Nature as Medicine

Are we treating the symptoms of modern life while simultaneously ignoring our habitat?

The average American now spends 93% of their life indoors. But humans evolved for millennia alongside the natural world, and research suggests that our indoor lifestyle is disrupting our sleep, focus and long-term health.

You don’t need a gym membership or expensive workout gear to get your health back on track. On today’s show, Dr. John La Puma argues that all you need is a 17-minute dose of nature, every single day.

Here’s a preview:

[4:00] Modern medicine tends to prioritize intervention over prevention. But why?

[7:30] We’re taught to fear the outdoors, but indoor living can be directly harmful in ways we’re only beginning to understand

[11:30] Why it’s time to view “screen time” as “ultra-processed time”

[16:00] Exactly how a daily dose of morning sunlight resets insulin sensitivity, hunger timing, and prefrontal cortex function

[30:00] Outside exercise is better for you than inside exercise, so take your movement outdoors!

Resources mentioned:

• Indoor Epidemic: 93% Inside Steals Sleep, Focus & Years—The 7% Outdoor Rx Restores Them
• The Summer Challenge: Touch Grass (via The NY Times)
•  7-Day Outdoor Reset (via IndoorEpidemic.com)
• Birding to Change the World (by Trish O’Kane)

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