Make Stress Your Superpower in Midlife and Menopause with Sharon Horesh Bergquist, MD (Episode 245)
We’re told stress (looking at you cortisol) is the enemy in midlife—but that’s too simple. In the right dose (and with real recovery), stress is good medicine that builds resilience and makes us stronger, in sport, at work, and in life. In this episode, we dive into the “stress that helps” with Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist—physician, researcher, and author of The Stress Paradox. We break down hormesis (the just-enough stress plus recovery cycle), how the right doses of stress in the form of training, plant phytochemicals, hot/cold exposure, and smart time-restricted eating activates cellular defense pathways that ultimately rebuild us to be stronger right down to our DNA. We also dive into how to stack stressors without tipping into overload, which is key for active midlife women, so we can live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
Sharon Bergquist, MD, is a board-certified physician, researcher, and pioneer in lifestyle medicine. She has led $61M in clinical trials on lifestyle interventions and early biomarkers of chronic disease. Her book, The Stress Paradox: Why You Need Stress to Live Longer, Healthier, and Happier (HarperCollins, Mar 2025), unpacks how daily habits activate the body’s regenerative systems. An Emory University faculty physician since 2000, she earned a B.S. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale, an M.D. from Harvard, and trained in internal medicine at Brigham & Women’s. Her TED-Ed lesson has 8M+ views, and she’s been featured by Good Morning America, CNN, ABC News, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR. You can learn more about her and her work and sign up for her newsletter at drsharonbergquist.com
Resources:
The Stress Paradox book: drsharonbergquist.com/the-stress-paradox
Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/
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Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/
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Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause
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Eternal - Get 15% off their services with code FEISTY15 at https://eternal.co
Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/
Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/
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More description
We’re told stress (looking at you cortisol) is the enemy in midlife—but that’s too simple. In the right dose (and with real recovery), stress is good medicine that builds resilience and makes us stronger, in sport, at work, and in life. In this episode, we dive into the “stress that helps” with Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist—physician, researcher, and author of The Stress Paradox. We break down hormesis (the just-enough stress plus recovery cycle), how the right doses of stress in the form of training, plant phytochemicals, hot/cold exposure, and smart time-restricted eating activates cellular defense pathways that ultimately rebuild us to be stronger right down to our DNA. We also dive into how to stack stressors without tipping into overload, which is key for active midlife women, so we can live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
Sharon Bergquist, MD, is a board-certified physician, researcher, and pioneer in lifestyle medicine. She has led $61M in clinical trials on lifestyle interventions and early biomarkers of chronic disease. Her book, The Stress Paradox: Why You Need Stress to Live Longer, Healthier, and Happier (HarperCollins, Mar 2025), unpacks how daily habits activate the body’s regenerative systems. An Emory University faculty physician since 2000, she earned a B.S. in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale, an M.D. from Harvard, and trained in internal medicine at Brigham & Women’s. Her TED-Ed lesson has 8M+ views, and she’s been featured by Good Morning America, CNN, ABC News, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR. You can learn more about her and her work and sign up for her newsletter at drsharonbergquist.com
Resources:
The Stress Paradox book: drsharonbergquist.com/the-stress-paradox
Sign up for our FREE Feisty 40+ newsletter: https://feisty.co/feisty-40/
Join Feisty at the Grand Traverse in Duluth, MN on October 3rd! Use code FEISTY20 for $20 off when you register at https://feisty.co/events/the-grand-traverse/
Learn More about our 2026 Feisty Events, including Bike Camps and Cycling Trips: https://feisty.co/events/
Follow Us on Instagram:
Feisty Menopause: @feistymenopause
Hit Play Not Pause Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/807943973376099
Support our Partners:
Cozy Earth: Use Code HITPLAY at https://cozyearth.com/ for up to 20% off
Eternal - Get 15% off their services with code FEISTY15 at https://eternal.co
Midi Health: You Deserve to Feel Great. Book your virtual visit today at https://www.joinmidi.com/
Previnex: Get 15% off your first order with code HITPLAY at https://www.previnex.com/
Wahoo: Use the code FEISTY2026 to get a free Headwind Smart Fan (value $300) with the purchase of a Wahoo KICKR RUN at https://shorturl.at/WVhdr
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