Thank you for this article. I will share it in my Sunday column-The Sunday Snewz. For well over a decade I have been encouraging people to walk throughout the day, but most importantly early morning and at sundown. This lends more insight to what I already know and teach. Thank you.
Heather, this is one of your best! For years I have been fascinated by perception. As a sufferer of red/green color blindness the differences between what I see and what other people see has always been a question. This post made me doubly distressed. Not only is my color vision imperfect by human standards, I lack the fourth cone that would allow me to see UV. I agree that sunlight is important to us. Fresh air freak that I am, the indoor spaces have always been necessary to keep my bed and possessions out of the rain but the outdoors is where I feel comfortable. The past two warm, wet winters were a mixed bag. I liked not having a bitterly cold bed, of course. But not getting a chance to use my cold weather gear for more than a week or two before warm weather returns is a bit of a drag. 30° N is good for me. One month a year I wish I had A/C, one month a year I wish I had heat.
Heather I’m curious as to your thoughts on infrared sauna? I’m a regular user of sauna and cold plunge and would love to hear your thoughts on the efficacy of using the infrared sauna as another tool for absorbing NIR. My sauna claims to have 3 waves - near, mid and far.
Speaking of sunshine: I've seen some posts on Bret's Twitter briefly touching on sunscreen. I would be very interested in a more fleshed out take on it, as despite being a product of the 90s when sunscreen culture seemed to really become huge, I myself hardly ever put it on and don't make a huge fuss over my kid having it on either. I've rarely been sun burnt and am not convinced that it greatly reduces the risk of skin cancer as we have been told.
Love it, Heather! Been curious about this topic ever since that medcram video a year or two ago. Shared with my mom. (She always asks me what I’m learning on the Darkhorse podcast lately haha.) Sending love from Kirkland.
I will embrace my tractor time this growing season even more than before. I always felt I was out getting fresh air, making Vitamin D and now can add subcellular melatonin to the benefits list!
Another fine piece, thank you. I'm puzzled at the thought that NIR photons are somehow moved around the body and into the brain by cerebrospinal fluid, possibly in a manner similar to oxygen or nutrient transport in blood. As I read it these photons are captured and transported? Surely not? Would love to hear more. Is Zimmerman and Reiter available online?
So, my impulse is to fetish-ize my exposure to NIR (and now it comes from this scholarly post!). It fits perfectly into my post-60yo, 3-pillar approach to continued health: improve nutrition, activity, and sleep.
Then I remember I am better off improving my total life structure and resources, at any level--granular or macro. Should I only eat seasonal food...produced within what radius? Should I practice sun salutations at latitude 49? Should I clean my mouth with turmeric because...fluoride? Should I grow my own chicken feed?
Currently (because I am slow commit), I am making my responsibilities such that it is HARD TO GET INSIDE!!
I knew there was a reason I’ve always preferred incandescents!! I know the others use less electricity, but I just tend to use them when I really need to see and then otherwise get by with the ambiance of my salt lamp… there’s something about low level lighting I adore. And let the sun or the moonlight do it’s magical thing… our eyes can accommodate/acclimate to low level lighting fairly easily I’ve found
Ha! Good stuff! For some reason this essay mused me to think of the great controversy over HIV being the cause of AIDS. The broad implications of what you have outlined here are staggering....in my humble opinion anyway. Thanks Heather!
Now I know why I love being outdoors!
Thank you!
Thank you for this article. I will share it in my Sunday column-The Sunday Snewz. For well over a decade I have been encouraging people to walk throughout the day, but most importantly early morning and at sundown. This lends more insight to what I already know and teach. Thank you.
Heather, this is one of your best! For years I have been fascinated by perception. As a sufferer of red/green color blindness the differences between what I see and what other people see has always been a question. This post made me doubly distressed. Not only is my color vision imperfect by human standards, I lack the fourth cone that would allow me to see UV. I agree that sunlight is important to us. Fresh air freak that I am, the indoor spaces have always been necessary to keep my bed and possessions out of the rain but the outdoors is where I feel comfortable. The past two warm, wet winters were a mixed bag. I liked not having a bitterly cold bed, of course. But not getting a chance to use my cold weather gear for more than a week or two before warm weather returns is a bit of a drag. 30° N is good for me. One month a year I wish I had A/C, one month a year I wish I had heat.
Heather I’m curious as to your thoughts on infrared sauna? I’m a regular user of sauna and cold plunge and would love to hear your thoughts on the efficacy of using the infrared sauna as another tool for absorbing NIR. My sauna claims to have 3 waves - near, mid and far.
Speaking of sunshine: I've seen some posts on Bret's Twitter briefly touching on sunscreen. I would be very interested in a more fleshed out take on it, as despite being a product of the 90s when sunscreen culture seemed to really become huge, I myself hardly ever put it on and don't make a huge fuss over my kid having it on either. I've rarely been sun burnt and am not convinced that it greatly reduces the risk of skin cancer as we have been told.
Love it, Heather! Been curious about this topic ever since that medcram video a year or two ago. Shared with my mom. (She always asks me what I’m learning on the Darkhorse podcast lately haha.) Sending love from Kirkland.
I will embrace my tractor time this growing season even more than before. I always felt I was out getting fresh air, making Vitamin D and now can add subcellular melatonin to the benefits list!
Heather, I am so happy to find a fellow sun worshipper and disciple of infrared light and melatonin! Would love to connect:
https://romanshapoval.substack.com/p/how-to-treat-emf-radiation-part-1
Another fine piece, thank you. I'm puzzled at the thought that NIR photons are somehow moved around the body and into the brain by cerebrospinal fluid, possibly in a manner similar to oxygen or nutrient transport in blood. As I read it these photons are captured and transported? Surely not? Would love to hear more. Is Zimmerman and Reiter available online?
So, my impulse is to fetish-ize my exposure to NIR (and now it comes from this scholarly post!). It fits perfectly into my post-60yo, 3-pillar approach to continued health: improve nutrition, activity, and sleep.
Then I remember I am better off improving my total life structure and resources, at any level--granular or macro. Should I only eat seasonal food...produced within what radius? Should I practice sun salutations at latitude 49? Should I clean my mouth with turmeric because...fluoride? Should I grow my own chicken feed?
Currently (because I am slow commit), I am making my responsibilities such that it is HARD TO GET INSIDE!!
I knew there was a reason I’ve always preferred incandescents!! I know the others use less electricity, but I just tend to use them when I really need to see and then otherwise get by with the ambiance of my salt lamp… there’s something about low level lighting I adore. And let the sun or the moonlight do it’s magical thing… our eyes can accommodate/acclimate to low level lighting fairly easily I’ve found
Oh new sponsor type, after this conversation I went to Amazon to buy a NIR light. I didn't know what to buy. I could use a Dark Horse ad for this!
Does the sand at the beach give off NIR? Cause I feel like it must. 🌻🌻🌻
Ha! Good stuff! For some reason this essay mused me to think of the great controversy over HIV being the cause of AIDS. The broad implications of what you have outlined here are staggering....in my humble opinion anyway. Thanks Heather!
Heather, after listening to you and Bret discuss this on your podcast and reading your detailed Substack piece here, I was dismayed when a friend forwarded to me this link saying that incandescent bulbs are going to be basically outlawed: https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3932145-energy-dept-to-ban-sale-of-some-light-bulbs-heres-why/#:~:text=The%20DOE%20isn't%20totally,enforcement%20beginning%20in%20July%202023
I plan to stock up, but this is disappointing news. Wanted to be sure people are aware.
Great post, Heather.