In this episode, Andy welcomes Dr. John La Puma, a board-certified internal medicine physician, professionally trained chef, regenerative organic farmer, and two-time New York Times bestselling author of The Indoor Epidemic.
Did you know most of us spend about 93% of our lives indoors? Dr. John makes the case, backed by more than 2,200 studies, that where we spend our time may matter just as much as the soft skills and productivity systems we so often focus on. In this conversation, Andy and Dr. John dig into what he calls digital obesity and analog wellness, the science of morning sunlight and circadian rhythm, why looking at the horizon for just one minute per hour can improve focus and eye health, and what forest bathing actually does to your immune system. They also explore loneliness as a health crisis, the social dimension of outdoor time, and practical ways to build a 17-minute daily nature habit that doesn’t require moving to Santa Barbara.
If you’re looking for science-backed ways to boost your energy, focus, and long-term wellbeing, this episode is for you!
Sound Bites
- “Digital obesity is when you consume more pixels than you can metabolize.”
- “What people don’t understand about this is that it’s not a character flaw, that it’s a biological mismatch.”
- “People don’t appreciate that nature is actually social, and that social part is good for you.”
- “And loneliness is what? 15 cigarettes a day in mortality.”
- “Nature works through your senses. You touch, you listen, you see, you smell, you taste.”
- “You have a 56% higher function and number of natural killer cells because you are in the company of trees that are making these chemicals, alpha-pinene, D-limonene in citrus trees, many other trees, that improve your ability to kill tumor cells and kill virus infected cells.”
- “But immersion in the forest means that you’re immersing your senses in it, and the forest is, is the therapist, and the walk is the therapy.”
- “Rest is actually self-preservation and capital investment.”
- “Often you can upgrade the thinking in a room just by opening a window.”
- “But you don’t need a forest, and you don’t need a park even. You just need a sky view.”
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction
- 01:56 Start of Interview
- 02:06 Background: Origins of the Indoor Epidemic
- 07:03 Digital Obesity and Analog Wellness
- 10:33 Dr. John’s Morning Outdoor Routine
- 13:21 The Benefits of Looking at the Horizon
- 17:22 Experiencing Vastness and Awe
- 22:47 Forest Bathing: More Than Just a Walk
- 24:32 Walking Habits and Nature Recalibration
- 26:52 Loneliness and Outdoor Social Connection
- 30:04 Practical Tips for Parents
- 32:03 End of Interview
- 32:39 Andy Comments After the Interview
- 35:15 Outtakes
Learn More
You can learn more about Dr. John and his work at drjohnlapuma.com.
For more learning on this topic, check out:
- Episode 461 with Dr. Patricia Grabarek. We talk about why our typical approaches to wellness are missing the mark.
- Episode 421 with Dr. Bijoy John. He’s a practicing sleep doctor and I think you’ll find some practical ideas from our discussion.
- Episode 200 with Jeffrey Pfeffer. He’s the author of a book entitled Dying for a Paycheck and I think you’ll find his insights challenging enough to look at work differently.
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Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast!
Talent Triangle: Power Skills
Topics: Nature, Digital Obesity, Analog Wellness, Productivity, Loneliness, Forest Bathing, Morning Sunlight, Wellbeing, Leadership, Sleep
The following music was used for this episode:
Music: On Point by Steven OBrien
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Music: Energetic Drive Indie Rock by WinnieTheMoog
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license