March 11, 2025 • 27 mins
In this episode, Dr. Alfred Alessi and Matt Tack delve into the pervasive issue of stress in the modern world. They examine the health impacts of chronic stress on the autonomic nervous system and discuss hormonal imbalances involving cortisol and adrenaline. The conversation highlights the effects of modern stressors on overall health, including their connection to gut health, immunity, and cardiovascular disease. Comprehensive strategies for lowering stress are shared, alongside practical daily habits and steps for stress management. Listeners are encouraged to interact for personalized help, with closing remarks providing contact information and a call to action.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
And these nonstop notifications that aredinging us all the time, they keep the body in
(00:04):
this low grade level of fight or flight twentyfour seven.
Another big one, doom scrolling and informationoverload.
These contribute to chronic stress as wellbecause we're constantly being flooded with
negativity from the news.
Right?
When is the news ever positive?
When are
they ever talking about good stuff?
Welcome to Health Decode, your number onesource for real health information with your
(00:25):
host, doctor Alessi and Matt Tac.
Alright.
Welcome back to another episode of HealthDecoded.
I'm your host, doctor Alessi.
And your host, Matt Tac.
Mattie Tack.
Matt Nudy Tack.
(00:45):
Don't ask him how he got that nickname.
I'm just kidding.
Alright.
Well, welcome back to another episode.
Thank you for joining us.
Today, we're diving into a really cool topic.
Something that is ruining people's healthwithout them even realizing it.
What is it?
Drum roll.
Stress.
Chronic stress isn't just in your head.
(01:07):
It's a biological wrecking ball drivinginflammation, hormone imbalance, gut
dysfunction, and even chronic disease.
If you've ever felt burnt out, constantlywired, or like your body just isn't recovering
the way it should, this episode is for you.
What you'll learn in this episode is why stressis the hidden root cause of so many chronic
(01:29):
illnesses, the science of stress and how itimpacts hormones, the immune system, and even
gut health, actionable ways to reduce stressand support your body's central nervous system.
Chock full of information today.
Looking forward to this episode.
Thank you for joining us.
Well, let's get into it.
(01:50):
Let's talk about first off, what is stress?
Right?
And I think at the base level, this is theknowledge that people need to know before you
try to take action.
Right?
So, essentially, stress is a biologicalsurvival mechanism.
This is designed to help us react to threats.
So the body's ability to rapidly mobilizeenergy, sharpen focus, and enhance physical
(02:13):
performance in response to danger, this is anevolutionary advantage.
However, when this response is constantlyactivated in modern life, it leads to chronic
disease rather than short term survivalbenefits.
So, basically, the autonomic nervous system isresponsible for this stress response.
Now the automatic nervous system has twoprimary branches, the sympathetic nervous
(02:38):
system, which is our fight or flight, and theparasympathetic nervous system, which is our
rest and digest.
Now the sympathetic nervous system, when thebrain perceives a threat, whether it's real or
perceived, right, the sympathetic nervoussystem is gonna kick into gear which floods the
body with stress hormones, things like cortisoland adrenaline.
(03:00):
This is gonna then trigger down to cascade downphysiological changes, things like increased
heart rate and blood pressure, dilated pupilsto enhance our visual acuity, rapid breathing
to maximize oxygen intake, and then thesuppression of digestion and immune function.
That way we're conserving energy for thatimmediate survival.
(03:22):
Right?
Again, this is an evolutionary thing that wasbuilt into the human beings by God.
That way, if in a case of danger, we're readyto react and we can get out of there.
Everybody's been in that kind of situation.
However, that's not optimal to be on all thetime.
Right?
And so the parasympathetic nervous system,which is then the other side of that, the rest
and digest, this is responsible for healing,digestion, and recovery when the body is not in
(03:47):
danger.
So this lowers the heart rate.
It lowers blood pressure.
It stimulates digestion and the motility of thegut, and it allows for deep recovery.
Chronic stress is what keeps the fight orflight response dominant, thus preventing the
parasympathetic response from doing its job.
(04:07):
So a study in the journal of American Collegeof Cardiology in 2020 showed that chronic
sympathetic nervous system stimulationactivation is linked to an increased risk of
metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease,and neurodegenerative conditions.
So that's really important because if we'reconstantly in that state, our body's not gonna
(04:31):
be able to repair and do its job on the otherside.
So, you know, really the the role of cortisoland adrenaline and and why this, short term
stress is normal, but chronic stress isdestructive.
Right?
So cortisol and adrenaline are crucial in theseshort bursts, but when they're elevated for
long times can be detrimental.
So let's just talk about what they are.
(04:52):
Right?
Adrenaline or epinephrine, this is theimmediate stress hormone.
This gets released from our adrenal glands, andthen adrenaline prepares the body for instant
action.
It increases your heart rate, boosts energy bybreaking down glycogen, which is stored sugar
in the muscle, and then enhances your focus.
So once the immediate stressor is gone,adrenaline levels are gonna drop very quickly.
(05:16):
Now cortisol is the long term stress hormone.
So if the stressor persists, cortisol is gonnatake over as the primary stress response.
It raises blood sugar to provide that sustainedenergy for the fight or flight.
It's gonna suppress inflammation, and it'sgonna break down muscle tissue for fuel if
necessary, leading to obviously, this is howwhy why it's hard to recover.
(05:38):
So chronic high cortisol can lead to increasedfat storage, especially around the belly.
It promotes fat accumulation in the abdomen,increasing the risk of obesity and metabolic
syndrome.
Go back a couple episodes.
We talked in-depth about that.
It's gonna increase insulin resistance becauseit disrupts insulin function contributing to
diabetes.
(05:58):
It's gonna weaken the immune system becauseit's lowering our immune defenses, making the
body more vulnerable to infections.
Elevated cortisol disrupts our gut bacteriabalance, which leads to digestive issues and
systemic inflammation, and it can cause brainfog and memory problems.
A review nature's review of neuroscience in2018 showed that chronic stress actually
(06:20):
shrinks your hippocampus, which is the brain'smain memory center.
So ever wonder why you're stressed all the timeand you can't remember anything?
It's because it's inhibiting that.
So chronic stress leads to elevated cortisollevels, which are then associated with higher
rates of obesity, insulin resistance, andcardiovascular disease.
Gonna drive that one home here.
So the the human stress response has evolved tohandle short term threats, things like escaping
(06:46):
predators, hunting for food, or surviving harshenvironments.
Now what's the problem with that, Matt?
We no longer live in that kind of world.
Right?
So modern stressors are constant, and they'reinescapable.
Things like emails, deadlines, financial stressis a big one.
The bombardment of social media, and just justmedia in general, and these nonstop
(07:09):
notifications that are dinging us all the time.
They keep the body in this low grade level offight or flight twenty four seven.
Another big one, doom scrolling and informationoverload.
These contribute to chronic stress as wellbecause we're constantly being flooded with
negativity from the news.
Right?
When is the news ever positive?
When are they ever talking about good stuff?
(07:30):
And so a study in 2022 in psychosomaticmedicine found that persistent digital stress,
which is basically excessive screen time,social media, twenty four seven connectivity,
disrupt sleep, elevates cortisol, and increasesanxiety and depression risk.
Massive.
So what's the bottom line here?
(07:50):
Short term stress is normal and even beneficialfor survival.
Chronic stress is destructive and can lead to awhole host of issues like we discussed, hormone
imbalances, inflammation, insulin resistance,and cardiovascular disease.
Your nervous system was not designed for this.
It wasn't designed to handle this constantdigital stress, financial pressure, and poor
(08:11):
sleep on a daily basis.
So if you're feeling constantly overwhelmed orexhausted or burnt out, more than likely your
body is in a chronic stress state, but the goodnews is you can really rewire your stress
response and shift your body back into healingmode.
So we're gonna definitely talk about some morescience backed solutions in this next segment.
(08:35):
Yeah.
I think that's, you know, a lot of that comesinto the habit structure, but let's dig into
that a little bit segment two and how chronicillness or chronic stress leads to chronic
illness.
So we're gonna call this hormonal havoc.
So when stress becomes chronic cortisol, thebody's primary stress hormone stays elevated
(08:56):
for longer than it should.
So this leads to a cascade of metabolic andhormonal imbalances.
This is a good way to get blood work done toreally understand where your hormonal balances
are.
Right.
So that's something we offer, but weight gainand insulin resistance are really key to
triggers.
So cortisol triggers fat storage, especially inthe abdominal area, as we talked about.
(09:18):
Right.
It increases glucose production, which overtime makes cells less sensitive to insulin,
raising the risk of type two by diabetes.
That is something that's cascading Americaright now as type two diabetics.
Right?
So chronic stress can lead to cravings forsugar processed carbs, which open up your cab,
(09:39):
the cabinet.
And how many coffee processed carbs do we havein there?
Right.
Creating cycles of blood sugar spikes andcrashes immediately.
How often do we have that throughout the day?
So, especially when we're sitting in a staticstate, a lot of times you'll get that, you'll
get that spike and then that crash.
So a study, a 2020 review and the endocrinereviews found that cortisol dysregulation is a
(10:04):
major driver of metabolic syndrome, linking tochronic stress, to obesity, insulin resistance,
a cardiovascular disease, something that wetalk about as an ability.
And we'll talk about in future episodes is yourability to reduce that insulin resistance by,
resistance training.
So, that's something that's paramount, and, andutilizing and creating new habits.
(10:31):
Right?
So thyroid dysfunction is another thing that wewant to talk about.
Why stress slows your metabolism.
So chronic stress reduces T3 and T4 production,slowing metabolism, the metabolism, and leading
into fatigue, weight gain and sluggishness.
So this is a way just to do a kind of areprieve, sit down.
(10:52):
How often do you experience this?
Ask yourself that I think these are some goodquestions to ask.
Like, how often do I experience this throughoutthe day?
Fatigue and sluggishness?
Cause that ultimately may lead to your weightgain.
Right?
So high cortisol blocks, the conversion of theT four, the inactive thyroid thyroid hormone to
a C T three active thyroid hormone, leading tolow energy, brain fog and poor digestion.
(11:17):
Stress also increases T three or our T three,which blocks normal thyroid production.
This again is something that you can get bloodwork done and you can really understand the
evolution of what that looks like.
So burnout and adrenal fatigue and why you feelexhausted, but wired at the same time.
So over time, chronic stress, exhausts, theadrenal glands leading to low cortisol output
(11:41):
often misdiagnosed as adrenal fatigue.
So the result you wake up tired, you feel wiredat night and crash midday.
So symptoms include again, brain fog,dizziness, sugar cravings, and feeling
overwhelmed by small tasks.
So what does it look well by small tasks.
So what does that look like?
Gut health and immunity dress disrupts, gutbacteria and tributes to leaky gut.
(12:05):
So many people don't know that they potentiallyhave leaky gut.
Right.
One of the big ways is you can actually checkyour stool.
So we can dig into that in the future episodes,but your gut and brain are in constant
communication through the gut brain access.
As, many people say that your gut is actuallyyour first brain.
It's sending those signals to actually processthings before you actually think, right?
(12:30):
Chronic stress throws this delicate balance offwreaking havoc on digestion and immune
function.
So gut dysbiosis and leaky gut and how stressweakens digestion.
Right?
So stress reduces gut motility, leading tobloating, constipation, and indigestion.
(12:51):
Right?
So chronic stress alters gut bacteria.
There's two forms of this.
You have healthy gut bacteria and bad gutbacteria, right?
Leading to dysbiosis and microbial imbalanceand increased intestinal permeability, which is
leaky gut, leaky gut allows toxin, undigestedfood and bacteria to escape into the
(13:13):
bloodstream, triggering systematicinflammation.
So a study in 2019 and frontiers ofmicrobiology found that stress included gut
dysbiosis is directly linked to increasedintestinal permeability, setting the stage for
chronic inflammation and auto immune diseases.
Let's dig into this a little bit more in immunesystem suppression and why you get sick more
(13:38):
often.
We see this firsthand every day, right?
70% or more of your immune system resides inthe gut.
Meaning stress weakens your body's first lineof defense, chronic stress lowers secretary IDA
and antibody crucial for gut immunity, makingyou more prone to infections, stress can
(14:00):
trigger or worsen autoimmune condition likeHashimoto rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
And one of the big things is now heart diseaseand inflammation.
So chronic stress doesn't affect weight anddigestion.
It's a major driver of cardiovascular disease,high blood pressure and artery damage.
Those are some things that actually I looked atwithin my blood work and I had to, bring it
(14:25):
back home.
I had to look at those.
We get our blood work done roughly around everyquarter, and I wanted to get the proper supple
supplements, maybe even change around, the wayI exercise to promote lower blood pressure.
And so I don't have that artery jam at arterydamage and that block up.
Right.
So cortisol raises blood pressure by increasingsodium retention and constricting the blood
(14:48):
vessels over time.
This constant strain weakens the arteries,increasing the risk of hypertension, stroke,
and even heart attacks.
So chronic inflammation, the root cause ofcardiovascular cardiovascular disease stress
increases, pro inflammatory psychogen,cytokines, which contribute to plaque buildup
(15:08):
in the arteries.
This inflammation makes artery wall stiff andbrittle reducing blood flows, blood flow, and
increasing the risk of heart disease.
Another study, in circulation found in 2018,the chronic stress is a significant risk factor
for hypertension, heart disease, stroke due toits role in elevated cortisol, increasing
inflammation and damaging blood vessels.
(15:32):
So the bottom line is chronic stress disruptshormones, slows your metabolism, weakens the
immune systems and fuels heart disease over thelong term.
If you're struggling with weight gain,digestive issues, brain fog, or constant
exhaustion, stress could be the hidden driver.
The good news is you can reverse the damage byregulating your body's central nervous system
(15:54):
and adopting stress reducing habits, whichwe'll get into future episodes.
In this next segment, we'll dive into practicalscience backed strategies to lower stress and
reclaim your health.
But first here's a quick word from one of oursponsors.
This episode of Health Decoded is brought toyou by authentic nutrition, the brand
(16:18):
redefining what it means to fuel your body theright way.
At Fentik Nutrition, they believe that what youput into your body matters.
That's why every single product is crafted withclean, premium ingredients and dosed with
maximum efficacy to ensure you're not justmeeting your health goals, you're exceeding
them.
No fillers, no shortcuts, no gimmicks.
(16:40):
Whether it's their advanced supplements forenergy, recovery, or gut health, you can trust
that what's on the label is exactly what's inthe bottle.
Fentyq Nutrition delivers science backedformulations that work as hard as you do.
If you're tired of products that promise theworld but don't deliver, it's time to make the
switch to authentic nutrition.
Elevate your health with transparency, quality,and results you can feel.
(17:05):
Check them out today at authenticnutrition.com,and use promo code Alesi 15 to get 15% off.
That's thenticnutrition.com, promo code a l e ss I one five to save 15% and take the first
step toward real lasting health.
(17:27):
Authentic nutrition, fuel your best self.
Now back to the episode.
Alright.
Welcome back.
Now let's really get into some nuts and boltshere, and let's talk about what we call the
stress fix.
Right?
Here's some science back ways that we can lowerstress, regulate our nervous system, and
ultimately avoid some of those pitfalls that wetalked about earlier.
(17:50):
So, you know, chronic stress isn't really justa mindset issue.
It's a full body imbalance.
But the good news is we can rewire the nervoussystem to balance hormones, build stress
resilience with scientifically proven methods.
Now what do we what do we talk about with anervous system reset?
So when stress is high, we're in this constantstate of sympathetic overdrive.
(18:12):
Right?
Fight or flight is the dominant mode.
Now the key to reversing this is to activatethe parasympathetic nervous system, the rest
and digest mode because your body canrealistically only be in one at a time.
So it's gonna bounce back and forth, but it cannever be in both states.
So we utilize things like breath work and HRVtraining.
So this is how you can instantly lower stress.
(18:34):
HRV, which is heart rate variability, is a keymarker of stress resilience.
The higher your HRV means the better yournervous system regulation.
So things like box breathing, where you do afour four four four count.
Right?
You do a four second inhale, four second hold,four second exhale, four second hold, four
(18:54):
second inhale, and repeat.
That or the four seven eight breath techniquewhere you're gonna inhale for four, hold for
seven, and exhale for eight.
These techniques are gonna increase your HRV,lower your cortisol, and calm the nervous
system, and they happen almost automatically.
So if you find yourself in a stress state whereyou feel your heart pumping, you feel your
(19:15):
body's kinda wired up, you can use thesetechniques to shift into parasympathetic tonia.
So slow deep breathing is gonna shift the vagusnerve into that parasympathetic mode, which is
gonna then reduce anxiety and also improvefocus.
Some other hacks, some things that wedefinitely are proponents of, cold exposure and
sauna therapy.
(19:35):
So this is the concept of hormetic stress.
So cold exposure like ice baths and coldshowers are gonna lower inflammation and teach
the nervous system how to handle stress better.
Because if you can handle your breath andmaintain a calm state in a freezing cold ice
bath, then you can do it anywhere.
Right?
We talk about eating the worm, doing the hardthing.
(19:57):
So sauna therapy also boosts heat shockproteins, which are gonna reduce oxidative
stress and support your body's detoxificationpathways.
A study in the journal of internal medicinefound that frequent sauna use lowered the risk
of cardiovascular disease and all causemortality by forty percent likely due to its
(20:18):
ability to regulate stress hormones.
So here's a quick takeaway from that.
Just five minutes of breath work, cold therapy,or sauna use per day can help shift your body
into a calm and balanced state.
Now how do we incorporate blood sugar balanceand nutrition to manage stress?
So what you eat directly impacts your stressresponse.
(20:39):
Blood sugar spikes and crashes are gonna makestress worse, while the right nutrients can
actually support cortisol balance and nervoussystem health.
So how do we do that?
Something we preach all the time.
Stabilize blood sugar with protein, healthyfats, and fiber.
Protein from grass fed meat, wild caught fish,and eggs is gonna support neurotransmitter
(21:00):
function and keep your blood sugar levelsstable.
Healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, andomega threes are gonna reduce inflammation and
those those cortisol spikes.
And then fiber from things like chia seeds,flax seeds, cruciferous vegetables, these are
gonna slow the glucose absorption, preventingcrashes and those spikes highs and lows.
(21:21):
So then some other really cool things we can wecan add in there.
Right?
These are not just daily dietary things.
These are more like enhancers or supplements.
Right?
Adaptogens, which are natural cortisolregulators.
So the cool thing about adaptogens, herbs, anddifferent kind of, things that we can use is
that they are gonna balance you.
If your blood pressure is high, they're gonnalower it.
(21:42):
If your blood pressure is low, they're gonnaelevate it.
They're gonna help you find equilibrium.
Your body can never really overdo it.
So really good options are things likeashwagandha, which has been shown to lower
cortisol by up to 30% and improve sleepquality.
This was verified in a journal of clinicalsleep medicine.
Rhodiola rosea supports adrenal function,reduces fatigue from chronic stress.
(22:04):
Holy basil and ginseng are fabulous herbs tohelp regulate the hypo hypothalamic pituitary
adrenal axis, which is basically the axis thatcontrols cortisol output.
Other really great nutrients are magnesium andb vitamins.
These are anti stress nutrients.
Magnesium can be found in dark chocolate, leafygreens, pumpkin seeds, or supplementation, and
(22:26):
it plays a key role in relaxing the nervoussystem, reducing cortisol and anxiety.
And then b vitamins, especially b six andtwelve, are gonna support healthy energy
production and reduce stress related brain fog.
So a study in 2020 in the journal nutrientsfound that magnesium deficiency is actually
linked to higher cortisol levels, increasedanxiety, and poor sleep.
(22:50):
So takeaway here, eating for stress resiliencemeans prioritizing whole nutrient dense foods
and key supplements to keep cortisol in check.
Yeah.
And then, we want to talk about sleep recovery,obviously with that supplementation, without
quality sleep, cortisol stays high, the brainstays inflamed and the body can't repair
itself.
(23:11):
Most people underestimate how much poor sleepfuels stress and chronic illness, blue light
and late night stress connection.
You're in front of a screen.
A lot of people have blue, blue light glasses,that deflect, some of the, some of the reds and
greens, that would inhibit your sleep.
So you want to think about those things.
(23:32):
Blue light from screens, blocks, melatonin,making it harder to sleep, fall asleep and
keeping cortisol elevated at night.
Doom, scrolling emails and light network, keepthe brain in fight or flight mode, making sleep
nearly impossible caffeine after 2PM.
Can delay melatonin production by several hoursleading to restless sleep.
(23:54):
Another thing people don't get outside in themorning, right?
That's where our body is absorbing vitamin Dindirect sunlight exposure are other good ways,
to build up your melatonin supply to prepareyour body for the night's sleep.
So it happens earlier in the day and at night,but the power of consistent sleep schedules and
morning sunlight.
So going to bed and waking up at the same timeevery day.
(24:16):
Yes.
Even weekends keep cortisol and melatoninbalanced.
Get sunlight in the morning before 10AM setsyour circadian rhythm, helping your body
naturally lower cortisol at night, a dark, coolbedroom, 65 degrees and avoiding screens sixty
minutes before bedtime, improve deep qualitysleep.
(24:37):
A study in a 2020 review and the sleep medicinereview found that the lack of sleep leads to
increased cortisol, higher inflammation, andslower recovery from stress.
So prioritizing sleep hygiene and dailysunlight exposure to regulate cortisol and
build stress resilience along withsupplementation.
So the final thoughts here, fixing stress atthe root chronic stress doesn't have to control
(25:00):
your health.
Your central nervous system is adaptable.
It's all within our habits.
The best stress fixes daily breath work, coldexposure.
I love the idea of cold showers, just gettingin there for thirty seconds to a minute before
you warm up your body, central nervous systemmovement, whole foods, adaptogens, and quality
sleep.
(25:20):
So things that we four mentioned earlier, whenyou manage stress, you improve everything, your
metabolism, digestion, hormones, and youroverall longevity.
Yeah.
So
chronic stress, isn't just mental.
It's a physical wrecking ball that destroyshormones, gut health and longevity.
So small daily habits can reset your stressresponse and protect chronic stress, protect
(25:47):
your body against chronic illness.
So taking action here, prioritize your health,stabilize your blood sugar and practice central
nervous system recovery based on things wesaid.
So this episode helped you in any way, share itwith someone who you know needs to hear it.
And always like, subscribe, and leave a reviewso we can keep bringing you real science backed
(26:10):
health confidence.
That's good stuff, man.
And, again, these are all things that arehabits that we can integrate in a daily basis.
Simple things like the breath work, moving ourbody, the adaptogens, the micronutrients.
And we do this within our clinics as well.
So if you need help, if this is overwhelming toyou and you're like, where do I start?
What do I do?
Reach out.
We would love to provide you with some somemore information and practical ways that we can
(26:35):
help you take the next step to obviously getahead of that stress, destress your body, and
get on, on a path of optimal health.
So if you have pressing questions, you can sendthem to ask at alessi f x health dot com, and
we will answer them on an upcoming episode.
As always, we wanna thank you for joining us onthis episode of Health Decoded.
(26:57):
I'm doctor Lessie with my boy, Matt Tack.
And as always, stay curious, stay empowered,and remember your health is in your hands.
Thank you for tuning in to Health Decoded,where we break down the truth about all things
health and empower you to take charge of yourwell-being.
If you found value in today's episode, pleasesubscribe, leave a review, and share it with
(27:20):
someone who needs to hear this.
For more resources and personalized support,visit us at Alessifunctionalhealth.com and sign
up for our newsletter.
To hear your questions answered live on theshow, send them to ask@alesifxhealth.com.
That's ask@alessifxhealth.com.
(27:41):
Until next time.
Stay curious, stay empowered, and remember,your health is in your hands.
And these nonstop notifications that aredinging us all the time, they keep the body in
(00:04):
this low grade level of fight or flight twentyfour seven.
Another big one, doom scrolling and informationoverload.
These contribute to chronic stress as wellbecause we're constantly being flooded with
negativity from the news.
Right?
When is the news ever positive?
When are
they ever talking about good stuff?
Welcome to Health Decode, your number onesource for real health information with your
(00:25):
host, doctor Alessi and Matt Tac.
Alright.
Welcome back to another episode of HealthDecoded.
I'm your host, doctor Alessi.
And your host, Matt Tac.
Mattie Tack.
Matt Nudy Tack.
(00:45):
Don't ask him how he got that nickname.
I'm just kidding.
Alright.
Well, welcome back to another episode.
Thank you for joining us.
Today, we're diving into a really cool topic.
Something that is ruining people's healthwithout them even realizing it.
What is it?
Drum roll.
Stress.
Chronic stress isn't just in your head.
(01:07):
It's a biological wrecking ball drivinginflammation, hormone imbalance, gut
dysfunction, and even chronic disease.
If you've ever felt burnt out, constantlywired, or like your body just isn't recovering
the way it should, this episode is for you.
What you'll learn in this episode is why stressis the hidden root cause of so many chronic
(01:29):
illnesses, the science of stress and how itimpacts hormones, the immune system, and even
gut health, actionable ways to reduce stressand support your body's central nervous system.
Chock full of information today.
Looking forward to this episode.
Thank you for joining us.
Well, let's get into it.
(01:50):
Let's talk about first off, what is stress?
Right?
And I think at the base level, this is theknowledge that people need to know before you
try to take action.
Right?
So, essentially, stress is a biologicalsurvival mechanism.
This is designed to help us react to threats.
So the body's ability to rapidly mobilizeenergy, sharpen focus, and enhance physical
(02:13):
performance in response to danger, this is anevolutionary advantage.
However, when this response is constantlyactivated in modern life, it leads to chronic
disease rather than short term survivalbenefits.
So, basically, the autonomic nervous system isresponsible for this stress response.
Now the automatic nervous system has twoprimary branches, the sympathetic nervous
(02:38):
system, which is our fight or flight, and theparasympathetic nervous system, which is our
rest and digest.
Now the sympathetic nervous system, when thebrain perceives a threat, whether it's real or
perceived, right, the sympathetic nervoussystem is gonna kick into gear which floods the
body with stress hormones, things like cortisoland adrenaline.
(03:00):
This is gonna then trigger down to cascade downphysiological changes, things like increased
heart rate and blood pressure, dilated pupilsto enhance our visual acuity, rapid breathing
to maximize oxygen intake, and then thesuppression of digestion and immune function.
That way we're conserving energy for thatimmediate survival.
(03:22):
Right?
Again, this is an evolutionary thing that wasbuilt into the human beings by God.
That way, if in a case of danger, we're readyto react and we can get out of there.
Everybody's been in that kind of situation.
However, that's not optimal to be on all thetime.
Right?
And so the parasympathetic nervous system,which is then the other side of that, the rest
and digest, this is responsible for healing,digestion, and recovery when the body is not in
(03:47):
danger.
So this lowers the heart rate.
It lowers blood pressure.
It stimulates digestion and the motility of thegut, and it allows for deep recovery.
Chronic stress is what keeps the fight orflight response dominant, thus preventing the
parasympathetic response from doing its job.
(04:07):
So a study in the journal of American Collegeof Cardiology in 2020 showed that chronic
sympathetic nervous system stimulationactivation is linked to an increased risk of
metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease,and neurodegenerative conditions.
So that's really important because if we'reconstantly in that state, our body's not gonna
(04:31):
be able to repair and do its job on the otherside.
So, you know, really the the role of cortisoland adrenaline and and why this, short term
stress is normal, but chronic stress isdestructive.
Right?
So cortisol and adrenaline are crucial in theseshort bursts, but when they're elevated for
long times can be detrimental.
So let's just talk about what they are.
(04:52):
Right?
Adrenaline or epinephrine, this is theimmediate stress hormone.
This gets released from our adrenal glands, andthen adrenaline prepares the body for instant
action.
It increases your heart rate, boosts energy bybreaking down glycogen, which is stored sugar
in the muscle, and then enhances your focus.
So once the immediate stressor is gone,adrenaline levels are gonna drop very quickly.
(05:16):
Now cortisol is the long term stress hormone.
So if the stressor persists, cortisol is gonnatake over as the primary stress response.
It raises blood sugar to provide that sustainedenergy for the fight or flight.
It's gonna suppress inflammation, and it'sgonna break down muscle tissue for fuel if
necessary, leading to obviously, this is howwhy why it's hard to recover.
(05:38):
So chronic high cortisol can lead to increasedfat storage, especially around the belly.
It promotes fat accumulation in the abdomen,increasing the risk of obesity and metabolic
syndrome.
Go back a couple episodes.
We talked in-depth about that.
It's gonna increase insulin resistance becauseit disrupts insulin function contributing to
diabetes.
(05:58):
It's gonna weaken the immune system becauseit's lowering our immune defenses, making the
body more vulnerable to infections.
Elevated cortisol disrupts our gut bacteriabalance, which leads to digestive issues and
systemic inflammation, and it can cause brainfog and memory problems.
A review nature's review of neuroscience in2018 showed that chronic stress actually
(06:20):
shrinks your hippocampus, which is the brain'smain memory center.
So ever wonder why you're stressed all the timeand you can't remember anything?
It's because it's inhibiting that.
So chronic stress leads to elevated cortisollevels, which are then associated with higher
rates of obesity, insulin resistance, andcardiovascular disease.
Gonna drive that one home here.
So the the human stress response has evolved tohandle short term threats, things like escaping
(06:46):
predators, hunting for food, or surviving harshenvironments.
Now what's the problem with that, Matt?
We no longer live in that kind of world.
Right?
So modern stressors are constant, and they'reinescapable.
Things like emails, deadlines, financial stressis a big one.
The bombardment of social media, and just justmedia in general, and these nonstop
(07:09):
notifications that are dinging us all the time.
They keep the body in this low grade level offight or flight twenty four seven.
Another big one, doom scrolling and informationoverload.
These contribute to chronic stress as wellbecause we're constantly being flooded with
negativity from the news.
Right?
When is the news ever positive?
When are they ever talking about good stuff?
(07:30):
And so a study in 2022 in psychosomaticmedicine found that persistent digital stress,
which is basically excessive screen time,social media, twenty four seven connectivity,
disrupt sleep, elevates cortisol, and increasesanxiety and depression risk.
Massive.
So what's the bottom line here?
(07:50):
Short term stress is normal and even beneficialfor survival.
Chronic stress is destructive and can lead to awhole host of issues like we discussed, hormone
imbalances, inflammation, insulin resistance,and cardiovascular disease.
Your nervous system was not designed for this.
It wasn't designed to handle this constantdigital stress, financial pressure, and poor
(08:11):
sleep on a daily basis.
So if you're feeling constantly overwhelmed orexhausted or burnt out, more than likely your
body is in a chronic stress state, but the goodnews is you can really rewire your stress
response and shift your body back into healingmode.
So we're gonna definitely talk about some morescience backed solutions in this next segment.
(08:35):
Yeah.
I think that's, you know, a lot of that comesinto the habit structure, but let's dig into
that a little bit segment two and how chronicillness or chronic stress leads to chronic
illness.
So we're gonna call this hormonal havoc.
So when stress becomes chronic cortisol, thebody's primary stress hormone stays elevated
(08:56):
for longer than it should.
So this leads to a cascade of metabolic andhormonal imbalances.
This is a good way to get blood work done toreally understand where your hormonal balances
are.
Right.
So that's something we offer, but weight gainand insulin resistance are really key to
triggers.
So cortisol triggers fat storage, especially inthe abdominal area, as we talked about.
(09:18):
Right.
It increases glucose production, which overtime makes cells less sensitive to insulin,
raising the risk of type two by diabetes.
That is something that's cascading Americaright now as type two diabetics.
Right?
So chronic stress can lead to cravings forsugar processed carbs, which open up your cab,
(09:39):
the cabinet.
And how many coffee processed carbs do we havein there?
Right.
Creating cycles of blood sugar spikes andcrashes immediately.
How often do we have that throughout the day?
So, especially when we're sitting in a staticstate, a lot of times you'll get that, you'll
get that spike and then that crash.
So a study, a 2020 review and the endocrinereviews found that cortisol dysregulation is a
(10:04):
major driver of metabolic syndrome, linking tochronic stress, to obesity, insulin resistance,
a cardiovascular disease, something that wetalk about as an ability.
And we'll talk about in future episodes is yourability to reduce that insulin resistance by,
resistance training.
So, that's something that's paramount, and, andutilizing and creating new habits.
(10:31):
Right?
So thyroid dysfunction is another thing that wewant to talk about.
Why stress slows your metabolism.
So chronic stress reduces T3 and T4 production,slowing metabolism, the metabolism, and leading
into fatigue, weight gain and sluggishness.
So this is a way just to do a kind of areprieve, sit down.
(10:52):
How often do you experience this?
Ask yourself that I think these are some goodquestions to ask.
Like, how often do I experience this throughoutthe day?
Fatigue and sluggishness?
Cause that ultimately may lead to your weightgain.
Right?
So high cortisol blocks, the conversion of theT four, the inactive thyroid thyroid hormone to
a C T three active thyroid hormone, leading tolow energy, brain fog and poor digestion.
(11:17):
Stress also increases T three or our T three,which blocks normal thyroid production.
This again is something that you can get bloodwork done and you can really understand the
evolution of what that looks like.
So burnout and adrenal fatigue and why you feelexhausted, but wired at the same time.
So over time, chronic stress, exhausts, theadrenal glands leading to low cortisol output
(11:41):
often misdiagnosed as adrenal fatigue.
So the result you wake up tired, you feel wiredat night and crash midday.
So symptoms include again, brain fog,dizziness, sugar cravings, and feeling
overwhelmed by small tasks.
So what does it look well by small tasks.
So what does that look like?
Gut health and immunity dress disrupts, gutbacteria and tributes to leaky gut.
(12:05):
So many people don't know that they potentiallyhave leaky gut.
Right.
One of the big ways is you can actually checkyour stool.
So we can dig into that in the future episodes,but your gut and brain are in constant
communication through the gut brain access.
As, many people say that your gut is actuallyyour first brain.
It's sending those signals to actually processthings before you actually think, right?
(12:30):
Chronic stress throws this delicate balance offwreaking havoc on digestion and immune
function.
So gut dysbiosis and leaky gut and how stressweakens digestion.
Right?
So stress reduces gut motility, leading tobloating, constipation, and indigestion.
(12:51):
Right?
So chronic stress alters gut bacteria.
There's two forms of this.
You have healthy gut bacteria and bad gutbacteria, right?
Leading to dysbiosis and microbial imbalanceand increased intestinal permeability, which is
leaky gut, leaky gut allows toxin, undigestedfood and bacteria to escape into the
(13:13):
bloodstream, triggering systematicinflammation.
So a study in 2019 and frontiers ofmicrobiology found that stress included gut
dysbiosis is directly linked to increasedintestinal permeability, setting the stage for
chronic inflammation and auto immune diseases.
Let's dig into this a little bit more in immunesystem suppression and why you get sick more
(13:38):
often.
We see this firsthand every day, right?
70% or more of your immune system resides inthe gut.
Meaning stress weakens your body's first lineof defense, chronic stress lowers secretary IDA
and antibody crucial for gut immunity, makingyou more prone to infections, stress can
(14:00):
trigger or worsen autoimmune condition likeHashimoto rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
And one of the big things is now heart diseaseand inflammation.
So chronic stress doesn't affect weight anddigestion.
It's a major driver of cardiovascular disease,high blood pressure and artery damage.
Those are some things that actually I looked atwithin my blood work and I had to, bring it
(14:25):
back home.
I had to look at those.
We get our blood work done roughly around everyquarter, and I wanted to get the proper supple
supplements, maybe even change around, the wayI exercise to promote lower blood pressure.
And so I don't have that artery jam at arterydamage and that block up.
Right.
So cortisol raises blood pressure by increasingsodium retention and constricting the blood
(14:48):
vessels over time.
This constant strain weakens the arteries,increasing the risk of hypertension, stroke,
and even heart attacks.
So chronic inflammation, the root cause ofcardiovascular cardiovascular disease stress
increases, pro inflammatory psychogen,cytokines, which contribute to plaque buildup
(15:08):
in the arteries.
This inflammation makes artery wall stiff andbrittle reducing blood flows, blood flow, and
increasing the risk of heart disease.
Another study, in circulation found in 2018,the chronic stress is a significant risk factor
for hypertension, heart disease, stroke due toits role in elevated cortisol, increasing
inflammation and damaging blood vessels.
(15:32):
So the bottom line is chronic stress disruptshormones, slows your metabolism, weakens the
immune systems and fuels heart disease over thelong term.
If you're struggling with weight gain,digestive issues, brain fog, or constant
exhaustion, stress could be the hidden driver.
The good news is you can reverse the damage byregulating your body's central nervous system
(15:54):
and adopting stress reducing habits, whichwe'll get into future episodes.
In this next segment, we'll dive into practicalscience backed strategies to lower stress and
reclaim your health.
But first here's a quick word from one of oursponsors.
This episode of Health Decoded is brought toyou by authentic nutrition, the brand
(16:18):
redefining what it means to fuel your body theright way.
At Fentik Nutrition, they believe that what youput into your body matters.
That's why every single product is crafted withclean, premium ingredients and dosed with
maximum efficacy to ensure you're not justmeeting your health goals, you're exceeding
them.
No fillers, no shortcuts, no gimmicks.
(16:40):
Whether it's their advanced supplements forenergy, recovery, or gut health, you can trust
that what's on the label is exactly what's inthe bottle.
Fentyq Nutrition delivers science backedformulations that work as hard as you do.
If you're tired of products that promise theworld but don't deliver, it's time to make the
switch to authentic nutrition.
Elevate your health with transparency, quality,and results you can feel.
(17:05):
Check them out today at authenticnutrition.com,and use promo code Alesi 15 to get 15% off.
That's thenticnutrition.com, promo code a l e ss I one five to save 15% and take the first
step toward real lasting health.
(17:27):
Authentic nutrition, fuel your best self.
Now back to the episode.
Alright.
Welcome back.
Now let's really get into some nuts and boltshere, and let's talk about what we call the
stress fix.
Right?
Here's some science back ways that we can lowerstress, regulate our nervous system, and
ultimately avoid some of those pitfalls that wetalked about earlier.
(17:50):
So, you know, chronic stress isn't really justa mindset issue.
It's a full body imbalance.
But the good news is we can rewire the nervoussystem to balance hormones, build stress
resilience with scientifically proven methods.
Now what do we what do we talk about with anervous system reset?
So when stress is high, we're in this constantstate of sympathetic overdrive.
(18:12):
Right?
Fight or flight is the dominant mode.
Now the key to reversing this is to activatethe parasympathetic nervous system, the rest
and digest mode because your body canrealistically only be in one at a time.
So it's gonna bounce back and forth, but it cannever be in both states.
So we utilize things like breath work and HRVtraining.
So this is how you can instantly lower stress.
(18:34):
HRV, which is heart rate variability, is a keymarker of stress resilience.
The higher your HRV means the better yournervous system regulation.
So things like box breathing, where you do afour four four four count.
Right?
You do a four second inhale, four second hold,four second exhale, four second hold, four
(18:54):
second inhale, and repeat.
That or the four seven eight breath techniquewhere you're gonna inhale for four, hold for
seven, and exhale for eight.
These techniques are gonna increase your HRV,lower your cortisol, and calm the nervous
system, and they happen almost automatically.
So if you find yourself in a stress state whereyou feel your heart pumping, you feel your
(19:15):
body's kinda wired up, you can use thesetechniques to shift into parasympathetic tonia.
So slow deep breathing is gonna shift the vagusnerve into that parasympathetic mode, which is
gonna then reduce anxiety and also improvefocus.
Some other hacks, some things that wedefinitely are proponents of, cold exposure and
sauna therapy.
(19:35):
So this is the concept of hormetic stress.
So cold exposure like ice baths and coldshowers are gonna lower inflammation and teach
the nervous system how to handle stress better.
Because if you can handle your breath andmaintain a calm state in a freezing cold ice
bath, then you can do it anywhere.
Right?
We talk about eating the worm, doing the hardthing.
(19:57):
So sauna therapy also boosts heat shockproteins, which are gonna reduce oxidative
stress and support your body's detoxificationpathways.
A study in the journal of internal medicinefound that frequent sauna use lowered the risk
of cardiovascular disease and all causemortality by forty percent likely due to its
(20:18):
ability to regulate stress hormones.
So here's a quick takeaway from that.
Just five minutes of breath work, cold therapy,or sauna use per day can help shift your body
into a calm and balanced state.
Now how do we incorporate blood sugar balanceand nutrition to manage stress?
So what you eat directly impacts your stressresponse.
(20:39):
Blood sugar spikes and crashes are gonna makestress worse, while the right nutrients can
actually support cortisol balance and nervoussystem health.
So how do we do that?
Something we preach all the time.
Stabilize blood sugar with protein, healthyfats, and fiber.
Protein from grass fed meat, wild caught fish,and eggs is gonna support neurotransmitter
(21:00):
function and keep your blood sugar levelsstable.
Healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, andomega threes are gonna reduce inflammation and
those those cortisol spikes.
And then fiber from things like chia seeds,flax seeds, cruciferous vegetables, these are
gonna slow the glucose absorption, preventingcrashes and those spikes highs and lows.
(21:21):
So then some other really cool things we can wecan add in there.
Right?
These are not just daily dietary things.
These are more like enhancers or supplements.
Right?
Adaptogens, which are natural cortisolregulators.
So the cool thing about adaptogens, herbs, anddifferent kind of, things that we can use is
that they are gonna balance you.
If your blood pressure is high, they're gonnalower it.
(21:42):
If your blood pressure is low, they're gonnaelevate it.
They're gonna help you find equilibrium.
Your body can never really overdo it.
So really good options are things likeashwagandha, which has been shown to lower
cortisol by up to 30% and improve sleepquality.
This was verified in a journal of clinicalsleep medicine.
Rhodiola rosea supports adrenal function,reduces fatigue from chronic stress.
(22:04):
Holy basil and ginseng are fabulous herbs tohelp regulate the hypo hypothalamic pituitary
adrenal axis, which is basically the axis thatcontrols cortisol output.
Other really great nutrients are magnesium andb vitamins.
These are anti stress nutrients.
Magnesium can be found in dark chocolate, leafygreens, pumpkin seeds, or supplementation, and
(22:26):
it plays a key role in relaxing the nervoussystem, reducing cortisol and anxiety.
And then b vitamins, especially b six andtwelve, are gonna support healthy energy
production and reduce stress related brain fog.
So a study in 2020 in the journal nutrientsfound that magnesium deficiency is actually
linked to higher cortisol levels, increasedanxiety, and poor sleep.
(22:50):
So takeaway here, eating for stress resiliencemeans prioritizing whole nutrient dense foods
and key supplements to keep cortisol in check.
Yeah.
And then, we want to talk about sleep recovery,obviously with that supplementation, without
quality sleep, cortisol stays high, the brainstays inflamed and the body can't repair
itself.
(23:11):
Most people underestimate how much poor sleepfuels stress and chronic illness, blue light
and late night stress connection.
You're in front of a screen.
A lot of people have blue, blue light glasses,that deflect, some of the, some of the reds and
greens, that would inhibit your sleep.
So you want to think about those things.
(23:32):
Blue light from screens, blocks, melatonin,making it harder to sleep, fall asleep and
keeping cortisol elevated at night.
Doom, scrolling emails and light network, keepthe brain in fight or flight mode, making sleep
nearly impossible caffeine after 2PM.
Can delay melatonin production by several hoursleading to restless sleep.
(23:54):
Another thing people don't get outside in themorning, right?
That's where our body is absorbing vitamin Dindirect sunlight exposure are other good ways,
to build up your melatonin supply to prepareyour body for the night's sleep.
So it happens earlier in the day and at night,but the power of consistent sleep schedules and
morning sunlight.
So going to bed and waking up at the same timeevery day.
(24:16):
Yes.
Even weekends keep cortisol and melatoninbalanced.
Get sunlight in the morning before 10AM setsyour circadian rhythm, helping your body
naturally lower cortisol at night, a dark, coolbedroom, 65 degrees and avoiding screens sixty
minutes before bedtime, improve deep qualitysleep.
(24:37):
A study in a 2020 review and the sleep medicinereview found that the lack of sleep leads to
increased cortisol, higher inflammation, andslower recovery from stress.
So prioritizing sleep hygiene and dailysunlight exposure to regulate cortisol and
build stress resilience along withsupplementation.
So the final thoughts here, fixing stress atthe root chronic stress doesn't have to control
(25:00):
your health.
Your central nervous system is adaptable.
It's all within our habits.
The best stress fixes daily breath work, coldexposure.
I love the idea of cold showers, just gettingin there for thirty seconds to a minute before
you warm up your body, central nervous systemmovement, whole foods, adaptogens, and quality
sleep.
(25:20):
So things that we four mentioned earlier, whenyou manage stress, you improve everything, your
metabolism, digestion, hormones, and youroverall longevity.
Yeah.
So
chronic stress, isn't just mental.
It's a physical wrecking ball that destroyshormones, gut health and longevity.
So small daily habits can reset your stressresponse and protect chronic stress, protect
(25:47):
your body against chronic illness.
So taking action here, prioritize your health,stabilize your blood sugar and practice central
nervous system recovery based on things wesaid.
So this episode helped you in any way, share itwith someone who you know needs to hear it.
And always like, subscribe, and leave a reviewso we can keep bringing you real science backed
(26:10):
health confidence.
That's good stuff, man.
And, again, these are all things that arehabits that we can integrate in a daily basis.
Simple things like the breath work, moving ourbody, the adaptogens, the micronutrients.
And we do this within our clinics as well.
So if you need help, if this is overwhelming toyou and you're like, where do I start?
What do I do?
Reach out.
We would love to provide you with some somemore information and practical ways that we can
(26:35):
help you take the next step to obviously getahead of that stress, destress your body, and
get on, on a path of optimal health.
So if you have pressing questions, you can sendthem to ask at alessi f x health dot com, and
we will answer them on an upcoming episode.
As always, we wanna thank you for joining us onthis episode of Health Decoded.
(26:57):
I'm doctor Lessie with my boy, Matt Tack.
And as always, stay curious, stay empowered,and remember your health is in your hands.
Thank you for tuning in to Health Decoded,where we break down the truth about all things
health and empower you to take charge of yourwell-being.
If you found value in today's episode, pleasesubscribe, leave a review, and share it with
(27:20):
someone who needs to hear this.
For more resources and personalized support,visit us at Alessifunctionalhealth.com and sign
up for our newsletter.
To hear your questions answered live on theshow, send them to ask@alesifxhealth.com.
That's ask@alessifxhealth.com.
(27:41):
Until next time.
Stay curious, stay empowered, and remember,your health is in your hands.
Popular Podcasts
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes present: Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial
Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Betrayal: Season 4
Karoline Borega married a man of honor – a respected Colorado Springs Police officer. She knew there would be sacrifices to accommodate her husband’s career. But she had no idea that he was using his badge to fool everyone. This season, we expose a man who swore two sacred oaths—one to his badge, one to his bride—and broke them both. We follow Karoline as she questions everything she thought she knew about her partner of over 20 years. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-3 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.