logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2025
1h 16m

TMHS 881: Why You NEED Stress to Live Lo...

SHAWN STEVENSON
About this episode

Most people understand that we have the ability to grow from adversity, yet in our culture we have a largely negative view of stress. In fact, we often do our best to avoid stress at all costs. Today, you’re going to learn about specific stress response systems that are part of our biology, and how to activate them in order to build resilience. Our guest is award-winning physician, Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist. Her new book, The Stress Paradox, explains the critical connection our biology has with stress. Her work explores how we can engage in purposeful healthy stressors to increase resilience and reap multiple health benefits. You’re going to learn the science behind how and why to activate your innate cellular stress responses. We’re going to talk about how specific strategies, like eating more plant toxins and engaging in high intensity exercise, can help you build a healthier, more robust stress response system. Not only will these protocols help you develop a healthier relationship to stress, but they will also reduce your risk of diseases and increase your longevity. I hope you enjoy this incredible conversation with Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquest! In this episode you’ll discover: 

  • What hormesis is and how it can enrich us.  
  • Why we don’t need to minimize stress but optimize it.  
  • How having too little stress can stop us from reaching our potential.  
  • The three variables of stress.  
  • What eustress is.  
  • How to understand the stress set point.  
  • What the 4 Rs are.  
  • How the DNA damage response works.  
  • What sirtuins are and how to activate them.  
  • How autophagy works.   
  • What’s missing from the conversation about plant toxins.   
  • The importance of eating a diverse range of phytochemicals.  
  • What heat shock proteins are.  
  • How to improve your body’s ability to regulate inflammation.  
  • The 5 key hormetic stressors.  
  • What the most potent way to upregulate your mitochondria is.  
  • The strongest predictor of mortality and disease.  
  • Why experiencing good stress actually lowers your baseline level of stress.  

Items mentioned in this episode include: 

Be sure you are subscribed to this podcast to automatically receive your episodes:  

This episode of The Model Health Show is brought to you by Organifi. 

Organifi makes nutrition easy and delicious for everyone. Take 20% off your order with the code MODEL at organifi.com/model

Up next
Aug 20
Build Financial Fitness & Transform Your Relationship With Money
If you have strong habits surrounding your health and fitness goals, then you understand the power of having intentional habits and the right mindset. The same is true for finances. Having a strong level of financial health can be a powerful factor in influencing your health, str ... Show More
1h 27m
Aug 18
The Root Cause of Parkinson’s Disease & How To Prevent It - With Dr. Ray Dorsey
Parkinson’s disease has become the world’s fastest growing neurological disease, and its progression is fast and deadly. Because only a small percentage of cases of Alzheimer’s disease are caused by genes, researchers have been studying what is at the root of this issue. On this ... Show More
58m 34s
Aug 13
Burn Belly Fat FAST With This 3 Step Strategy | Ben Greenfield
Maintaining a healthy waistline isn’t just about aesthetics. Unwanted belly fat is also linked to a variety of heightened health risks. On today’s show, you’re going to learn the truth about belly fat – including what it is, how it differs from other body fat, and how to eliminat ... Show More
1h 12m
Recommended Episodes
Aug 8
5 Quick Tips to Meltdown Dangerous Belly Fat (That No One Talks About!)
In this episode, Dr. David Jockers shares key strategies to melt dangerous belly fat, starting with eliminating processed foods and seed oils to boost metabolism. He explains why prioritizing protein in your meals supports fat burning and muscle growth. Dr. Jockers also reveals h ... Show More
12m 30s
Jan 2025
How To Get Rid of Menopause Belly Fat the Fastest & Simplest Way
In today's deep dive, I'm breaking down the science of menopause belly fat and sharing game-changing strategies that actually work. As women enter perimenopause, the triple threat of low estrogen, elevated insulin, and high cortisol creates the perfect storm for accumulating dang ... Show More
26m 24s
Apr 2025
This Is How to Burn More Belly Fat
Many people want to transform their bodies, whether it's for health reasons or simply to feel more confident in their appearance… Regardless of your reasons, it's important to understand that stubborn belly fat, particularly around the midsection, can pose serious health risks. T ... Show More
16m 15s
Oct 2024
Dr. Mindy Pelz: #1 Question to Ask Yourself if You Want to Get Rid of Your Belly Fat & The ONE ingredient to Add to Your Diet that Will Suppress Your Appetite
Have you ever tried different ways to get rid of belly fat? Have you ever tried different ways to suppress your appetite? Today, Jay welcomes women’s health expert, bestselling author, and podcast host Dr. Mindy Pelz to discuss how women can optimize their health, particularly th ... Show More
1h 30m
Jul 20
#1059 The 6 Biggest Lies Your Doctor Told You About Fat Loss, Aging, and Metabolism—And What to Do Instead With Ben Azadi
In this episode, Ben Azadi reveals 6 truths your doctor won’t tell you about fat loss, aging, and metabolic health. Learn why fasting beats grazing, why you should eat fat to burn fat, how your lifestyle—not your genes—determines your health, and why muscle is your ultimate longe ... Show More
19m 34s
Jul 2024
#837 Weight Loss Expert: "Easy Daily Hacks To Melt Fat, Build Muscle & Stay Young Forever" with Mike Mutzel
Today, I am blessed to have Mike Mutzel here with me. Mike has a B.S. in Biology from Western Washington University and an M.S. in Clinical Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport and is a graduate of the Institute for Functional Medicine’s (IFM) Applying Functional Medicine ... Show More
1h 47m
Jul 2024
424: Make Fat Loss Easy | Your Go-To Guide On How To Lose Body Fat - Eric Trexler
Welcome to today's episode, where we delve deep into the science and strategies to make fat loss easier with none other than Dr Eric Trexler.We'll discuss everything from the size of your calorie deficit, to how filling is protein really to whether or not you should try yohimbine ... Show More
1h 42m
Aug 2024
2679: 6 Reasons You Shouldn’t Use Exercise as Your #1 Weight Loss Tool by Jill Coleman of JillFit on Losing Bodyfat
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com.Episode 2679:Jill Coleman explains why relying on exercise alone for weight loss is misguided, emphasizing the greater impact of die ... Show More
12m 1s
Jun 18
Part 221 - Easy Fat Loss with Natural Hormone Optimization w/ Chris Kruger
Chris Kruger returns to Peak Human for an electrifying, no-nonsense breakdown of why the calorie paradigm is broken, how hormone health is the real foundation of lifelong fitness, and what he calls the “Forever Jeans” formula — a simple, powerful way to track your health without ... Show More
1h 22m