July 26, 2023 • 22 mins
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What if I told you stepping out of your door could change your life? And no, I'm not talking about going to the gym or on a shopping spree. I am however talking about spending time in green spaces, parks, or simply out in the open. Connecting with nature has been proven to have numerous health benefits, from boosting vitamin D levels to improving mental health. It's easy to forget the outdoors in our fast-paced modern times, but we're here to remind you why it's crucial to prioritize it.
In this episode we discuss the science behind how sunlight and nature can uplift our wellbeing and improve your overall health. Let's start reconnecting with the earth and improving our health one breath of fresh air at a time.
As always, thank you for listening to We All Have Something. If you wish to connect with Rick beyond the podcast:
Website: www.CoachRickSchwartz.com
YouTube: @RickSchwartz
Threads: @Coach_Rick_Schwartz
Instagram: @Coach_Rick_Schwartz
Facebook Page:Â @CoachRickSchwartz
Threads: @Coach_Rick_Schwartz
***If you are having any thoughts of self harm and need someone to reach out to please call: 1-800-273- TALK (8255)
Or use the new 988 number for calling or texting for support.
Episode Music "Inspiration Corporate" by Sandra Inspiration Music
Music rights purchased through AudioJungle.
Nothing in this podcast should be taken as therapy, medical or mental health care. Topics discussed on this podcast reflect the personal experiences of the host and guests of We All Have Something and are not intended to, nor should they, replace the services of medical care, mental health care or therapy.
If you are having thoughts of self harm or ending your life, please call or text 988 - Help is available 24/7.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to another episode of we All have Something
, and this episode coming to youright here on the last
Wednesday of July of 2023.
And, if you're paying attention, you know, last week I was on
vacation while you werelistening to the new episode,
because I was able to record it,of course, before I went, but
now I'm back.
I'm back and refreshed, and myvacation, my time away, gave me
an idea for this episode.
(00:21):
So, before we jump into that,though, I just want to thank all
the supporters who have steppedup to support this podcast.
Being a listener-supportedpodcast allows us to keep this
ad free, allows me to keep thelights on, as they say, because
there are, of course, someunderlying costs to keep the
podcast going, and I can't thankyou supporters enough.
You're helping to balance thatout and to allow me to enjoy
(00:42):
just making podcasts and notworrying about how I'm going to
pay for stuff.
So you're awesome.
Thank you, I appreciate you.
And, hey, if you're not asupporter yet and you're
interested in becoming one, justscroll down in the episode
notes.
The very first link availableat the very top right there will
guide you through how you candonate a couple of bucks every
month, or even a couple of bunchof bucks.
A bunch of couple bucks, but Idon't know.
That should probably be editedout, but I'm not going to
(01:04):
because, hey, we're human and wegot to celebrate that.
That's why we're here.
In fact, let's just jump rightinto the intro, shall we?
I'm Rick Schwartz, life coach,public speaker and all around
curious guy.
My curiosity, my life and thelives of the many people I have
worked with have taught me timeand time again that there are
challenges to overcome andsuccesses to celebrate.
(01:25):
You're listening to.
We All have Something a podcastabout the human experience, a
podcast about celebrating ourauthentic self.
So let's get started.
Like I mentioned at the introof this episode, last week, as
you know, if you heard lastepisode, I was on on a vacation.
I took a break, and howimportant that really is is what
(01:47):
the last episode was all about.
I'm back from that vacation now.
I'm rested and relaxed andjumped right into the middle of
the work week, and here we arenow recording.
For the very last Wednesday ofJuly.
We have officially, dependingon where you live, one more
summer left, or one more summerleft, one more month left of
summer, although technically,summer doesn't end until the end
of September.
Traditionally here in the US,where I live, our schools go
(02:09):
back into session in mid-Augustto late-August.
So it kind of feels like we'rein that last little group of few
weeks, if you will, of summer.
And with that I want to pointout something that I've known
for a long time, somethinginnately.
I've known innately, I shouldsay for a long time.
And summer here in the NorthernHemisphere is a great time to
think about this, where, in fact, we tend to do it more often
(02:31):
because there's more daylightsthroughout the day cycle and
it's warmer out in the wintermonths.
We tend not to pay attention tothis as much.
We don't want to go outside,especially if you're up north,
where it's really really cold inthe winter.
But here's the deal it isincredibly so very, very
important for your physicalhealth, your mental health and
your emotional health to beoutside.
(02:54):
Now, I know, I know, hold up,you know there's mosquitoes and
there's poison ivy and there'ssunburns and all this other
stuff.
Look, there's plenty of thingsthat we can do to mitigate or
stop that from happening.
So I'm not even going toaddress that side of it.
I want to talk today about howimportant it is for you to get
your butt outside, and this isprobably even most important for
those who don't have theopportunity to go outside,
(03:16):
whether it's because you work inan office environment, or maybe
the temperatures are extreme,so it's hard to get out and be
comfortable.
I get it, but just hear me outhere.
This is why it's so importantfor us to get outside.
Actually, before I jump intothat, I do want to share this
with you.
I have always felt good outside.
As a child, we were sentoutdoors.
You know, winter or summer,just go outside and run off some
(03:39):
energy.
But I do know this.
I do know I felt so much betterwhen I was outside.
You can say it's the fresh airor the sunlight or all the above
, but the reality is it is allthe above.
See, I believe, and I alwayshave believed.
From my experience with workingwith animals for many, many
years and working with peopleand connecting people to those
animals in the wildlife, I knowwe have an innate desire to be
(04:03):
connected to nature, to beoutside.
I know that innate desire,though, is often stifled
underneath the things we have todo, the life we have to live
where we have to be when we work, when we're home, getting the
kids from school or being inschool, if you're still in
school.
All of this is indoorscontrolled temperatures,
controlled lighting.
Maybe the air is properlyfiltered, maybe it's not, and
(04:27):
although we still know we feelgood when we get outside, we go
somewhere, we take that deepbreath when it's a beautiful
sunset, or at the beach or outin the forest, whatever it may
be we tend not to prioritizethat.
This episode is to help you toremember that you should
prioritize that and this is why.
So here's some of the fun basicfacts that I found just simply
(04:50):
looking around some medicaldocuments, medical newsletters,
about why being outside is soimportant.
So, right off the bat, medicalnews today says sunlight
initiates the body's process inthe production of vitamin D.
Now, why is vitamin D important?
Well, right away, I can tellyou there are plenty of studies
out there underneath a littleasterisk underneath we are very
(05:11):
vitamin deficient.
I take supplements.
I take the mind and bodysupplements that I've talked
about in this program before.
It's really just been amazing.
In fact, I'm gonna do anepisode coming up to bring back
that topic, because I talkedabout it when I first started
taking my interview to thefounders who put this stuff
together, but the studies thatthey were citing and showing
that really how deficient ourfood is right now, why
(05:32):
supplements are important.
Getting outside allows your bodyto convert vitamin D2 to three.
This is important because thissupports the health of bones by
allowing the body to properlymetabolize and regulate calcium.
Now get this we often thinkcalcium's just about the bones,
calcium's about keeping ourbones strong and as we get older
(05:53):
especially, it's superimportant and it is.
I'm not saying it's not, butyou have to understand.
The human body, as with manyanimals, utilizes calcium in
other ways as well.
Your body needs calcium foryour muscles to move.
It's part of the process of howyour muscle cells work.
They need calcium to functionas well and for nerves to carry
messages between the brain andevery part of your body.
(06:14):
Calcium is needed for that aswell.
So when you start looking atcalcium deficiency, you think,
oh, I should take more calcium.
But your body also needsvitamin D3 to convert the useful
or convert it to useful calciumto allow your body to the.
Vitamin D3 is needed to makeyour body available, or to make
the parts of your body availableto receive that calcium.
(06:36):
It's a really cool process howour body does this, and it's
true for other animals as well.
Again, coming from the animalcare side, I can't tell you how
important it is.
The animal spends some timeoutside as well, even in the
winter months, because they needthat UV light to help out that
conversion.
Now here's the other part of it.
When you do get outside,sunlight will also help reduce
inflammation, and that's begin.
(06:56):
That's thanks to calcium,thanks vitamin D, thanks calcium
.
It supports your immune system.
Now, vitamin D is veryimportant for immune system.
I know a lot of people weretalking about vitamin D
injections and increasing yourvitamin D during the whole COVID
thing.
Right during all this, thisoutbreak of the pandemic Vitamin
D became super important forthose who weren't sure about
what routes they wanted to gowith medications or anything
(07:18):
else, but they definitely wantedto go with the vitamin route.
Vitamin D was a big deal.
This is because it improves andhelps sustain a healthy immune
system.
It helps support it so it cando what it's supposed to do.
And then, last but not least,it helps the body metabolize
glucose.
Or basically, by sayingmetabolize, it can use glucose
appropriately, so your sugarlevels tend to stay more
(07:39):
balanced.
Now, I'm not saying you gooutside, you spread your arms
wide and your face is sun andpoof.
All this stuff happens.
Of course, you need to beoutside for a duration of time
and make a habit of it.
Get out there every day andenjoy the sunlight.
Yes, wear a sunblock.
Yes, make sure you're protectedfrom the abiding insects and
bugs and don't go walking intothe poison oak.
But spending time outside everyday, or as frequently as you can
(08:03):
, has a ton of benefits forregulating a balanced body.
It doesn't mean you're suddenlygonna feel better.
It doesn't mean you only got ahead cold, I'm gonna go outside
and I'll get vitamin D and I'llbe all better.
No, that's not how it works.
That's not how it works.
The idea is that you're livinga healthy lifestyle to maximize
your body's ability to functionthe way it's supposed to
(08:24):
reaching homeostasis, if youwill.
And then, of course, guess what?
When things like a cold orwhatever come along other
challenges, your body's healthyand able to manage it
appropriately, or you don't godown the path of being deficient
in calcium or vitamin D.
Now, other findings alsosupport, outside of what I just
told you about, that healthyamounts of sun exposure is
linked to lower blood pressureand reduce rates of
(08:46):
cardiovascular issues.
Furthermore, it also suggeststhat exposure to sunlight
triggers the skin to releasestores of nitrogen oxides which
cause the arteries to dilate,naturally lowering blood
pressure.
So this is another separatestudy from all the calcium and
vitamin D stuff is that researchsupports the lowering of blood
pressure when you're outsidewith sun exposure.
(09:09):
Daily exposure to sunlight alsosupports your circadian rhythm.
Sunlight supports better sleep.
Now I think we'll head to thehouse.
Sunlight's pouring in thewindow.
How's it going to make bettersleep?
What you're doing is you'retriggering your body's succinct
circadian rhythm to the naturalrhythm of daytime, nighttime.
We live in a world now with somuch, so much fake light, so
much man-made light.
(09:29):
We don't have to go to beduntil we want to go to bed
because we have all the lightson us.
It still feels like daytime.
I think, honestly, we couldtalk about our sleep habits and
that could be a whole otherepisode.
So we're not going to go downthat path, but I'm just saying
exposure to sunlight has beenproven to help sync up your
proper circadian rhythm, whichis going to support better sleep
and also regulates the levelsof serotonin and natural
(09:51):
melatonin.
This is important.
Again, it's not one of thosethings where you're like oh, I
haven't heard them going tosleep.
Rick said go out and be in thesun for 10 or 15 minutes so I
can sleep, fine.
No, it's about making sure youget daily exposure.
It's about making it a habit toget outside, and there's more
research on more levels as well.
Now, this paper also includedsome anecdotal evidence, along
(10:11):
with some research that's beenstarted.
That basically says you justfeel better, you just feel good.
There's feel good chemicalsbeing released when you're
outside and in the sun.
One of the reasons they citethat this might be a thing is
exposure to UVB, another form ofthe UV rays we get from the sun
.
It causes human skin to producebeta endorphins, which are
(10:32):
hormones that reduce pain.
Now, of course, again you breakyour arm.
Oh, I'm fine, I don't need painrelief, I'm just going to go
lay out in the sun because Ricksaid so.
No, that's not how it works.
These are general basicexperiences.
Your body will do so, releasingand producing beta endorphins.
These hormones reduce generalpain.
Other benefits include promotingsensation of well-being and
(10:54):
improved mood.
Again, you're having a reallybad day.
You're dealing with chronicanxiety.
It's not going to change itlike a light switch.
Just get out there, do thehabit of being outside, and this
can promote sensations ofwell-being and improving your
mood.
It will boost your immunesystem.
We know this is scientific factbecause of the way we can
transfer vitamin D2 into D3 andhow that helps your immune
(11:17):
system Relieving pain, promotingrelaxation, helping wounds heal
, helping people feel more alertand awake.
I'm Katie Emre.
Then we talked about that.
Get this.
This one's.
I've talked about before, infact, the last episode I said
hey, get up away from yourcomputer and go take a break, go
for a walk outside.
You heard me say that.
Right, so here's another one.
It increases job satisfactionwhen people's workspaces have
(11:40):
access to sunlight.
If your workspace does not haveaccess to sunlight or it's got
mirrored or tinted windows, gooutside, you'll feel better.
Yes, looking outside helps.
You can see the outside world,it changes your focal points for
your eyes, but it also helpstremendously with your attitude
and how you feel.
If you can get outside in thesun and some research does
(12:02):
support it does reducesituational depression.
So not chronic or clinicaldepression, but situational
depression.
So if you're feeling downbecause of something, you can go
outside and go for a walk andyou will feel a little better
after that.
This is all in scientificresearch, scientific papers.
It's all there.
Another research also supportsthat getting sunlight in through
(12:23):
your eyes actually triggerscertain things in the neurons in
your brain to alleviate stressand make you feel better that
way as well.
So I have been told that it's agood idea sometimes to go for a
walk and take your sunglassesoff for a little bit to allow
the natural light in, instead ofUV blocking lenses that would
prevent those rays from cominginto your eyes.
(12:44):
Now, obviously, don't stare atthe sun.
Don't be outside for 20 hoursin the sunlight without your
sunglasses on, but take them offfor 15 minutes while you're out
for a walk.
See what happens.
So getting outside not only hasall the scientific research and
benefit from sunlight, but I'lltell you what I also know Would
.
We have the opportunity toreconnect with nature?
We have the opportunity to getour feet or our hands in the
(13:05):
dirt or the sand or in the mudor in the creek or the river or
the ocean.
When you can feel and hear thewind, when you can connect with
plants and animals out in thewild, it allows you to feel more
at peace.
The hustle and bustle andenergy of our city lives, our
(13:26):
busy lives, our computer lives,our lives dictated by screens.
It shortens our focal point.
It sends unnatural light wavesinto our eyes.
If you can take time, even oncea week, to truly get away from
electronics and to get outside,into a space that allows you to
feel the fresh air, to feel theearth, to be close to plants and
(13:51):
animals and nature in somelevel or another, the value of
this for your body and your mindare so, so high, the value I
can't even put a number on it,honestly, and I'll tell you this
is personal experience as well.
I know this when I've beencooped up, working in my car, in
the office, wherever I might be, and for a long period of time,
(14:12):
and I don't get a chance to getoutside doing man.
Once I finally do, it feels sogood and you know if you follow
along on my social media, youknow.
Every Sunday, or as close as Ican make it, every Sunday, I go
out for a run.
I choose whenever, as much aspossible, to run up in the hills
behind my house, away from thestreets, away from the houses,
away from the cars, and it is,it is so such a momentous change
(14:36):
when I have the opportunity toget outside like that, because I
do have to run probably about amile through the neighborhood
before I get into the openspaces.
And I I'm telling you right now, I count my blessings and I am
full of gratitude that I livewhere I live, that I can do this
most every weekend of the yearand I live in a place that is
close enough to open trails thatI can take advantage of them.
(14:57):
I know not everybody has thatand I want you to try as hard as
you can to find a way toutilize finding green spaces,
natural spaces or a park to getyourself out there.
There's somebody I'm connectedwith on social media.
They live in the middle of adesert but there are some city
parks and they will go into thatcity park and kick off their
shoes and walk in the grass andthey enjoy the trees for what it
(15:18):
is, and that's just as good asif you're walking in the Redwood
Forest or you're in themountains of the Colorado or
you're down at the beach here inSan Diego.
Whatever it may be.
The point being is beingconscious and thoughtful of
being in the moment, being therein the wilds, being free of
your electronics, even if it'sfor 15 minutes, and that's the
other part of it.
Then, when you do find yourselfoutside, put away your phone,
(15:41):
even if you're at work, and youcan put it in your pocket and
put it on vibrate if someoneneeds to get a hold of you,
right.
But what I love to do, even ifI'm doing a neighborhood walk,
honestly, but preferably out inthe hills behind my house I pay
close attention to what isaround me.
Are there lizards, rabbits,birds, hawks which are birds, I
know coyotes, bobcats,butterflies, just a fly
(16:05):
wildflowers, dried grasses,depending on the time of year,
whatever it might be sagebrush,I don't care.
Look around you.
If you're in a park, that's inthe middle of a city, what kind
of trees are there?
What's going on in those trees?
What birds are in there?
Are there any nests?
You know when your feet are inthe ground?
Are there any roly-poly'saround or earthworms to look at?
Be present in that space andrecognize it as a living being
(16:27):
on this planet.
You are very much connected toall the other aspects of this
planet.
We can't survive withoutrecognizing our role and our
part in the ecosystem we live in, even if you're in a big urban
area, we still rely heavily onthe outdoors to exist.
Fresh water, fresh air, plants,food all of the bees, butterfly
(16:52):
they help make our food.
Everything is interconnected.
When you can recognize yourplace in that, you can connect
further to that.
It helps balance you, groundyou and center you, even if it's
only once a week.
The value there for your healthis unbelievably proven in
science and I can tell you as acoach and someone who practices
this myself getting outside canhelp shift you out of the
(17:16):
frantic, high frequencycraziness of a busy modern city
life that we have, or even ifyou're just the busy modern life
of a stay at home parent.
Get outside by yourself, helpyourself, shed that energy that
is around that space.
Nothing wrong with that,nothing wrong with that at all.
Admitting that that's a thing.
(17:36):
Now I work with high performingC-suite, so CEOs and CEOs and
all the above directors ofdifferent departments in all
sorts of different organizationsaround the planet these are my
clients and it's so fun for methat when I give them this bit
of information about okay,here's your homework for this
week is to get outside, like youscheduled this.
Get your feet dirty, get yourhands dirty, get outside.
(18:00):
It is so fun for me.
Then we connect back the weekafter that assignment is given
to hear in their voice, to seein their face the how they
reconnected Some of these peoplehaven't reconnected with that
part of themselves and that partof being outside for decades
and to be able to see their faceand recognize the value that
(18:22):
they were reminded of, the valueof reconnecting with being
outside and how it's importantto them, how it's important to
the body and the mind.
It's so fun.
It's so fun.
I absolutely love it.
You haven't done this to do it.
And here's the other thing too.
Here's the other thing I workwith a lot of people.
I do work with a lot of peoplewho work with their hands and
(18:44):
they work outside a lot.
And the idea like, well, if I'mgoing outside, I'm outside all
the time.
Great, great, then you have sunexposure, you have all that.
But have you gone outside justto be outside?
Have you gone outside just toconnect with being present
outside?
Instead of, this is your job,this is your workspace, this is
(19:04):
what you have to do, whetherit's construction or working on
a farm or a ranch, or animalcare or anything else that you
might do outside as a job or acareer?
Have you spent time outside,though, just to connect with
seeing what's around you,touching what's around you, and
not be focused on work, becausethe mindset's a key component to
(19:25):
it?
And same thing, same thing withthe office bound of people and
people who work outside for aliving thing.
I don't need to go outsidebecause I work outside.
They do this practice of goingoutside, to be outside and being
present Game changer.
I love it when we come back forthe next session and like, okay
, I didn't think it would be abig deal, but you know, I never
noticed.
And here's the thing too.
Once you start doing this, evenif you're just walking from
(19:46):
your car to the grocery store orwalking from the train station
to your office, you start tonotice different things outside
you don't normally notice, andyou start to recognize the value
in noticing these things aswell.
Instead of staring at yourphone while walking from the
train station to your office orfrom the car to the grocery
store, instead of looking atyour phone or checking on
something else, you're like I'mgoing to just kind of check
things out.
(20:07):
And yeah, there's trees in theparking lot, I wonder.
And there's birds in theparking lot.
Oh, there's a butterfly goingby.
And same thing in the city.
You can have urban wildlife aswell.
The value in taking time to gooutside is hugely important for
your physical health, yourmental health and your emotional
health, and I cannot encouragethat enough.
And that's going to wrap it up.
For this episode Coming up inAugust, we've got a couple of
(20:29):
new guests coming on board, sostay tuned for that.
Make sure you subscribe if youhaven't already, and if this
episode or any other episode hasserved you in any way.
I'd really appreciate a reviewor leaving stars wherever you
listen to your podcast.
If there's a way to do a reviewor leaving stars, it does help
others who are looking at thispodcast as something they might
want to listen to and go.
Yeah, oh, that sounds goodbecause, look, these other
(20:50):
people did too.
It's a great way to spread wordof mouth and acknowledgments by
doing so.
I'd appreciate it if you justtake a moment to do that.
And, of course, if you'reinterested in talking more with
me about my coaching or learningmore about me in general, just
go to my website,coachrickschwarzcom.
All the links are down belowfor the website as well as my
social media.
You can find me on Facebook,instagram threads, all the
(21:10):
things, and there's even aYouTube channel as well where
you can catch up on other things.
I've done a lot of videos inthe past about things like
imposter syndrome or breakingthrough procrastination, other
cycles, and, of course, there'sa lot of episodes here on the
podcast as well.
So, either way, you can checkthat all out.
If you would like, you can signup for a free 30-minute
discovery call where you and Iconnect, talk about coaching,
(21:31):
talk about what I do.
If we both feel that we're agood connection for a coaching
client, we'll move forward fromthere to set up how the coaching
works and all of that stuff.
We'd love to chat with you moreabout that, and if at the end
of that call, we decide, eh,it's not really going to work
out, you know, great talkanyways, no big deal.
I love having conversationswith folks and seeing where I
may be able to help out, even ina 30-minute discovery call.
Either way, wherever you are, Iwant you to know.
(21:52):
I really appreciate you beinghere.
Thank you so much for listening.
Have a good one, everybody.
Welcome to another episode of we All have Something
, and this episode coming to youright here on the last
Wednesday of July of 2023.
And, if you're paying attention, you know, last week I was on
vacation while you werelistening to the new episode,
because I was able to record it,of course, before I went, but
now I'm back.
I'm back and refreshed, and myvacation, my time away, gave me
an idea for this episode.
(00:21):
So, before we jump into that,though, I just want to thank all
the supporters who have steppedup to support this podcast.
Being a listener-supportedpodcast allows us to keep this
ad free, allows me to keep thelights on, as they say, because
there are, of course, someunderlying costs to keep the
podcast going, and I can't thankyou supporters enough.
You're helping to balance thatout and to allow me to enjoy
(00:42):
just making podcasts and notworrying about how I'm going to
pay for stuff.
So you're awesome.
Thank you, I appreciate you.
And, hey, if you're not asupporter yet and you're
interested in becoming one, justscroll down in the episode
notes.
The very first link availableat the very top right there will
guide you through how you candonate a couple of bucks every
month, or even a couple of bunchof bucks.
A bunch of couple bucks, but Idon't know.
That should probably be editedout, but I'm not going to
(01:04):
because, hey, we're human and wegot to celebrate that.
That's why we're here.
In fact, let's just jump rightinto the intro, shall we?
I'm Rick Schwartz, life coach,public speaker and all around
curious guy.
My curiosity, my life and thelives of the many people I have
worked with have taught me timeand time again that there are
challenges to overcome andsuccesses to celebrate.
(01:25):
You're listening to.
We All have Something a podcastabout the human experience, a
podcast about celebrating ourauthentic self.
So let's get started.
Like I mentioned at the introof this episode, last week, as
you know, if you heard lastepisode, I was on on a vacation.
I took a break, and howimportant that really is is what
(01:47):
the last episode was all about.
I'm back from that vacation now.
I'm rested and relaxed andjumped right into the middle of
the work week, and here we arenow recording.
For the very last Wednesday ofJuly.
We have officially, dependingon where you live, one more
summer left, or one more summerleft, one more month left of
summer, although technically,summer doesn't end until the end
of September.
Traditionally here in the US,where I live, our schools go
(02:09):
back into session in mid-Augustto late-August.
So it kind of feels like we'rein that last little group of few
weeks, if you will, of summer.
And with that I want to pointout something that I've known
for a long time, somethinginnately.
I've known innately, I shouldsay for a long time.
And summer here in the NorthernHemisphere is a great time to
think about this, where, in fact, we tend to do it more often
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because there's more daylightsthroughout the day cycle and
it's warmer out in the wintermonths.
We tend not to pay attention tothis as much.
We don't want to go outside,especially if you're up north,
where it's really really cold inthe winter.
But here's the deal it isincredibly so very, very
important for your physicalhealth, your mental health and
your emotional health to beoutside.
(02:54):
Now, I know, I know, hold up,you know there's mosquitoes and
there's poison ivy and there'ssunburns and all this other
stuff.
Look, there's plenty of thingsthat we can do to mitigate or
stop that from happening.
So I'm not even going toaddress that side of it.
I want to talk today about howimportant it is for you to get
your butt outside, and this isprobably even most important for
those who don't have theopportunity to go outside,
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whether it's because you work inan office environment, or maybe
the temperatures are extreme,so it's hard to get out and be
comfortable.
I get it, but just hear me outhere.
This is why it's so importantfor us to get outside.
Actually, before I jump intothat, I do want to share this
with you.
I have always felt good outside.
As a child, we were sentoutdoors.
You know, winter or summer,just go outside and run off some
(03:39):
energy.
But I do know this.
I do know I felt so much betterwhen I was outside.
You can say it's the fresh airor the sunlight or all the above
, but the reality is it is allthe above.
See, I believe, and I alwayshave believed.
From my experience with workingwith animals for many, many
years and working with peopleand connecting people to those
animals in the wildlife, I knowwe have an innate desire to be
(04:03):
connected to nature, to beoutside.
I know that innate desire,though, is often stifled
underneath the things we have todo, the life we have to live
where we have to be when we work, when we're home, getting the
kids from school or being inschool, if you're still in
school.
All of this is indoorscontrolled temperatures,
controlled lighting.
Maybe the air is properlyfiltered, maybe it's not, and
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although we still know we feelgood when we get outside, we go
somewhere, we take that deepbreath when it's a beautiful
sunset, or at the beach or outin the forest, whatever it may
be we tend not to prioritizethat.
This episode is to help you toremember that you should
prioritize that and this is why.
So here's some of the fun basicfacts that I found just simply
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looking around some medicaldocuments, medical newsletters,
about why being outside is soimportant.
So, right off the bat, medicalnews today says sunlight
initiates the body's process inthe production of vitamin D.
Now, why is vitamin D important?
Well, right away, I can tellyou there are plenty of studies
out there underneath a littleasterisk underneath we are very
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vitamin deficient.
I take supplements.
I take the mind and bodysupplements that I've talked
about in this program before.
It's really just been amazing.
In fact, I'm gonna do anepisode coming up to bring back
that topic, because I talkedabout it when I first started
taking my interview to thefounders who put this stuff
together, but the studies thatthey were citing and showing
that really how deficient ourfood is right now, why
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supplements are important.
Getting outside allows your bodyto convert vitamin D2 to three.
This is important because thissupports the health of bones by
allowing the body to properlymetabolize and regulate calcium.
Now get this we often thinkcalcium's just about the bones,
calcium's about keeping ourbones strong and as we get older
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especially, it's superimportant and it is.
I'm not saying it's not, butyou have to understand.
The human body, as with manyanimals, utilizes calcium in
other ways as well.
Your body needs calcium foryour muscles to move.
It's part of the process of howyour muscle cells work.
They need calcium to functionas well and for nerves to carry
messages between the brain andevery part of your body.
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Calcium is needed for that aswell.
So when you start looking atcalcium deficiency, you think,
oh, I should take more calcium.
But your body also needsvitamin D3 to convert the useful
or convert it to useful calciumto allow your body to the.
Vitamin D3 is needed to makeyour body available, or to make
the parts of your body availableto receive that calcium.
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It's a really cool process howour body does this, and it's
true for other animals as well.
Again, coming from the animalcare side, I can't tell you how
important it is.
The animal spends some timeoutside as well, even in the
winter months, because they needthat UV light to help out that
conversion.
Now here's the other part of it.
When you do get outside,sunlight will also help reduce
inflammation, and that's begin.
(06:56):
That's thanks to calcium,thanks vitamin D, thanks calcium
.
It supports your immune system.
Now, vitamin D is veryimportant for immune system.
I know a lot of people weretalking about vitamin D
injections and increasing yourvitamin D during the whole COVID
thing.
Right during all this, thisoutbreak of the pandemic Vitamin
D became super important forthose who weren't sure about
what routes they wanted to gowith medications or anything
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else, but they definitely wantedto go with the vitamin route.
Vitamin D was a big deal.
This is because it improves andhelps sustain a healthy immune
system.
It helps support it so it cando what it's supposed to do.
And then, last but not least,it helps the body metabolize
glucose.
Or basically, by sayingmetabolize, it can use glucose
appropriately, so your sugarlevels tend to stay more
(07:39):
balanced.
Now, I'm not saying you gooutside, you spread your arms
wide and your face is sun andpoof.
All this stuff happens.
Of course, you need to beoutside for a duration of time
and make a habit of it.
Get out there every day andenjoy the sunlight.
Yes, wear a sunblock.
Yes, make sure you're protectedfrom the abiding insects and
bugs and don't go walking intothe poison oak.
But spending time outside everyday, or as frequently as you can
(08:03):
, has a ton of benefits forregulating a balanced body.
It doesn't mean you're suddenlygonna feel better.
It doesn't mean you only got ahead cold, I'm gonna go outside
and I'll get vitamin D and I'llbe all better.
No, that's not how it works.
That's not how it works.
The idea is that you're livinga healthy lifestyle to maximize
your body's ability to functionthe way it's supposed to
(08:24):
reaching homeostasis, if youwill.
And then, of course, guess what?
When things like a cold orwhatever come along other
challenges, your body's healthyand able to manage it
appropriately, or you don't godown the path of being deficient
in calcium or vitamin D.
Now, other findings alsosupport, outside of what I just
told you about, that healthyamounts of sun exposure is
linked to lower blood pressureand reduce rates of
(08:46):
cardiovascular issues.
Furthermore, it also suggeststhat exposure to sunlight
triggers the skin to releasestores of nitrogen oxides which
cause the arteries to dilate,naturally lowering blood
pressure.
So this is another separatestudy from all the calcium and
vitamin D stuff is that researchsupports the lowering of blood
pressure when you're outsidewith sun exposure.
(09:09):
Daily exposure to sunlight alsosupports your circadian rhythm.
Sunlight supports better sleep.
Now I think we'll head to thehouse.
Sunlight's pouring in thewindow.
How's it going to make bettersleep?
What you're doing is you'retriggering your body's succinct
circadian rhythm to the naturalrhythm of daytime, nighttime.
We live in a world now with somuch, so much fake light, so
much man-made light.
(09:29):
We don't have to go to beduntil we want to go to bed
because we have all the lightson us.
It still feels like daytime.
I think, honestly, we couldtalk about our sleep habits and
that could be a whole otherepisode.
So we're not going to go downthat path, but I'm just saying
exposure to sunlight has beenproven to help sync up your
proper circadian rhythm, whichis going to support better sleep
and also regulates the levelsof serotonin and natural
(09:51):
melatonin.
This is important.
Again, it's not one of thosethings where you're like oh, I
haven't heard them going tosleep.
Rick said go out and be in thesun for 10 or 15 minutes so I
can sleep, fine.
No, it's about making sure youget daily exposure.
It's about making it a habit toget outside, and there's more
research on more levels as well.
Now, this paper also includedsome anecdotal evidence, along
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with some research that's beenstarted.
That basically says you justfeel better, you just feel good.
There's feel good chemicalsbeing released when you're
outside and in the sun.
One of the reasons they citethat this might be a thing is
exposure to UVB, another form ofthe UV rays we get from the sun
.
It causes human skin to producebeta endorphins, which are
(10:32):
hormones that reduce pain.
Now, of course, again you breakyour arm.
Oh, I'm fine, I don't need painrelief, I'm just going to go
lay out in the sun because Ricksaid so.
No, that's not how it works.
These are general basicexperiences.
Your body will do so, releasingand producing beta endorphins.
These hormones reduce generalpain.
Other benefits include promotingsensation of well-being and
(10:54):
improved mood.
Again, you're having a reallybad day.
You're dealing with chronicanxiety.
It's not going to change itlike a light switch.
Just get out there, do thehabit of being outside, and this
can promote sensations ofwell-being and improving your
mood.
It will boost your immunesystem.
We know this is scientific factbecause of the way we can
transfer vitamin D2 into D3 andhow that helps your immune
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system Relieving pain, promotingrelaxation, helping wounds heal
, helping people feel more alertand awake.
I'm Katie Emre.
Then we talked about that.
Get this.
This one's.
I've talked about before, infact, the last episode I said
hey, get up away from yourcomputer and go take a break, go
for a walk outside.
You heard me say that.
Right, so here's another one.
It increases job satisfactionwhen people's workspaces have
(11:40):
access to sunlight.
If your workspace does not haveaccess to sunlight or it's got
mirrored or tinted windows, gooutside, you'll feel better.
Yes, looking outside helps.
You can see the outside world,it changes your focal points for
your eyes, but it also helpstremendously with your attitude
and how you feel.
If you can get outside in thesun and some research does
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support it does reducesituational depression.
So not chronic or clinicaldepression, but situational
depression.
So if you're feeling downbecause of something, you can go
outside and go for a walk andyou will feel a little better
after that.
This is all in scientificresearch, scientific papers.
It's all there.
Another research also supportsthat getting sunlight in through
(12:23):
your eyes actually triggerscertain things in the neurons in
your brain to alleviate stressand make you feel better that
way as well.
So I have been told that it's agood idea sometimes to go for a
walk and take your sunglassesoff for a little bit to allow
the natural light in, instead ofUV blocking lenses that would
prevent those rays from cominginto your eyes.
(12:44):
Now, obviously, don't stare atthe sun.
Don't be outside for 20 hoursin the sunlight without your
sunglasses on, but take them offfor 15 minutes while you're out
for a walk.
See what happens.
So getting outside not only hasall the scientific research and
benefit from sunlight, but I'lltell you what I also know Would
.
We have the opportunity toreconnect with nature?
We have the opportunity to getour feet or our hands in the
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dirt or the sand or in the mudor in the creek or the river or
the ocean.
When you can feel and hear thewind, when you can connect with
plants and animals out in thewild, it allows you to feel more
at peace.
The hustle and bustle andenergy of our city lives, our
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busy lives, our computer lives,our lives dictated by screens.
It shortens our focal point.
It sends unnatural light wavesinto our eyes.
If you can take time, even oncea week, to truly get away from
electronics and to get outside,into a space that allows you to
feel the fresh air, to feel theearth, to be close to plants and
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animals and nature in somelevel or another, the value of
this for your body and your mindare so, so high, the value I
can't even put a number on it,honestly, and I'll tell you this
is personal experience as well.
I know this when I've beencooped up, working in my car, in
the office, wherever I might be, and for a long period of time,
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and I don't get a chance to getoutside doing man.
Once I finally do, it feels sogood and you know if you follow
along on my social media, youknow.
Every Sunday, or as close as Ican make it, every Sunday, I go
out for a run.
I choose whenever, as much aspossible, to run up in the hills
behind my house, away from thestreets, away from the houses,
away from the cars, and it is,it is so such a momentous change
(14:36):
when I have the opportunity toget outside like that, because I
do have to run probably about amile through the neighborhood
before I get into the openspaces.
And I I'm telling you right now, I count my blessings and I am
full of gratitude that I livewhere I live, that I can do this
most every weekend of the yearand I live in a place that is
close enough to open trails thatI can take advantage of them.
(14:57):
I know not everybody has thatand I want you to try as hard as
you can to find a way toutilize finding green spaces,
natural spaces or a park to getyourself out there.
There's somebody I'm connectedwith on social media.
They live in the middle of adesert but there are some city
parks and they will go into thatcity park and kick off their
shoes and walk in the grass andthey enjoy the trees for what it
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is, and that's just as good asif you're walking in the Redwood
Forest or you're in themountains of the Colorado or
you're down at the beach here inSan Diego.
Whatever it may be.
The point being is beingconscious and thoughtful of
being in the moment, being therein the wilds, being free of
your electronics, even if it'sfor 15 minutes, and that's the
other part of it.
Then, when you do find yourselfoutside, put away your phone,
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even if you're at work, and youcan put it in your pocket and
put it on vibrate if someoneneeds to get a hold of you,
right.
But what I love to do, even ifI'm doing a neighborhood walk,
honestly, but preferably out inthe hills behind my house I pay
close attention to what isaround me.
Are there lizards, rabbits,birds, hawks which are birds, I
know coyotes, bobcats,butterflies, just a fly
(16:05):
wildflowers, dried grasses,depending on the time of year,
whatever it might be sagebrush,I don't care.
Look around you.
If you're in a park, that's inthe middle of a city, what kind
of trees are there?
What's going on in those trees?
What birds are in there?
Are there any nests?
You know when your feet are inthe ground?
Are there any roly-poly'saround or earthworms to look at?
Be present in that space andrecognize it as a living being
(16:27):
on this planet.
You are very much connected toall the other aspects of this
planet.
We can't survive withoutrecognizing our role and our
part in the ecosystem we live in, even if you're in a big urban
area, we still rely heavily onthe outdoors to exist.
Fresh water, fresh air, plants,food all of the bees, butterfly
(16:52):
they help make our food.
Everything is interconnected.
When you can recognize yourplace in that, you can connect
further to that.
It helps balance you, groundyou and center you, even if it's
only once a week.
The value there for your healthis unbelievably proven in
science and I can tell you as acoach and someone who practices
this myself getting outside canhelp shift you out of the
(17:16):
frantic, high frequencycraziness of a busy modern city
life that we have, or even ifyou're just the busy modern life
of a stay at home parent.
Get outside by yourself, helpyourself, shed that energy that
is around that space.
Nothing wrong with that,nothing wrong with that at all.
Admitting that that's a thing.
(17:36):
Now I work with high performingC-suite, so CEOs and CEOs and
all the above directors ofdifferent departments in all
sorts of different organizationsaround the planet these are my
clients and it's so fun for methat when I give them this bit
of information about okay,here's your homework for this
week is to get outside, like youscheduled this.
Get your feet dirty, get yourhands dirty, get outside.
(18:00):
It is so fun for me.
Then we connect back the weekafter that assignment is given
to hear in their voice, to seein their face the how they
reconnected Some of these peoplehaven't reconnected with that
part of themselves and that partof being outside for decades
and to be able to see their faceand recognize the value that
(18:22):
they were reminded of, the valueof reconnecting with being
outside and how it's importantto them, how it's important to
the body and the mind.
It's so fun.
It's so fun.
I absolutely love it.
You haven't done this to do it.
And here's the other thing too.
Here's the other thing I workwith a lot of people.
I do work with a lot of peoplewho work with their hands and
(18:44):
they work outside a lot.
And the idea like, well, if I'mgoing outside, I'm outside all
the time.
Great, great, then you have sunexposure, you have all that.
But have you gone outside justto be outside?
Have you gone outside just toconnect with being present
outside?
Instead of, this is your job,this is your workspace, this is
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what you have to do, whetherit's construction or working on
a farm or a ranch, or animalcare or anything else that you
might do outside as a job or acareer?
Have you spent time outside,though, just to connect with
seeing what's around you,touching what's around you, and
not be focused on work, becausethe mindset's a key component to
(19:25):
it?
And same thing, same thing withthe office bound of people and
people who work outside for aliving thing.
I don't need to go outsidebecause I work outside.
They do this practice of goingoutside, to be outside and being
present Game changer.
I love it when we come back forthe next session and like, okay
, I didn't think it would be abig deal, but you know, I never
noticed.
And here's the thing too.
Once you start doing this, evenif you're just walking from
(19:46):
your car to the grocery store orwalking from the train station
to your office, you start tonotice different things outside
you don't normally notice, andyou start to recognize the value
in noticing these things aswell.
Instead of staring at yourphone while walking from the
train station to your office orfrom the car to the grocery
store, instead of looking atyour phone or checking on
something else, you're like I'mgoing to just kind of check
things out.
(20:07):
And yeah, there's trees in theparking lot, I wonder.
And there's birds in theparking lot.
Oh, there's a butterfly goingby.
And same thing in the city.
You can have urban wildlife aswell.
The value in taking time to gooutside is hugely important for
your physical health, yourmental health and your emotional
health, and I cannot encouragethat enough.
And that's going to wrap it up.
For this episode Coming up inAugust, we've got a couple of
(20:29):
new guests coming on board, sostay tuned for that.
Make sure you subscribe if youhaven't already, and if this
episode or any other episode hasserved you in any way.
I'd really appreciate a reviewor leaving stars wherever you
listen to your podcast.
If there's a way to do a reviewor leaving stars, it does help
others who are looking at thispodcast as something they might
want to listen to and go.
Yeah, oh, that sounds goodbecause, look, these other
(20:50):
people did too.
It's a great way to spread wordof mouth and acknowledgments by
doing so.
I'd appreciate it if you justtake a moment to do that.
And, of course, if you'reinterested in talking more with
me about my coaching or learningmore about me in general, just
go to my website,coachrickschwarzcom.
All the links are down belowfor the website as well as my
social media.
You can find me on Facebook,instagram threads, all the
(21:10):
things, and there's even aYouTube channel as well where
you can catch up on other things.
I've done a lot of videos inthe past about things like
imposter syndrome or breakingthrough procrastination, other
cycles, and, of course, there'sa lot of episodes here on the
podcast as well.
So, either way, you can checkthat all out.
If you would like, you can signup for a free 30-minute
discovery call where you and Iconnect, talk about coaching,
(21:31):
talk about what I do.
If we both feel that we're agood connection for a coaching
client, we'll move forward fromthere to set up how the coaching
works and all of that stuff.
We'd love to chat with you moreabout that, and if at the end
of that call, we decide, eh,it's not really going to work
out, you know, great talkanyways, no big deal.
I love having conversationswith folks and seeing where I
may be able to help out, even ina 30-minute discovery call.
Either way, wherever you are, Iwant you to know.
(21:52):
I really appreciate you beinghere.
Thank you so much for listening.
Have a good one, everybody.
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