Ep. 604 “It’s Not Just Vitamin D!” – How Sunlight Supports Blood Pressure, Mood & Hormonal Health with Rowan Jacobsen | Perimenopause, Menopause, Sleep
6/10/202657 min
Today, I’m thrilled to connect with Rowan Jacobsen. Rowan writes about science, nature, and the world’s lesser-explored corners for publications including Harper’s, Outside, The Atlantic, Scientific American, Smithsonian, and The New York Times, among others. He is the author of nine books, has lectured at Harvard and Yale, and has appeared on CBS, NBC, and NPR. In today’s conversation, we discuss his unique and fascinating new book, In Defense of Sunlight, which explores the nuances surrounding light exposure. We look at the value of sun exposure and vitamin D, and Rowan explains why light acts as a master regulator in the body and how our modern lifestyles may be disrupting our natural biology more than we realize. We examine the effects of shift work, cortisol rhythm dysregulation, and the minimum effective dose of sunlight intensity and exposure, and Rowan breaks down how UVA and UVB wavelengths impact our physiology. We also cover the importance of nitric oxide production, and Rowan shares recommendations from his work. Stay tuned for an eye-opening conversation on why sunlight may be one of the most overlooked foundations of human health. For those who enjoy reading about science, I highly recommend Rowan’s book! IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: Why so many people fear any sun exposure rather than aiming for sensible, moderate exposure How light acts as a master regulator for circadian biology Why does spending most of the day indoors with artificial lighting make it harder to maintain healthy circadian rhythms? How shift work disrupts the body’s normal repair processes How cortisol and melatonin work together as part of a coordinated daily rhythm What research shows about cloudy outdoor environments providing higher light levels than most indoor spaces The differences between how UVA and UVB exposure impact the body How ultraviolet light can trigger nitric oxide release Practical ways to support your circadian health Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website. Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow. Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut. Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Rowan Jacobsen On his website Rowan’s book, In Defense of Sunlight, will be available online and in bookstores on June 16th
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First 90 secondsCynthia Thurlow· Host0:00
[upbeat music] Welcome to Everyday Wellness Podcast. I'm your host, nurse practitioner, Cynthia Thurlow. This podcast is designed to educate, empower, and inspire you to achieve your health and wellness goals. My goal and intent is to provide you with the best content and conversations from leaders in the health and wellness industry each week, and impact over a million lives. [upbeat music] Today, I had the honor of connecting with Rowan Jacobsen. He writes about science and nature in the less explored corners of the world for Harper's, Outside, The Atlantic, Scientific American, Smithsonian, The New York Times, as well as many other. He's the author of nine books, and has performed at multiple events, lectured at Harvard and Yale, and appeared on CBS, NBC, and NPR. And today we spoke about his new book, In Defense of Sunlight. We spoke about the value of sun exposure as well as vitamin D, why light is a master regulator, the influence of shift work, why cortisol rhythm dysregulation and the physiology behind this is so problematic, the minimum effect of a dose of light, as well as exposure and intensity, how UVA and UVB wavelengths impact our physiology, the importance of nitric oxide production, and specific recommendations from his work. I found this book really fascinating, incredibly