deep breathing to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest mode).

The health benefits of red light therapy go far beyond gut health too, including: hair growth, mood regulation, circadian support, and fertility in both males and females.

TL;DR

• Get full-spectrum, unfiltered sunlight — morning, midday, evening. As much as possible.

• Ditch the LEDs and bring back incandescent bulbs. Use natural light indoors when possible.

• Dim the lights and use warmer/red lights at night time. The vibes will also be immaculate 🤌.

• No screens starting 1 hour before bed. If you must, blue-light blockers are a game changer.

Look, innovation is NOT my opp. Saving costs is NOT my opp. Ignoring the unintended consequences of rapidly changing our daily environment — that’s my opp.

The truth is: humans didn’t live in this blue-heavy, flickering light environment until very recently, and it’s wrecking our sh*t, yo. It needs to be acknowledged. And we should innovate appropriately.

If you disagree… then you’re an opp. 🔫

💩 SH*TTY MEMEZ 🤣

If you haven’t already, UPDATE or download the PoopMates iOS app below.

Also, be sure to follow our socials for more memes and gut-health related content.

That’s all for today, PoopMates. Now go! Fertilize the Earth, Studio Ghibli style.

DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 immediately.