This week in the media has seen a plethora of topics from a baby pig virus that is threatening the pork industry to a University of Southern California article tracking adults for over twenty years who ate a high protein diet. The conclusions were, we have to help the baby pigs so we can get them to the marketplace and high protein diets increase cancer deaths by four times. I found great irony in these two studies. Another article form the Minneapolis Star Tribune suggested that being around stressed people could be contagious, therefore, avoid stressed out people. However, the medical related article that really interested me this week came from the Los Angeles Times and the Journal PLOS.
The Los Angelas Times has reported on a study published in PLOS ONE. First of all, what is PLOS ONE? This is an online scientific journal that publishes first and lets the readers determine the importance of the research. PLOS stands for Public Library of Scientific peer-reviewed research. This journal reported that people who were exposed to sunlight at the beginning of a day were more likely to have a lower body mass index, weigh less. This was independent of how many calories the study participant consumed.
The circadian rhythms play an important role in metabolism. The morning light help the hormones that regulate appetite, leptin and ghrelin. One study exposed patients to light for two hours after waking up while another study exposed woman to light for 45 minutes between 6 and 9 am. After three weeks, body fat was dropped. We know that exercise and hydration help metabolism. We can now add sunlight to our weight management regimen.
This study, which makes sense to me, again gives evidence of the importance of getting out in the sun. Of course you do not want to burn. Also, indirectly, the study illustrates the importance of night day. We must try not to disrupt the rhythms of life our Creator designed. In our 24/7/365 world many do not get outside. Some do not rest. Some do not breathe fresh air. I encourage all to keep listening to your circadian rhythms. I now have a prescription for myself to go to bed earlier and find some sunlight everyday instead of taking a weight loss pill.
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