Light and the Root Cause Protocol (RCP) + Quantum Anemia class announcement
Your body absorbs and utilizes specific light energy to metabolize iron and create new blood cells; here’s how to better understand these pathways when dealing with anemia
When I started the Quantum Anemia Theories series last year, I wanted to offer new perspectives that would help people feel better and navigate anemia diagnosis.
Conventional treatments often rely on an overly simple model—if anemic or low iron, supplement with iron. The problem that got me looking deeper on this: many people don’t tolerate iron, and iron supplements can have terrible side effects.
It turns out, having healthy blood depends not only on iron intake, but also iron absorption, iron recycling and preventing iron toxicity.
Thus, the test-iron/prescribe-supplement model is leaving out major and important aspects of iron metabolism.
If the problem isn’t intake (and in many cases, it isn’t) adding iron isn’t necessarily going to help you have healthy blood cycle as a whole.
Today’s post is about the roles light plays in these processes, some syncs and differences between my approach and the approach of the Root Cause Protocol (RCP), and my next community class will go into all of this in a live context for individual Q&A support. I hope to see you there:
Why does light exposure matter for anemia?
I wrote this post because so many people have asked me for help with their anemia diagnosis.
As a doula and quantum biology practitioner, I do consultations every month with individuals in the birthing years—fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum concerns—as well as practitioners who are learning how to integrate quantum biology wisdom into the work they already do.
I know that anemia is a common area of confusion because there is so much conflicting advice, and because conventional treatments can be so unpredictable in their outcomes.
Anemia in babies
The first time I was invited to give support in an anemia case, it was a request for a friend’s baby who was diagnosed with anemia, but who had promptly thrown up the oral dose they were given. Since the baby was hardly even eating foods yet, I dug up a bunch of research about all the ways we can improve iron status without changing diet. I discovered light, electromagnetic frequencies, sleep quality, and other things actually can change iron status regardless of what food is eaten.
Rare forms of anemia
I have also heard from many who have rarer forms of anemia, or who have anemia caused by chronic inflammatory conditions. For these cases, it really takes a different approach to address the underlying condition (which can be made worse by the inflammatory effects of iron) while supporting adequate blood volume.
The Root Cause Protocol (RCP) by Morley Robbins approach to anemia
And the third group I am writing this quantum anemia series for are those who are using the RCP and want to know how it relates. The RCP is about reversing inflammation and fatigue, and does a lot to explain where iron really sits within that picture. The RCP cites a lot of similar research as I have been sharing about in this series and other places throughout my teachings.
New awareness of anemia thanks to the Root Cause Protocol
As the Root Cause Protocol (RCP) by Morley Robbins has grown in popularity, a new wave of awareness has grown about the complexity of iron metabolism.
More and more people are coming to me who have new hope for a non-supplement/infusion based way to manage the health of their blood and energy.
They want to know if the RCP works, and if there is more they can do when they have already implemented many of the stops and starts of the protocol but are still having some issues.
My work here complements the RCP body of knowledge, and is appropriate for individuals working personally with the paradigm, as well as RCP consultants looking for more information to build on their body of knowledge.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, download the latest version of the full RCP Starter Guide here. The RCP approach to iron makes a great complement to my Quantum Anemia Theories series.
You may also enjoy this interview where my colleague Dr Sara Pugh who is also a Faculty member at the Institute of Applied Quantum Biology (she teaches the Quantum Biologic Approach To Food module) interviewed Morley Robbins on her channel.
Where light exposure fits in the scope of the RCP
This post specifically relates to Stop 14 (blue light) and Start 18 (get more sunlight). Those two steps are key, and I would argue fundamental, for success with the RCP or any other strategy targeting oxygenation and energy and iron metabolism. I will do another post about how the lower wavelengths of light (collectively “emfs”) fit into the health of blood via inflammation1 and oxidative stress2 at a later date.
Make sure you are signed up so you can get it.
Summary of light’s impact on the health of the blood:
All frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum can be thought of as light, but what we are talking about today are those in the range of infrared, visible and ultraviolet light.
Circadian rhythms are key for the health of the blood and for blood cell production; circadian rhythms are primarily entrained by the light/dark cycle
There are many articles in my archive if you’d like to go deeper on all the inputs and outputs of the circadian rhythm
Quality of light matters beyond just helping entrain the circadian rhythm, as:
red and infrared light nourishes mitochondria in all areas of blood cell production and recycling (liver, spleen, bone marrow)
UV light frequencies support the slow buildup of a facultative tan (NOT inflammation tan—go here if you don’t know the difference)
A facultative tan further optimizes copper and iron in the body via melanin and the melanocortin pathway
Sunlight penetrates your bones
Sunlight, specifically in the warming infrared range, penetrates all the way through our bones. So does firelight.
Deep inside our bones, mitochondria absorb these light frequencies3.
Energized by the light, those mitochondria work faster and more efficiently.
What are they doing in there?
Nourishing our innermost tissues, including bone marrow, the central hub of the creation of our blood cells.
Our body is not dark inside, but light. And it thrives on natural daylight which is richer in infrared than artificial light is.
The light our bones are missing
The problem of indoor living has gotten worse as ever more infrared has been removed from our light bulbs in the quest for ever-less energy use per lumen4.
Less infrared = less energy required
But that also means less energy our mitochondria can harvest and use.
Red light panels are an attempt to rectify this situation, but natural daylight is irreplaceable because it is free and full-spectrum and always timed perfectly for circadian health.
Circadian health through proper light/dark signaling is crucial for giving the right signals for bones to be able to create the right kinds and amounts of blood cells5.
Firelight is also a natural source of light-based nourishment that has been used for millennia to help humans survive many climates—but no longer widely used in urban areas.
Thus, re-introducing real light exposure should be a key part of strategies for preventing or reversing anemia.
Health care providers who take the time to understand the role of light on bone marrow, where blood cells are created, are at the cutting edge of care innovations for anemia and related conditions.
Light regulates blood cell production directly and via the circadian rhythm
There are at least 3 pathways by which the light you are exposed to influence the creation of new blood cells.
The first way light supports blood cell production is by supporting mitochondria—a crucial player in health of every aspect of the bones, including the bone marrow6.
Mitochondria are especially supported by photobiomodulation (PBM), which is a way of describing the many positive effects of red and infrared light7.
The second way light supports blood cell production is through regulation of the circadian rhythm8.
Circadian inputs include light, temperature, dark, food, exercise, noise, social interactions, and habitual schedules.
Quick explanation of circadian health strategies
A quick way to think about balancing your circadian rhythm is by increasing the difference between how you spend your days vs how you spend your nights.
Think warmer, brighter, louder, more active and feasted social days.
Think cooler, darker, quieter, more restful and fasted solitary nights.
Always daytime balance light absorption with adequate nightime darkness!
Of all the circadian cues, light is primary9.
Even a single incidence of improperly timed light after sunset can disrupt these delicate rhythms10.
What I’ve just shared is a missing conversation in most anemia treatment protocols.
The mitochondria must be healthy to able to nourish the bone marrow, and all the cells must be getting the proper circadian cues.
Without both of these functions, the whole blood making operation for red and white blood cells will be compromised no matter what kind of food or supplement is prescribed.
The third way light regulates blood cell production is a little bit more obscure, but links sunlight, iron, and copper via melanin.
In Morley Robbins’ words:
I plan to write much more about melanin in future posts, but suffice it to say we have been completely misinformed about:
Its role as a source of mitochondrial energy,
Its role as a super conductor of electricity – it is prevalent in key areas of the central nervous system (CNS).
Its role as an iron-trapping agent, which is why its prevalence builds in lock step with the rising iron in the eyes.
Its role as a master absorber of the complete visible light spectrum.
Its role as a master absorber of sound in the inner ear.
Its role as a critical facilitator of pineal health and function.
Trust me, I could go on and on.
What is particularly poignant to understand is that melanin, in my humble opinion, has been hijacked and relegated to this lowly status as a pigment. It has also been methodically corralled into a master iron-trapping agent, which has completely diverted its ability to fulfil its majestic roles in the human body, as briefly and incompletely noted above.
In effect, melanin has become the “iron police force” responding to the tidal wave increase of iron in our bodies. Melanin is most effective at locking up that toxic heavy metal iron, and keeping it out of harm’s way. Here’s a clever twist, what’s a popular nickname for Policemen? Yes they’re called coppers! So we’ve got coppers putting this toxic metal behind bars!
How do you make melanin? The synthesis of melanin is entirely dependent on another key copper enzyme: Tyrosinase!
Where is that enzyme found in Mother Nature?
Why none other than wholefood vitamin-C that Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, PhD discovered in the 1930’s studying peppers from his hometown of Budapest, Hungary!
The most effective way to bind up melanin is with absurd levels of iron fortification in the food.
The most effective way to prevent melanin production is to drown the masses with ascorbic acid (devoid of any tyrosinase enzyme) and synthetic hormone-D that drives iron storage deeper and deeper into the tissue, which also causes renal potassium wasting (Ferris, 1962) thereby making the cells and the tissue more attractive to iron storage, and iron-induced oxidative stress!
Source: Iron Toxicity Post #61: EYE-Ironic origin of Alzheimer’s disease (2017)
I have also shared more about melanin, and these posts may be of interest and helpful especially if you have already stabilized your circadian rhythm but still don’t feel at your best:
Morley Robbins’ work with the RCP (and the work we are doing at IAQB and here at Brighter Days, Darker Nights) gets closer to supporting the full spectrum of mineral metabolism. You just can’t do that by haphazardly adding individual levers like isolated Vitamin D or supplemental iron.
Iron, copper and melanin in pregnancy
The current misunderstanding of iron-copper-melanin goes so deep as to have created the hypothesis that melanin’s iron chelation function is contributing to disparities in maternal mortality based on skin color11. As was so well pointed out in the quote above, melanin does so much more than merely bind iron.
The skin pigmentation question also comes up in relation to folate metabolism and Vitamin D metabolism as melanin—which depends also on ceruloplasmin12—protects folate in cells from photodegradation13.
For more on the link here to the prevention of neural tube defects and why using folic acid and supplemental b-vitamins are such a poor strategy compared with supporting the full folate cycle, head to my folate series here. For those working in the RCP paradigm, my Folate series relates to Stop 6 (prenatal vitamins), Stop 7 (synthetic B vitamins), Stop 13 (standard American diet), Start 2 (mineral drops), Start 3 (whole food vitamin C), Start 4 (magnesium), Start 6a (ancestral foods), Start 7 (Nature’s sources of B vitamins), Start 8 (Vitamin E), and Start 18 (sunlight).
How can you use light to improve the blood production in your bones?
It can be simple.
Get outside first thing in the morning and throughout the day. Tip: I find bringing a warm beverage or wrapping up in a wool blanket helps it be more pleasant on these colder mornings. If you are doing the RCP, you might make a habit of always drinking your adrenal cocktails outside or at least by an open window or door for a few mindful minutes of natural light throughout your day.
Do an inventory of your indoor light and augment with bulbs that have warm tones and heat (warm to the touch). Guided lighting inventory process here.
Use Dminder, Circadian, or MyCircadian to log safe solar exposure across the day. I shared more about safe solar exposure for healthy (not inflammatory) melanin synthesis stimulation in these posts:
Sunlight for Babies and their mothers
Be strict about eliminating blue and green (looks white) between sunset and sunrise. You can buy amber and blue lights to use instead of your normal daytime bulbs here (use code NIKKO for a discount at checkout) or here.
For support with creating a health plan, or if you are a health care or RCP provider seeking research-backed information about how to integrate circadian and quantum health into your treatment protocols, upgrade to a paid subscription to read my full anemia series and be able to put your questions in the subscriber chat. For private 1-1 support, enroll in virtual doula or business doula care with me for monthly coaching.
Practitioner’s summary of light therapy for anemia
Supplementation strategies for anemia could be improved by considering broader aspects of the blood cell cycle. This light-based approach could be particularly valuable for patients who have spent years trying to improve without much success. It could also be helpful for vulnerable populations like babies, pregnant women, and those with co-morbidities that complicate care via inflammation.
Light has at least 3 ways of improving blood cell metabolism that you can teach your clients about.
The first method is to use infrared light to improve the function of mitochondria.
The second method is to use the light/dark cycle to stabilize and strengthen circadian rhythms.
The third method is to use targeted UV light exposure to support gradual melanin production, which helps balance minerals and metabolism.
Simple choices to swap lightbulbs and get unfiltered daylight at strategic times may serve to move the needle in complicated and stubborn cases of chronic anemia, as well as reduce the risk of anemia in vulnerable populations.
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DISCLAIMER: ALL MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THIS POST IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE THE MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT OR PREVENTATIVE CARE OFFERED BY PHYSICIANS OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.
New to my Quantum Anemia Theories series? Start at the beginning here.
Jbireal, J., Elsayed Azab, A., & Ibrahim Elsayed, A. S. (2018). Disturbance in haematological parameters induced by exposure to electromagnetic fields. Hematology & Transfusion International Journal, 6(6). https://doi.org/10.15406/htij.2018.06.00193
Santini, S. J., Cordone, V., Falone, S., Mijit, M., Tatone, C., Amicarelli, F., & Di Emidio, G. (2018). Role of Mitochondria in the Oxidative Stress Induced by Electromagnetic Fields: Focus on Reproductive Systems. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2018, 5076271. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5076271
Nizamutdinov, D., Ezeudu, C., Wu, E., Huang, J. H., & Yi, S. S. (2022). Transcranial near-infrared light in treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.965788
Moore-Ede, M., Blask, D. E., Cain, S. W., Heitmann, A., & Nelson, R. J. (2023). Lights Should Support Circadian Rhythms: Evidence-Based Scientific Consensus. Springer Science and Business Media LLC. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-2481185/v1 (you can follow Dr. Martin Moore-Ede, author of this paper, here on Substack for more details on how indoor lighting could be scientifically improved for circadian health)
Golan, K., Kollet, O., Markus, R. P., & Lapidot, T. (2019). Daily light and darkness onset and circadian rhythms metabolically synchronize hematopoietic stem cell differentiation and maintenance: The role of bone marrow norepinephrine, tumor necrosis factor, and melatonin cycles. Experimental Hematology, 78, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exphem.2019.08.008
Mendelsohn, D. H., Walter, N., Cheung, W.-H., Wong, R. M. Y., Schönmehl, R., Winter, L., El Khassawna, T., Heiss, C., Brochhausen, C., & Rupp, M. (2025). Targeting mitochondria in bone and cartilage diseases: A narrative review. Redox Biology, 83, 103667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2025.103667
Hernández-Bule, M. L., Naharro-Rodríguez, J., Bacci, S., & Fernández-Guarino, M. (2024). Unlocking the Power of Light on the Skin: A Comprehensive Review on Photobiomodulation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(8), 4483. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25084483
Maestroni, G. (2023). Circadian regulation of the immune-hematopoietic system. Exploration of Neuroscience, 123–139. https://doi.org/10.37349/en.2023.00017
Roenneberg, T., & Merrow, M. (2007). Entrainment of the Human Circadian Clock. Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology, 72(1), 293–299. https://doi.org/10.1101/sqb.2007.72.043
Fleury, G., Masís‐Vargas, A., & Kalsbeek, A. (2020). Metabolic Implications of Exposure to Light at Night: Lessons from Animal and Human Studies. Obesity, 28(S1). https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22807
Edge, R., Riley, P. A., & Truscott, T. G. (2022). Does iron chelation by eumelanin contribute to the ethnic link with maternal mortality? European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 278, 107–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2022.09.012
Rosei, M. A., Foppoli, C., Wang, X. T., Coccia, R., & Mateescu, M. A. (1998). Production of Melanins by Ceruloplasmin. Pigment Cell Research, 11(2), 98–102. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0749.1998.tb00717.x
Wolf, S. T., & Kenney, W. L. (2021). Skin pigmentation and vitamin D-folate interactions in vascular function: an update. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 24(6), 528–535. https://doi.org/10.1097/MCO.0000000000000788