Ep 212: Reset Health by Starting with Stress

Doni Wilson, author of  Master Your Stress, Reset Your
Health, joins us to explain the science behind the body’s stress
response. We talk about how everyone’s reaction to stress is
unique, and how teens can take some steps to de-stress.


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Full show notes


Today’s teens are at risk of major stress overload. On top of
managing their grades and competing for spots at exclusive
universities, they’re battling the onslaught of a recession and a
world battered by a pandemic. They’ve also got to navigate a
complicated digital landscape! With phone notifications going off
every five minutes demanding their attention, it’s no wonder
teens are chronically stressed out.





You may have heard of some stress relief methods for kids, like
yoga, journaling, or taking long walks...but do they really work?
Do teens need to go to therapy to feel better? Should they quit
their extracurriculars to make more time for relaxation? What
could possibly give kids the stress relief they need?





The bottom line is, stress isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither
is the solution! If we want to find out how teens can de-stress,
we’ll have to learn more about how each teen’s body processes
stress in the first place.





To learn more about the nuances of stress and possible solutions,
we’re talking to Dr. Doni Wilson, author of Master Your Stress,
Reset Your Health. Doni is a doctor of naturopathic medicine, a
certified nutrition specialist, a bestselling author and an
internationally renowned speaker! As a clinician, Doni focuses on
stress recovery–specifically the regulation of hormones like
adrenaline and cortisol.





In our interview, Doni is breaking down the body’s stress
response and how it affects everyone differently. We’re also
discussing how teens can take some steps towards de-stressing,
and how we can spot a teen that’s overwhelmed by stress.



Cortisol And Adrenaline


Let’s say your teen is driving, only a few weeks after getting
their license. They’re on the freeway, trying to merge into
traffic, when suddenly a huge truck shows up on their left. They
might feel a jolt of panic, as their body alerts itself to this
new danger. This sensation is a result of their adrenal glands
releasing adrenaline, says Doni, which is the body's first
response to a stressful situation.





The human brain is constantly monitoring its environment, ready
to react to stress at any moment–and when something sets off a
stress response, our adrenal glands get to work, says Doni. With
the release of adrenaline, our bodies go into flight or flight
mode, alerting our sympathetic nervous system and making us more
alert.





When responding to stress, our body also produces cortisol,
another hormone. This raises our blood sugar, halts our
digestion, and suppresses our immune system so that our body can
devote all its energy to handling the stressor at hand, says
Doni.





These chemicals are necessary for human survival, as they help
humans navigate intense situations–like our teen avoiding a truck
on the road. But these hormones are supposed to subside once
teens aren’t stressed anymore, so that the body can reset
itself. 





When teens' lives are filled up with tests, college admissions
essays, football practice, keeping up with their friends on the
internet and worrying over the state of the world, they’re not
giving their body a break from the stress. This can cause their
stress monitoring systems to go haywire! Doni explains this
system failure further in the episode, and the repercussions it
can have on teens’ health.





If we want teens to relieve their chronic stress, they’ll have to
help their body reset. But how can they do this? In the episode,
Doni is explaining how everyone’s body is different–so treatment
has to be unique.



Address The High Stress


De-stressing looks different for everyone, Doni says. That’s
because everyone’s body responds to stress differently. Everyone
has varying levels of cortisol and adrenaline, she explains. Some
people have a cortisol deficit and others produce too much. Some
people are more prone to producing stress hormones in the
morning, while others get stressed in the evening. There’s no
one-size-fits-all solution to such a complex and varying problem,
Doni says.





Some of these differences can be attributed to genetics. Doni
explains that some people are genetically predisposed to produce
more cortisol, and feel higher levels of stress. There are also
genetic differences that affect how quickly these hormones are
metabolized. For some, a stress response can last a few minutes,
while others feel stressed for hours. There are also generational
aspects, Doni explains–the stress our parents and grandparents
experienced can have an effect on how our own bodies process
stress.





Because everyone’s stress response is different, every individual
requires a unique solution, says Doni. Instead of assigning
blanket remedies for stress, Doni suggests taking your kid to a
doctor to have their adrenaline and cortisol levels measured. In
doing so, you can find out specific information about how your
teen is handling all the stress of modern teen life–and how you
can help them manage it.





To get you started, however, Doni reveals some practices she
often shares with her patients to help them both resolve and
prevent stress.



Stress Relief Basics


A huge part of healing from chronic stress comes from certain
herbs and nutrients, according to Doni. As she explains in our
interview, chemicals like dopamine and serotonin that make us
feel happy and content come from amino acids–which ultimately are
produced by our diet! Eating nutritious foods can help us reset
our systems and can even prevent teens from becoming overly
stressed.





Doni also recommends teens get adequate sleep. Humans need about
seven to nine hours of sleep each night  to maintain a
healthy lifestyle, she explains, and without this, teens can
easily become susceptible to stress. Exercise can help, but not
always, says Doni, as it can raise cortisol levels for some
depending on the intensity of the workout. Higher cortisol levels
can make it harder to sleep, so Doni encourages teens to avoid
exercising before bed.





If you’re worried that your teen might be overwhelmed by stress,
Doni says there’s a few signs you can look out for. Chronic
headaches and stomachs can be the result of constant stress, as
can tiredness. If teens show a sudden disinterest in something
they used to enjoy, they might be struggling under a load of
stress they can’t seem to get rid of. Doni suggests taking your
teen to a doctor and having their hormone levels measured, to
find individualized treatment that actually works!



In the Episode….


If your teen is chronically stressed out, you won’t want to miss
this episode. On top of the topics discussed above, we also talk
about:


How chronic stress can lead to autoimmune disorders

Why scheduling can help teens de-stress

How teens can stick to new habits

Why humans need some stress to function properly



You can find more of Doni’s work on her website,