245: Ari Whitten on Fighting Fatigue and Anxiety With Sauna, Hormesis, NRF2 & Sun Exposure

If I gave out an award for the most popular guest of all time, it would have to go to Ari Whitten! This may seem ironic since he’s not a mom, but Ari is pretty much a limitless source of knowledge on so many topics that affect families today. Case in point: he researched and created a system called The Energy Blueprint for fighting fatigue and increasing energy levels… something all of us as moms could certainly use help with!

Today we go deep on the best tools for improving overall health and vitality, and it’s not just the usual diet and exercise advice. Drawing on 20 years of studying and teaching health science, Ari explains why saunas are literally one of the most powerful (and overlooked) “medicines” available to us, as well as free and easy ways to activate and support our body’s natural energy pathways.

Episode Highlights on Fighting Fatigue

• The real roots of anxiety and depression
• The reason sauna use reduces cardiovascular disease mortality (over 60%!)
• A good rule of thumb for how much sauna use and how long
• Why detoxification is NOT the main benefit of sauna use
• How hormesis benefits you
• How using the sauna 4-7 times a week can reduce risk of neurodegenerative disease by 70% compared to using once a week
• Why you need to know about the Nrf2 pathway
• How to create mitochondrial biogenesis (new mitochondria regeneration)
• What mitochondrial psychobiology is and how it might help you
• The strange links between anxiety, depression, and neurodegenerative disease
• Why things like fatigue, brain fog, and other problems often go hand in hand
• The link between inflammation and depression
• How a recent study showed that sauna use had long-lasting antidepressant activity
• Other types of hormesis: fasting, phytonutrients for plants
• What xenohormetic phytochemicals are and how their pro-oxidant activity can stimulate Nrf2
• Yet another reason to eat enough greens!
• What you really need to know about the endocannabinoid system
• How avoiding sun exposure is as big of a risk factor for health as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day
• Why vitamin D supplements aren’t enough to replace sun exposure

Resources We Mention

• The Energy Blueprint
• Books by Ari Whitten
• Ojai Energetics CBD Oil
• Joovv Red Light Therapy
• Vitamin D

More From Wellness Mama

• 142: Is Adrenal Fatigue Real or Just Bad Science? With Ari Whitten
• 94: Low Level Red Light Therapy for Cellular Health and Healing
• 189: How Red Light Therapy or Photobiomodulation Works & How to Get the Benefits With Joovv
• 209: Sun Protection and Anti-Aging From the Inside Out With Polypodium Leucotomos
• 217: Do Saunas Work? Understanding the Benefits With Sunlighten Founder Connie Zack
• 243: Using an Adrenal ReCode to Calm the Nervous System With Christa Orecchio
• Infrared Sauna Benefits (& the Risks)
• Benefits of Safe Sun Exposure for Reduced Cancer Risk (& Vitamin D)
• Why I Eat My Sunscreen to Protect Skin From the Inside Out
• The Benefits of Red Light Therapy (Photobiomodulation)
• Why to Avoid Energy Drinks (& What to Drink Instead)

Do you use any of these energy-boosting methods? Do you have questions I can pass on to Ari? Please drop a comment below or leave a review on iTunes to let me know. I value knowing what you think and this helps other moms find the podcast too.

Thank You to Today’s Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by Alitura Naturals skincare. You guys loved the founder, Andy, when he came on this podcast to talk about his own skin healing journey after a tragic accident that caused massive scarring on his face. From this experience he developed some of the most potent and effective natural skin care options from serums to masks and the results are visible in his perfectly clear skin that is free of scars! I love the mask and use it a couple times a week, and often use the gold serum at night to nourish my skin while I sleep. All of their products have super clean ingredients and they really work! Andy is absolutely dedicated to creating the highest quality products possible and it shows. Check them out at alituranaturals.com/wellnessmama and use the discount code WELLNESS to get 20% off.

This podcast is sponsored by Thrive Market, a company I’ve known and loved since the very beginning. Their goal is to make real food affordable to everyone and they now help their half a million members, including me, get the organic foods we love delivered to our door for less! Think of an online combination of Costco and whole foods with tons of organic, allergy friendly, paleo, vegan, keto, and other options. The annual membership earns you free gifts and guaranteed savings, and sponsors a free membership for a low-income family. You’ll get 25-50% off top brands and I also always order the new Thrive Market brand products that provide an even bigger discount on their 500+ high quality products. Check it out and save 25% on your first order by going to thrivemarket.com/wm