Biohacking Carbs (Part 1)

I have never actually published a blog discussing the concept of biohacking, so before I cover this, here is a quick explanation. Biohacking is the use of your knowledge of biology, physics and chemistry principles to alter your environment to counteract negative effects that would normally be expected within that environment. It's a way to "cheat" or manipulate the system so-to-speak to reap great reward rather than face inevitable consequence. Biohacking is very unique in that what works for one individual will not always be guaranteed for others. It is an N=1 (self experiment).

If you have been following my blog posts, it should be no surprise that eating carbs in the winter is not a good idea. If you have forgotten why, I encourage you to go back and read this and this. Carbs grow in long light cycles, therefore should only be eaten in long light cycles (i.e. spring/summer).

What if I were to tell you that there MIGHT be a healthy way to incorporate SOME carbs into your diet in winter? My N=1 is very promising with a recent, complex 2 part biohack. This will probably work best in those who are already insulin sensitive (no issues with blood sugar or diabetes) and leptin sensitive (relatively lean, stable weight, low carb cravings, etc).
　

Part 1: Using Light to Biohack Carbs

A glucose/carb metabolism works best with higher solar power because of the high powered electrons they contain. Eating carbs in the winter is a great way to increase oxidative stress in the body (via free radical production), and burn out both the leptin and insulin receptors leading to onset of obesity and/or type 2 diabetes.

So what is the missing key in winter vs summer? UV light. We get some UVA light even in the winter, but it's not strong enough to trigger photosynthesis to produce carbs due to the proximity of the sun in correspondence with our latitude and the relatively short wavelength. UVB has an even shorter wavelength, and is therefore undetectable in winter. This is why we can't tan as well in winter, and many North American's struggle with low Vitamin D levels which conveniently aligns with the cold and flu season that hits every year.

Can we supplement UV light? Yes, with a tanning bed. Now if you know me, you should know that I am not a fan of supplementation. You can NEVER replace nature, no matter what, but the whole purpose of biohacking is to manipulate a less-than-ideal environment. A tanning bed can be used for this purpose when there is no other option.

For those who claim tanning beds are dangerous, I'll take my chances (see below):

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24130225

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22017922
http://preventdisease.com/news/11/111411_Why-You-Shouldnt-Believe-The-False-Propaganda-About-Tanning-Beds.shtml


Since the new year, I have been using the tanning bed 2-3x per week. Additionally, since I am stuck in an office 40 hours a week under fluorescent lighting which has large spikes in the blue frequencies (not good), I supplement both UV and red light using LED bulbs at my desk. The red is to help balance the blue (as found in natural sunlight), and the UV emits 365 nm wavelength UVA light to give me the frequencies of light I am missing indoors. Again, nothing beats nature, but surely this is better than nothing, by somewhat simulating a full spectrum of light required to run my circadian clock that normally follows sunlight patterns.

These 2 strategies of supplementing light have allowed me to add some carbs back into my diet this winter with no ill effects. This has been confirmed by: closely monitoring blood glucose levels, and general sense of wellbeing. I am one who experiments frequently, and I am VERY in tune with my body, so I can assess my inflammation levels on a daily basis by assessing: energy levels, sleep, mental clarity, mood, digestive health, headaches, blood sugar, etc. So far so good!

Stay tuned for Part 2 where I discuss another component of my biohack on carbs this winter.