An Ancestral Perspective: Why Health Was Better in the Past

Chronic disease rates have exploded in the modern world, giving rise to what researchers now refer to as the epidemic of "neolithic diseases." These include heart disease, diabetes, neurodegeneration, autoimmune conditions, infertility, and numerous cancers. While genetics remain relatively unchanged over millennia, our environment and behaviors have transformed dramatically, especially in the past century. From a biophysical and ancestral lens, our departure from natural living is the primary driver of this health collapse.

Our ancestors maintained robust health not through medicine, supplements, or tracking devices, but through seamless coherence with the natural environment. At the core of this coherence was the body’s ability to sense and respond to natural light, magnetic fields, and temperature cycles. Biophysical adaptation depended on consistent entrainment to natural circadian rhythms driven by the sun’s spectral shifts and daily cycles of light and darkness. Light is not just illumination; it is a primary signal regulating mitochondrial function, hormonal cascades, neurotransmitters, immune coordination, and tissue repair.

1. Light and Circadian Rhythm as a Foundational Health Axis Before the invention of artificial lighting and screen technology, humans were exposed to full-spectrum natural light during the day and near-complete darkness at night. This light-dark rhythm regulated melatonin, cortisol, leptin, and reproductive hormones in a tightly orchestrated pattern. Morning light through the eyes and on the skin activates the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain, setting the circadian clock and aligning peripheral clocks in every organ. Darkness, in turn, triggers melatonin release from the pineal gland, initiating autophagy, cellular repair, and deep sleep architecture. Today, chronic exposure to blue light at night and non-native electromagnetic fields (nnEMFs) disrupts these signals, leading to circadian mismatch, hormonal imbalances, mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased oxidative stress.

2. Connection to the Earth and Natural Electromagnetic Fields Ancestral humans lived grounded, literally in contact with the Earth's surface, which helped discharge built-up static and maintained proper electrical potential across cell membranes. The Earth emits a natural electromagnetic frequency (Schumann resonance) that interacts with human biology, optimizing autonomic function, sleep quality, and redox balance. In contrast, today’s environment is dominated by man-made electromagnetic radiation from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular networks, and power lines, which increases calcium efflux in cells, lowers melatonin, and triggers chronic inflammation.

3. Diet Rich in Information and Light-Encoded Nutrients Traditional diets focused on whole-animal nutrition, organs, bones, connective tissues, and saturated fats rich in fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K2). These nutrients work synergistically with sunlight to support tissue regeneration, immune modulation, and mitochondrial energy production. Seasonal eating patterns also aligned with light cycles, enhancing metabolic efficiency and nutrient absorption. Modern diets are disconnected from nature, processed, nutrient-poor, and often contain high levels of linoleic acid and synthetic chemicals that burden mitochondrial metabolism and fat storage.

4. Movement and Metabolic Integrity Daily physical activity in the past was woven into life: walking, foraging, carrying, lifting, and farming. This consistent movement preserved lean mass, vascular tone, insulin sensitivity, and brain function. Movement under sunlight and barefoot contact with the Earth further enhanced mitochondrial density and redox efficiency. In contrast, today’s sedentary indoor lifestyles weaken muscles, stagnate lymphatic flow, and reduce metabolic flexibility, contributing to insulin resistance and cognitive decline.

5. Clean Air, Water, and Absence of Synthetic Pollutants Our ancestors were not exposed to the barrage of indoor air pollution, heavy metals, plastics, glyphosate, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that now contaminate our homes and bodies. Clean air and mineral-rich water supported cellular hydration and detoxification.  Unlike in our ancestral past, today, chemical exposure undermines hormonal balance and burdens detox organs, compounding the effects of light and circadian disruption.

Implications for Modern Disease

We now see a rapid rise in light-driven diseases, particularly cancers of the breast, prostate, thyroid, and skin, all of which have photoreceptive elements. Circadian disruption has been classified as a probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization. Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s are increasingly being viewed as "type 3 diabetes" with links to light-induced metabolic impairment. Mitochondrial diseases and infertility are likewise rooted in mismatched light environments and disordered redox signaling.

Restoration Through Biophysical Alignment

The solution does not lie in more pills or invasive interventions. True longevity begins by mitigating the harmful artificial visible and non-visible light onslaught, then the food/water/air toxins ingested/consumed, then restoring coherence with nature through sunrise exposure, grounding, seasonal dirunal eating and experiencing total darkness at night, respecting the electromagnetic code written into our biology by the cosmos. This is the ancestral wisdom of our ancestors. And it is also the new frontier of modern health.

Impact of ALAN and EMF Exposure on Chronic Disease

Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) and Chronic Disease Risks

• ALAN and Cancer Risk (2021)  Dong Zhang et al., Cancer (2021): In a large NIH-AARP cohort (≈464,000 participants), higher outdoor nighttime light exposure was significantly linked to increased cancer risk. Notably, individuals in the highest quintile of outdoor ALAN had a 55% higher risk of developing thyroid cancer compared to those in the lowest quintile (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.18–2.02). The association was especially strong for papillary thyroid cancer and more pronounced in women (HR ~1.8). Authors suggest that chronic circadian disruption from light at night (suppressing melatonin) may underlie this elevated cancer risk. Reference: Zhang et al., Cancer 127(9):1448–58 (2021). DOI: 10.1002/cncr.33392.

• ALAN and Mental Health (2020) – Diana Paksarian et al., JAMA Psychiatry (2020): This nationwide study examined outdoor ALAN exposure and mental health in U.S. adolescents. Higher nighttime light levels were associated with greater odds of mood and anxiety disorders pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. For each standardized increase in community ALAN, odds of having a mood disorder (like depression or bipolar) rose by ~7% and anxiety disorder by ~10% pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Specifically, teens in areas with the most light pollution had higher prevalence of bipolar disorder (OR 1.19) and specific phobias (OR 1.18) pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. They also slept worse  more irregular sleep patterns were noted under high ALAN pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. The findings support that chronic exposure to light at night can disrupt circadian rhythms, potentially contributing to insomnia and increased risk of psychiatric disorders pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov and pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Reference: Paksarian et al., JAMA Psychiatry 77(12):1266–75 (2020). DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.1935.

Anthropogenic EMF/RF Exposure and Biological Disruption

• RF-EMF Exposure and Sleep Disturbance (2024) – Nicole Bijlsma et al., Front. Public Health (2024): This double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial tested nightly exposure to a common Wi-Fi frequency (2.45 GHz from a baby monitor) vs. sham in healthy adults. After one week of exposure, participants reported significantly worse sleep quality (higher insomnia severity scores) under real RF compared to sham. Objective measures supported this: brainwave recordings showed altered EEG during deep sleep, with increased high-frequency (beta/gamma) activity during non-REM sleep under RF-EMF exposure. Heart rate variability and movement did not change markedly, but the subjective and EEG changes indicate sleep impairment from realistic EMF levels. The authors conclude that chronic night-time RF exposure “may impact sleep in some people under real-world conditions”, calling for larger studies to confirm these biologically disruptive effects on sleep. Reference: Bijlsma et al., Front Public Health 12:1481537 (2024) (Published Oct 29, 2024). DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1481537.

• Mobile Phone RF and Cognitive Function (2018) – Milena Foerster et al., Environ. Health Perspect. (2018): A prospective Swiss study assessed brain RF exposure from mobile devices and memory performance in adolescents. Over one year, higher cumulative RF dose to the brain (from calls and data use) was linked to significant declines in figural memory (a visual memory task). Teens with the highest phone radiation exposure had worse memory scores than those with lower exposures, even after controlling for phone usage time and media use. For example, an increase of ~950 mJ/kg in estimated RF brain dose was associated with a drop in figural memory score (β ≈ –0.22 units). The effect was more pronounced in adolescents who predominantly held the phone on the right side of the head (affecting right-hemisphere brain exposure). These findings suggest that repeated RF-EMF exposure may subtly impair neurocognitive function, supporting concerns about long-term neurodevelopmental impacts. Reference: Foerster et al., Environ Health Perspect 126(7):077007 (2018). DOI: 10.1289/EHP2427.

Each of these peer-reviewed studies highlights a link between modern light/electromagnetic exposures and health: ALAN is implicated in hormone-related cancers and mental health disruption, while EMF/RF exposures are associated with sleep disturbances and cognitive effects. These high-impact findings, mostly from the last five years, underscore the potential chronic health risks of artificial lighting and wireless technologies in our environment.

References/Sources:

1. Stevens RG. Light-at-night, circadian disruption and breast cancer: assessment of existing evidence. Int J Epidemiol. 2009;38(4):963-70. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19380369/ 

2. Foster RG, Kreitzman L. The rhythms of life: what your body clock means to you. Exp Physiol. 2014;99(4):599-606. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24363383/ 

3. Reiter RJ, Tan DX, Korkmaz A, Rosales-Corral S. Melatonin and stable circadian rhythms optimize maternal, placental and fetal physiology. Hum Reprod Update. 2014;20(2):293-307. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24132226/ 

4. Pall ML. Microwave frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produce widespread neuropsychiatric effects. J Chem Neuroanat. 2016;75(Pt B):43-51. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26300312/ 

5. Zhang et al., 2021 – Cancer, 127(9):1448-1458 (ALAN and thyroid cancer). Ancestral

6. Paksarian et al., 2020 – JAMA Psychiatry, 77(12):1266-1275 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (ALAN and adolescent mental health). Ancestral

7. Bijlsma et al., 2024 – Front. Public Health, 12:1481537 (Wi-Fi/Baby monitor RF exposure and sleep quality). Ancestral

8. Foerster et al., 2018 – Environ. Health Perspect., 126(7):077007 (Mobile phone RF exposure and memory in teens). Ancestral