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Stress Isn’t All Bad? Use Stress to Thrive

Jun 3, 2025

No, stress isn’t all bad. 

“Stress” is generally seen as negative and harmful. 

How can you use stress to thrive and live longer?

In this episode, learn how to create good stress for bursts of happiness and live longer. Our guest will tell us more on The Stress Paradox and share the 5 key good stressors to use stress to thrive.

Understand it here, stress isn’t all bad.

 

My Guest:

Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist, MD, is an award-winning physician, healthcare leader, and visionary researcher renowned for a science-based approach to applying lifestyle as medicine. She has helped lead clinical trials, including the Emory Healthy Aging Study and the NIH funded Emory Healthy Brain Study. Dr. Bergquist has contributed to over 200 news segments, including Good Morning America, CNN, ABC News, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR. She hosts The Whole Health Cure podcast and her popular Ted-Ed video on how stress affects the body has been viewed over six million times. 

 

Questions We Answer in This Episode:

  • [00:07:51] How can new science challenge the traditional understanding of stress as harmful?
  • [00:11:04] Why is stress important for our health?
  • [00:12:55] How do stressors work to prevent or manage such conditions like common chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes?
  • [00:15:43] Many people may feel overwhelmed by chronic stress. How can they begin incorporating mild to moderate "good" stress into their lives without feeling more burdened?
  • [00:22:34] What are the five key stressors?. How should someone choose the right type and dosage of these stressors for their individual needs?
  • [00:33:47] In your book, The Stress Paradox, you describe how hormetic stress can lower a person’s biological age. How does good stress play a role in this?

 

The Surprising Science Behind Why Stress Isn’t All Bad

The Stress Paradox was released March 25 2025. Find it anywhere books are sold.

 

Your Body With Stress

  • Our bodies are designed for brief intermittent stressors, followed by recovery.
  • It's in recovery that we're reconfiguring our mind and body to handle future stress and better.

 

What is “Good Stress”?

  • Goldilocks Zone: Mild to moderate everyday stressors.
    You’re just a little bit outside your comfort zone but not overwhelmed.
  • Over time, you are building adaptations that are making you more resilient.
  • You learn how to recover from repeat stressors, and can increase your human potential 60% to 90%.

 

Function of Cellular Stress Responses (The Four R’s)

  1. Resist oxidative and inflammatory damage
  2. Recycle damaged components through autophagy
  3. Recharge mitochondria
  4. Repair protein and DNA

 

The Five Key Stressors

  1. Plant toxins
  2. Exercise
  3. Heat and cold exposure
  4. Circadian fasting
  5. Psychological challenges



Connect with Dr. Sharon:

 

Other Episodes You Might Like:

 

Resources: