Are We Just *Modern Zoo Animals*? The Ancestral Mismatch (Part 2)
Are We Just *Modern Zoo Animals*? The Ancestral Mismatch (Part 2)  
Podcast: Boundless Life
Published On: Tue Feb 17 2026
Description: *The air you breathe, the light you see, and the water you drink have all been quietly sabotaged by modern life—here's how to fight back without ripping your house apart.* Episode Summary In this episode, we shift from last week's hormesis deep-dive to the second weapon in your ancestral mismatch arsenal: your environment. You'll discover how degraded air quality, flickering LED lights, contaminated water, and invisible EMFs are silently wrecking your sleep, fogging your brain, and loading you with toxins—then get a practical, budget-friendly environmental audit you can start this weekend. Question of the Day 🗣️ What's one thing in your living or working environment you've always suspected might be affecting your health—but haven't done anything about yet?  Key Takeaways Your environment may be undermining your health more than your diet or exercise routine—air, light, water, and EMFs are the invisible variables most people ignore. Modern indoor air quality, fluorescent lighting, treated water, and constant wireless exposure create a toxic soup our biology was never designed to handle. You don't need a full home renovation to make a meaningful difference—standalone HEPA filters, incandescent bulbs, countertop RO systems, and airplane mode are powerful starting points. A basic environmental audit is one of the highest-ROI health moves you can make with minimal cost. This is part two of a three-part ancestral mismatch series—next week: food. Timestamped Outline ⏱️ 00:27 – Recap: Ancestral mismatch & hormesis from previous episodes00:50 – Today's focus: Your environment as a health optimization tool01:07 – Why your environment matters more than you think01:25 – The hidden health costs: poor air, LED flicker, polluted water, EMFs01:50 – What Ben's North Idaho home looks like: the extreme example02:05 – HEPA filtration, incandescent lighting, 14-stage RO water, zero Wi-Fi02:29 – Hardwired Cat 8 Ethernet in every room02:40 – Full video tour with building biologist Brian Hoyer02:55 – Budget-friendly steps: you don't need a jackhammer03:00 – Standalone HEPA bedroom filter options03:21 – Lighting swaps: incandescent and modified LEDs over fluorescents03:30 – Affordable countertop reverse osmosis filters03:40 – Phone hygiene: airplane mode, disabling Wi-Fi & Bluetooth03:55 – Boundless book: the deeper dive on environmental modifications04:10 – Preview: Part 3 next week—food and the ancestral mismatch Links & Resources 🔗 Previous episode on the Ancestral Mismatch & HormesisFull Home Tour with Building Biologist Brian HoyerBen's book Boundless Connect & CTA 🎯 👉 Get these thoughts delivered to your inbox every week—subscribe at BenGreenfieldLife.com/newsletter and join the conversation with your comments and questions.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.