Pam Strand: Welcome to the longevity gym.

Hello, my name is Pam strand
from your podcast host.

This podcast is accumulation
of my personal and professional

experiences over the last 20 years.

20 years ago, I left my consulting
career because I was tired.

And I was tired of being tired.

I was curious about how the body and the
mind worked and how they worked together.

I was also curious about what
life could be like or would be

like if you followed your dreams.

So off I went, I became a
personal trainer and life coach.

Working with people in their middle years,
helping them get stronger and healthier.

And along the way, I also explored my
own life, not only how to be healthy

and fit, but how to create a life
that feels meaningful and satisfying.

At 64, I'm still exploring and learning.

Still helping people be stronger and
healthier and still following my dreams.

I thank you for tuning in and
listening to what I find fascinating

and helpful about fitness, health,
life, and being your best at any age.

In today's episode, I want to
have a conversation about stress.

Stress levels in our
country are on the rise.

The statistics.

I look at suggests that around 75% of
Americans report being stressed and many

of those report that it has a negative
impact or has had a negative impact

on their physical and mental health.

For that reason alone.

It's an important conversation.

But I also think it's an important
conversation because many people

will say they are not stressed.

Because they're not
worried about anything.

Yeah.

When they talk about what is going
on in their lives and in their

bodies, I can't help, but think, wow.

That's a lot of stress on
the body and its systems.

I know I'm looking at their
lives through my own lens.

But what I see does inform my view.

I think stress is so normalized in our
lives and has such a narrow definition.

They're in missing many things that
actually do put stress on our bodies.

And therefore we are missing
opportunities to relieve and manage

that stress and have greater results
in fitness, health, and life.

This conversation is also personal.

My studies.

Studies in longevity and
breath work have given me.

A new lens with which
to examine my own life.

I see where stress has been at play.

That goes well beyond anything that
I've been particularly worried about.

And now that I can see
it, I can't unsee it.

I have found a much healthier
foundation from which to live my life.

A foundation that is no longer
built on the mobilization of energy

that stress produced in my body.

And I'm working to support my body
as best as I can by mitigating

the stress that comes my way.

And also by taking specific
action to help my body heal from

the stress it has experienced.

And is.

Is experiencing.

Persistent muscle knots intention.

Joint aches and pains
or vastly diminished.

my body is more mobile and stronger.

Even though I am working out less and
stretching way less than I used to.

I have more.

Mental dexterity and flexibility.

I retain new knowledge more easily.

I'm calmer.

Mentally.

And even my voice is more
relaxed and different.

In tone, it's less tinny.

And high pitched.

My sleep is getting better and
I'm more aware of what works

for me and what does not.

And more confident.

And comfortable.

Stubble in Leaving behind that,
which is not healthy for me.

All of this has come.

I believe from reducing stress.

And building more practices that help
me replenish and restore my energy.

My journey is not over by any means.

I still have a lot to do.

It's like a puzzle.

You keep finding new pieces.

I'm figuring out where they
fit in the bigger picture.

And I'm not suggesting that my
results are indicative of results

that I might get by managing.

And controlling stress in your life.

After all stress is
unique to each individual.

But what.

What I am suggesting is that managed.

Managing and controlling.

Rolling your stress.

And intentionally building recovery
from stress into your lifestyle

can be very important health
and fitness strategies for you.

For.

When we learn to manage stress and create.

Recovery in.

And our bodies.

We also open ourselves up to greater
strength, health, and wellbeing.

Before I head into this
conversation in any more detail.

I want to note that what I am
sharing is not medical advice.

Nor is it diagnosis or treatment?

It's certainly.

Really not a substitute.

For medical guidance.

Guidance nor.

Nora substitute.

For what you know is healthy and safe for.

You.

Rather, what I'm sharing is information.

How, about how we can better support
our body systems in a way that creates

more strength, health, and resilience.

I'd like to set the stage
for This conversation by.

By talking about the energy
or the core energy store.

Store that we have in our bodies.

This is just a way I look at it,
but I look at the core energy

store as the energy that produces
that is produced by our systems.

That fuel or daily activities that help
us manage challenges, ward off illness.

Uh, work our way through
diseases and repair.

Where the body would
need is such as when we.

We have an injury.

Some of this energy.

Energy store.

Is esoteric.

Like our thoughts and our beliefs
or mindset, even our intuition.

I call it esoteric because while
we can sense it, it's difficult

to touch it and measure it.

But we know it's there and it's fueling
our lives and giving us capacity to live.

This core energy store is also,
or can also be very tangible.

We can touch.

and measure it Like the strength
of our muscles When we lift

Heavy things Or our cardio.

Cardiovascular Capacity When we climb
the stairs We'll go out for a long

run Also So Parts of this store, at
least how i lead might Not pay it.

We need it Well, Our core energy
about Our immune soft Bye Fighting

toxins Ones That come into our body
Body And repairing the bodies These

tissues When they have been demand.

Damaged It