"The leading cause of disability in this country is disuse. Most people think it's arthritis. It is actually disuse, which is so profound because we can control the leading cause that is leading to so many people being handicapped." - Dr. Sharon Bergquist

I sat down with Dr. Sharon Bergquist to explore the revolutionary concept of "good stress" and how it might be the missing key to longevity we've been searching for. Dr. Bergquist, an award-winning physician who graduated from Yale and Harvard Medical School, reveals how specific types of stress actually strengthen our cells' ability to resist damage, repair DNA, and recharge mitochondria. Her research shows that high-intensity exercise, plant phytochemicals, time-restricted eating, temperature variation, and challenging mental activities all create a beneficial hormetic response - triggering our body's natural resilience mechanisms that slow the nine hallmarks of aging. With 75% of Americans now overweight or obese and only one in ten consuming enough fruits and vegetables, her accessible approach to optimizing stress (rather than eliminating it) offers a transformative path for women seeking vibrant health beyond midlife.

What you'll learn:

• Why we need the right kinds of stress to build resilience against harmful stress

• How high-intensity interval training activates unique cellular adaptations that moderate exercise can't provide

• The truth about plant "toxins" and why they actually boost our body's antioxidant defenses

• Why restricting eating to 12 hours or less allows critical cellular repair processes to occur

• How cold and heat exposure trigger profound metabolic and cognitive benefits

• The difference between harmful and beneficial mental challenges

• Simple, accessible ways to measure your progress with at-home and basic lab tests

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Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/stressparadox