’Tis the season to be stressed, overwhelmed and chronically fatigued. There’s a festive thought. But that feeling of being swamped by to-do lists, meetings, appointments, shopping lists and good old daily chores, is not exclusive to the holiday season. We live connected lives – sharing, posting and liking – often at the expense of more wholesome activities such as spending quality time with loved ones or taking a quiet walk to nurture the soul.  Stress is snapping at the heels of our daily lives and possibly our longevity. So what can we do about it? Dr. Felice Gersh is founder of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine in Southern California and in this return visit to the LLAMA podcast we take on the worries that overwhelm us. Dr Gersh explains the ‘stress response’ and the action we can take to better manage our lives in a frenetic world.

Published: 11 Dec 2018 @ 09:01 PST

NOTES AND QUOTES

Connect with Dr. Gersh: Website | Twitter

In this interview we explore:

• What is stress and what does it do to the body?
• When is stress beneficial?
• Is fasting a form of stress that can be helpful to the body?
• How “just being alive” can be stressful – in a positive way.

“The antithesis of trying to be healthy and to have longevity is to live in a state of chronic stress.”

• How the stress response is part of the survival mechanism.
• How the body responds to a lack of sleep, worries or overwork.
• Leaky gut – what’s that?
• How exercise or diet-induced stress can be positive.
• How does a state of chronic stress affect human longevity?

“When you’re in a chronic stress situation you’re not rebuilding your body you’re just breaking things down.”

• How a hormonal imbalance could cause stress.
• Should we avoid watching the news to reduce stress?
• Environmental toxins and strength.
• Using guided imagery to help reduce stress
• Breathing exercises to reduce stress.

“We all should really separate from all of our devices for a time of the day.”

Other LLAMA podcast interviews with Dr. Gersh:

• March 13, 2020 | LISTEN – Coping with coronavirus
• May 21, 2018 | LISTEN – Nurturing the body clock for longevity
• July 4, 2017 | LISTEN – Advocating for  new approach to healthcare