26. Matt Maruca on Letting the Sun Back in Your Life

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Did you know that 92% of the average American’s life is spent indoors? If that doesn’t bum you out, I don’t know what will. We are creatures of light. The sun directly fuels us and gives us energy. When we actively work to block sunlight from our lives, it takes a toll on our health and well-being.

WELCOME TO THE DARIN OLIEN SHOW.

On this podcast, you’ll hear me, Darin Olien, “the superfood hunter,” have honest conversations with the extraordinary people that inspire me. I hope that through their knowledge and unique perspectives, they’ll inspire you, too.

Although our ideas and approaches to life may differ, our ultimate goal is the same- to save the planet one conversation at a time. If you’re interested in expanding your view of the world by learning new perspectives on health, nutrition, and healing the planet, this podcast is for you. 

Matt Muraca needed to figure out why he kept getting sick.

In his teen years, Matt had digestion issues that would show up after every meal. On top of his gut problems, he also had countless allergies and debilitating headaches. Even at a young age, he knew there must be a way to resolve his health challenges with diet. After experimenting with the Paleo diet and researching like crazy, he felt better, but not as good as he knew he could.

Today, Matt considers himself a student of the planet. His research has led him to focus on mitochondria. Matt describes mitochondria as “the little engines in our cells that keep us alive by burning our food with oxygen to make water and energy.” One of the most significant factors in how well our mitochondria are functioning is sunlight. The sun fuels our mitochondria, and as a direct result, it fuels us.

Matt is a passionate messenger about the power of the sun and how badly we need it back in our lives. He also educates others on the dangers of blue light and its effects on our circadian rhythm. His company Ra Optics (Ra, as in the Sun God), creates fashionable glasses used to block out blue light from computers, phones and TV screens. 

In this episode, Matt and I get into some complicated scientific principles. Bear with us, guys, we definitely nerd out quite a bit. But I promise you, it’s worth it. We really need to understand how our bodies work, at the cell level. Once you understand the nitty-gritty details of mitochondria, you’ll want to provide them with the best fuel possible so that you can feel great every day. So, go outside, lay out in the sunshine, and enjoy.