Mark Bell on The 2AM Podcast has arrived Elite powerlifter, inventor of the Slingshot, and host of the Power Project podcast. Known for his raw honesty and relentless discipline, Mark has spent decades exploring what it means to build true strength, not just in the gym, but in every corner of life From setting world records on the platform to building one of the most influential fitness brands in America, Mark’s story is one of constant evolution We talk about: Building discipline Why simplicity wins in life Pain, suffering, and consistency How to navigate nutrition with clarity The real nuance behind sugar fasting Watch the video and subscribe!

Heavenly Heat Saunas are the only saunas I trust enough to partner with, and I don’t say that lightly The co-owner, Kayla Barnes, has followed me for a while, and I coincidentally learned that she owned the company on my search for a good brand That led me down the Heavenly Heat rabbit hole via Matt Justice and was very pleased with his assessment of their saunas, from head to toe I had my wife (a PR wizard) send them an email, which is how we got to this point They’re the gold standard in a space that’s full of cheap materials and sloppy engineering. These guys build everything in the United States, use non-toxic wood, zero plywood, zero VOCs, and the cleanest electric heaters in the industry You can verify the quality through Matt Justice of Certified Saunas on YouTube No gimmicks. No nnEMF circus. Just reliable, therapeutic heat the way it’s supposed to be delivered so that you can heal and improve your metabolic health Ultra clean build standards No glues/adhesives for those who are chemically sensitive and need to heal from serious metabolic dysfunction Ultra-low nnEMF & ELF with grounded faraday shielding via carbon infrared heaters that reduce electric and magnetic exposure for safety Excellent pre-heat time Most importantly, one hell of a deep sweat that improves your health across the board (yes, you can buy a sauna that does a crappy job of making you sweat because of the low quality build standard) Many sauna companies cut corners. Heavenly Heat doesn’t. That’s why their units cost more, and why they last longer, hit harder, and don’t poison the air while you’re using it I’ve partnered with them because I have always been interested in the power of sauna use for detox, infrared therapy, and more, but never had the chance to get one myself for consistent use These are the saunas I’d put my own family in without hesitation. That’s why I’ve educated my family to have more skin in the game here Their selection is awesome as well. The ECO infrared can fit into a closet. The 2 person combination switches between infrared and traditional. The 2 person red light therapy infrared gives you more photobiomodulation power. They even have an outdoor option Black Friday is upon us. Now is your chance to get huge savings, especially with my own discount code thrown into the mix. Even if you decide to get one after Black Friday, my code offers substantial savings I suggest you take advantage to save anywhere between $800-$1,100 off all models. It’s likely the cheapest price point you’ll ever get Remember, in the sauna space, you truly do get what you pay for. Don’t be that person who makes a rash decision and buys a cheap sauna from Amazon because it has a lower price tag. They are a nightmare to have when things are going wrong Get one for yourself and family with the link and code below. Ask questions if they arise Enjoy Heavenly Heat Sauna quality Use code ZAID for huge savings, in addition to the Black Friday deal https://www.heavenlyheatsaunas.com/ZAID

This is arguably one of our most important episode for The 2AM Podcast to date Nothing matters more than the next generation, and midwifery/home birth strikes at the heart of that discussion My wife and I hired Lisa and Richard Oxenham to be our midwife team. They have helped bring Enzo into the world full of vitality, and I have seen their magic in person This episode is loaded with wisdom for everyone, regardless of whether you’ve already had children or want to have them in the future I will tell you this from experience. How you show up for your family within the context of birth, prenatal, postpartum, and everything in between is everything It makes all the difference Link below 👇🏽

Amber light, fat cells, and nature Researchers took human fat cells and shined different colors of light on them.. violet, blue, green, yellow, amber (nanometers), and red Only one wavelength consistently did something dramatic: Amber light made fat cells break down their stored fat droplets. This wasn’t done by the normal fat burning hormone pathway, but by turning on the cells cleanup and recycling machinery Autophagy + lysosomes = internal fat digestion. Autophagy being the cell’s self-cleaning process, and lysosomes being acidic sacs that digest waste The cell essentially ate its own fat droplets from the inside out as a result of amber light exposure This pathway is not the classic adrenaline to HSL to fat breakdown route The researchers even blocked the usual lipase pathways, and the amber light effect still happened So, the study tells us that amber light activates the cell’s recycling machinery that destroys fat droplets It’s not a stretch at all to suggest that light wavelengths can influence adipocyte (fat cell) behavior in a measurable way ••• Every wavelength does something different in the body because different molecules and tissues absorb different photons Blue light is highly stimulating and alerting. Red and infrared boosts mitochondrial ATP. UV-A and UV-B offer distinct benefits Amber sits in an interesting middle zone because it penetrates deeper than blue, carries more energy than red, and interacts with metabolic tissue like fat Amber is also heavily involved in: • cerebellar development • circadian signaling • mitochondrial dynamics • melanin intermediates • POMC related pathways Fat cells responding to amber light fits the pattern of amber being a metabolic wavelength Amber exists in the natural world for your benefit. It’s most abundant during sunrise and sunset due to Rayleigh Scattering, where you have a high concentration of red/infrared/oranges/yellow/ambers Golden hour is an amber rich experience You literally bathe in amber light just by stepping outside during sunrise and sunset Firelight offers a lot of amber along with many of the same wavelengths that sunrise and sunset provide Full spectrum sunlight during the day offers amber as well, but at less concentration since it’s mixed with the rest of the spectrum Incandescents are a man-made lighting source that is rich in amber light By maintaining circadian alignment, you bring amber back into your life during both the day (sunrise, sunbathing, sunset, incandescents) and night (firelight & low lux incandescents)

GM

Daylight savings time is ass on every level. Nature doesn’t observe it. The sun still rises and sets on its own schedule. We’re the only species arrogant enough to think we can “save” daylight by lying to our circadian clocks. We need permanent standard time because it aligns our social clock with the solar clock

GM

GM watch sunrise

If UV was inherently carcinogenic, our species wouldn’t exist. Full stop

Different spectrums of light from the sun offers unique benefits due to circadian timing

When someone claims that a tan is a sign of skin or DNA damage, remind them that this entire narrative has its roots in eugenics and scientific racism, not objective circadian biology The early dermatology and photobiology frameworks that demonized tanning were developed during an era when darker skin tones were pathologized, not understood “Sun damage” became a term that conveniently upheld the pseudoscientific belief that pale skin was biologically superior, a view promoted by eugenicists who associated light skin with purity and intelligence So, when they parrot the idea that melanin production equals damage, ask them why they’re defending a framework built on racist pseudoscience rather than updated circadian photobiology Melanin is NOT a damage response It’s an adaptive and photoprotective system that presents the following benefits: 1. Powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and maintains redox balance 2. Natural anti-venom that binds and neutralizes toxic compounds, including heavy metals 3. Anti-tumor agent that suppresses abnormal cell proliferation through redox and immune modulation 4. Biological nnEMF shield that dissipates excess electromagnetic stress at the cellular level 5. Detoxifying polymer that chelates and eliminates environmental toxins and heavy metals 6. Photoprotective barrier which is nature’s built-in sunscreen that adapts to UV exposure from full spectrum sunlight 7. Lipid peroxidation defender that prevents oxidative damage to cellular membranes and fats 8. Broad spectrum anti-viral that inhibits viral replication via photochemical and immune pathways 9. Anti-microbial shield that resists bacterial and fungal invasion through oxidative control 10. Neuroprotective agent that safeguards neurons from oxidative and excitotoxic stress And so much more God and nature infused those benefits into melanin by design. A tan is your body training under full spectrum sunlight It’s an adaptation. That’s why it’s found throughout the entire natural world, especially in human beings, through three forms (neuromelanin, eumelanin, pheomelanin) I’ll tie your mainstream dermatologist into a Gordian knot by forcing the question they won’t want to answer Whose interests does this “damage” narrative actually serve? I’ll tell you this It doesn’t fucking serve the people

Get red incandescents

The Squatty Potty will change your life

Vitamin D3 isn’t the only hormone with dozens of metabolites, endogenous melatonin also has more than a dozen identified metabolites Counting both enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways, researchers have cataloged at least 10-15 distinct melatonin metabolites, and the list keeps growing as metabolomics improves Just like Vitamin D, we’re talking about a complex network with storage forms, active forms, and downstream derivatives that have a powerful impact on systemic health, especially mitochondrial function and immunity Melatonin metabolism operates on two parallel levels: 1. Sub-cellular/local form (inside mitochondria, cells, and tissues) 2. Systemic/circulatory (pineal secretion into the bloodstream, measurable in urine or plasma) The first is made by NIR light outside during the day, while the second is made from nighttime darkness Melatonin is a master circadian hormone that is married to the light and dark cycle, meaning circadian alignment fosters both forms while circadian disruption destroys them More than ever, you need to abide by bright days under full spectrum sunlight and dark nights with very minimal circadian lighting After all, don’t you want to take advantage of endogenous melatonin’s benefits We’re talking about anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anti-viral, anti-neurodegenerative, anti-metabolic dysfunction, anti-oxidant, and more Melatonin is one of the most potent and versatile antioxidants in the human body, far stronger and more strategic than most dietary antioxidants like vitamin C or E It’s in a league of its own It neutralizes multiple types of reactive species (ROS, RNS, RCS), not just one or two like many antioxidants. It can directly quench hydroxyl radicals, peroxynitrite, singlet oxygen, nitric oxide, and more.. with no pro-oxidant rebound Unlike vitamin C, which can flip into a pro-oxidant under certain conditions, melatonin never does Melatonin is both water (hydrophilic) and fat (lipophilic) soluble. This grants it access to move freely through cell membranes, blood, cytosol, and mitochondria. Most antioxidants are stuck in one compartment, melatonin patrols them all It’s one of the few antioxidants that can get into mitochondria, where most free radicals are generated. It stabilizes the inner membrane, supports electron transport, and prevents oxidative chain reactions at their source I think the most shocking fact about it is that over 95% of your melatonin is made inside your mitochondria, not in your pineal gland, and it’s produced during the day, not just at night Mainstream medicine still hasn’t caught up to that truth Put some respect on endogenous melatonin

Calling sunscreen anti aging is a joke You’re blocking the very UV and infrared light your skin uses to build collagen, make Vitamin D3, generate nitric oxide, and stimulate melanin based photo-protection All sunscreens (both chemical and mineral based) disable natural photoadaptation and mitochondrial signaling, processes that actually preserve skin structure and youth “When it’s black, it don’t crack” is a cultural truth pointing in the direction of eumelanin, but also melanin at large Nature already equipped melanin rich skin with a full spectrum sunscreen and anti aging mechanism And guess what All skin types have melanin, you just have to maximize its longevity and function through a circadian aligned lifestyle and sunbathing framework

Enzo loves his hooga book red light

Circadian eyesight regeneration isn’t some fringe idea, it was the norm for our ancestors Long before screens, sunglasses, and artificial light, human vision was constantly bathed in the sun’s full spectrum from sunrise to sunset The daily dance between light during the day and darkness at night trained, nourished, and regenerated the visual system Our eyes evolved in lockstep with the sun, not under fluorescents or LEDs Mitochondria are circadian controlled organelles. Opsins are circadian controlled light sensing proteins. Melanin is a circadian and electromagnetic biological polymer These are all light sensing mechanisms central to eye function and longevity What we call “decline” today was once prevented naturally, and often reversed, through nothing more than consistent circadian alignment Your ancestors didn’t need eye exercises or blue light blocking lenses to preserve their vision, their entire lifestyle was an ocular regeneration protocol because nature built it in as a feature Every phase of daytime light carries specific frequencies that tunes and maintains the melanin, photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium, mitochondria, and even ocular blood flow Contrast that with today People spend 90%+ of their time indoors on average, staring at backlit screens under static artificial light The retina is starved of the spectral diversity and rhythms it evolved to depend on It’s no surprise that myopia, dry eye, and degenerative eye diseases are skyrocketing The problem isn’t genetic, it’s epigenetic based on chronic circadian disruption because the environment has changed drastically This isn’t pseudoscience, your own beloved mainstream research confirms the power of light for vision Longer wavelengths like red improve color contrast vision with a single three minute exposure, with it lasting for up to one week Violet light stops myopia through the activation of the EGR1 gene in human beings Red and infrared regenerates opsins, while retinal dopamine made by bright light from the sun improves photoadaptation Blue light activates melanopsin within intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, creating systemic circadian alignment Green light for the improvement of headaches/migraines as shown through the work of Dr. Tom Seager, with that light into the eyes peripherally being a key component of the process UV-A stimulates the release of nitric oxide and activates the pituitary-retinal axis, affecting dopamine and other neurotransmitters crucial for eye growth and focus regulation UV-B influences ocular immune regulation and indirectly supports tear film and corneal health through systemic pathways This is some of the most well grounded science available to human beings, but your optometrist and ophthalmologist don’t know that

Modern medicine is broken You can preach about how great it is for acute care, and I’ll agree, but that’s a distraction from the real issue People like me who’ve experienced iatrogenic harm don’t care about excuses. We’ve been burned, directly or indirectly, by the very system meant to heal As an example, the system itself, a medical bureaucracy, inflicted harm by penalizing my midwife who acted in my family’s best interest during an emergency. That’s institutional iatrogenesis Heavy is the head that wears the crown, so take it on the chin, not up the ass Knowing what iatrogenesis means ≠ reflecting on your role in perpetuating it. Every pilot understands gravity, that doesn’t mean crashes aren’t caused by bad training or broken systems Complexity doesn’t excuse negligence or misaligned incentives. It’s one thing to accept risk, while it’s another to normalize harm as inevitable Patient “self-harm” is often secondary to a system that fails to educate, empower, or create health literate citizens. The culture conditions dependency, then blames the dependent. Sounds like an abusive and alcoholic parent “Don’t confuse your Google search with my medical degree” is the type of arrogance I’m talking about When the entire model rewards treatment over prevention, blaming the patient for acting “autogenically” is hypocrisy Yes, doctors may be more ethical than pharma execs or insurers, but that’s like saying the captain’s the most sober man on a sinking ship Ethics are relative within the system, and that doesn’t absolve the profession’s complicity in the machine I’ve seen more people heal from sunrise, movement, and truth than from any prescription written under fluorescent lights Modern medicine doesn’t own health, but people are waking up, literally and figuratively If I break my leg, I’m obviously going to the hospital. If I have an acute situation that requires a hospital visit, I’ll have no problem going That’s what modern medicine should be for. Acute trauma, emergencies, saving lives when seconds matter But don’t treat me like a fucking idiot who’s incapable of learning, thinking, or discerning truth for myself Because where I’ll actually find health, where I’ll reverse disease, restore energy, and build resilience will never be inside those walls lit by toxic lighting It’ll be outside In the sun, in the cold, in the rhythms of nature that trained my biology long before medicine tried to manage it

There are many Vitamin D metabolites that differ in water solubility, how long they last, and their ability to be reactivated in tissues when needed This means your body can store Vitamin D in different forms, keep it circulating longer, and reactivate it on demand, hence Vitamin D status isn’t just about new production, but also how well your system manages and taps into these reserves Because of this, someone with strong metabolic and circadian rhythms can stay Vitamin D sufficient longer, even with little sun, by cycling and reusing stored forms efficiently On the flip side, if those pathways are disrupted, your body will likely struggle to access or convert those stored metabolites, leading to deficiency even if you technically have plenty in the bank Skin type absolutely matters, but mainly upstream, at the level of how much Vitamin D you can make and store in the first place, not so much in the downstream recycling Darker skin makes Vitamin D more slowly because higher eumelanin blocks UV-B more effectively, but once D3 is produced and metabolized, the sulfation, storage, and recycling pathways work similarly Lighter skin can build up stores faster with less UV-B exposure, but if circadian rhythms or metabolic health are poor, they can burn through or fail to mobilize those stores just as easily This is such a game changing and refreshing narrative involving Vitamin D3 acquisition and storage

For many, this is true