Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist, MD: Hormetic Stress, Women’s Resilience, and the 5 Stressors That Support Longevity

Avoiding stress at all costs may actually be making you less resilient. In this episode, Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist reframes stress as one of the body’s most overlooked tools for longevity. The right kind of challenge can activate repair, strengthen resilience, improve metabolic health, and help the body adapt in ways that support healthier aging over time. Rather than trying to eliminate stress completely, she explains how to use it more intelligently. At the center of the conversation are five key stressors the body appears designed to benefit from when they’re used well: plant phytochemicals, exercise, heat and cold exposure, time-restricted eating, and purpose-driven psychological stress.  Sharon also explains why recovery matters and why too little stress can be just as harmful as too much, and how mindset changes the biology of the stress response. A study of 29,000 people found that believing stress is harmful raised the risk of dying by 43%, while viewing it as not harmful lowered that risk by 17%.  Join the most comprehensive \*female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women. https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/female-longevity-community This episode is sponsored by Zen Basil. Their certified edible basil seeds are designed for human nutrition, deliver 15g of fiber per serving, and are batch-tested for glyphosate and over 400 pesticides. Use the code KAYLA20 for 20% off. https://zenbasil.com/shopzenbasil/zenbasilseedbag **In This Conversation:** - Why the right kind of stress can improve longevity - The 5 hormetic stressors that help the body adapt - Why recovery matters just as much as challenge - Heat, cold, exercise, fasting, and plant compounds through a longevity lens - Why modern comfort may be making us less resilient - How mindset and purpose change the biology of stress **Connect with Kayla:** Instagram:https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbV9UTElwSGJwV243ZGFzS2Y4NGxWc3B6X2lZZ3xBQ3Jtc0tuVzhzdmFwR29tcXFiUzc4ZmtPVVZsNjNpNTFjSGhyZTBmSmZidy1tbmY5LVlqbXJWV1FMQ2NfREoyUFowZVBTc0hWRVkzT3N3d0hhLTdiNS1aRlFZVVI5NnZxR0dibFdzajM0X1E5YUJnWVU1MllVMA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fkaylabarnes%2F&v=2h58A7fzlMkhttps://www.instagram.com/kaylabarnes/ TikTok:https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUlkU2ZIWXRhdUd0dV9JalVzZzR4Sk51UlZzZ3xBQ3Jtc0tscG1rVTR6NGtJYjBBazcxS1lNdTZjTWVuMnFpbTJPRTFQei1HeGVKT1J2NXFSdGpFUjQzd0Q2QkhsclhsQWdvVTJ1a1g1anpaR3BxNXpqNkNrZGVZd19GQU5ySTZLVEV4d2hHMWxKT2pOMnV0eFVpOA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40femalelongevity&v=2h58A7fzlMkhttps://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/ Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22RGB0argbRPvAaQ?si=8e91b3c9e0ce4054 Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/longevity-optimization-with-kayla-barnes-lentz/id1591130227 Follow Her Female Protocol:https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGtLVzR4QV9PLS12UENWRWFCX3ZUSWU2M0pSd3xBQ3Jtc0tucmNodWluZHN0UXBKZklxa29YbUJvaHdMNHd2Ump2Y1VjU1BYNVNQVEE3enJmRWpSTTQ2UWxJR00yRldDTjVraVhzdDNXNWFEUW1pS0kxUEVjOHJtbkI2SFRyTmZ0cC1oWmRabWJJZ0FnM05USHptdw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.protocol.kaylabarnes.com%2F&v=2h58A7fzlMkhttps://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com **Learn more about Dr. Sharon:** Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegoodstressdoctor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thegoodstressdoctor/ Website: https://drsharonbergquist.com/ Order Her Book - The Stress Paradox: https://drsharonbergquist.com/the-stress-paradox Top 10 Health & Longevity Tests By Dr. Sharon: https://dr-sharon-bergquist.kit.com/ten-tests