43: Cortisol, Stress & Why You Can't Just Calm Down

43: Cortisol, Stress & Why You Can't Just Calm Down

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2524252/fan_mail/new] Why can't you “just calm down"? Functional medicine expert Dr. Stacy Baker explains why fear isn't a character flaw, it's biology. She breaks down how chronic stress, cortisol, generational trauma, and information overload keep us stuck in survival mode, why fear and excitement create similar chemical responses in the body, and why mindset work alone often isn't enough to overcome anxiety. You'll learn strategies to regulate your nervous system, including balancing blood sugar, supporting your circadian rhythm, creating "safety signals," and using simple practices like morning sunlight, gratitude, journaling, and time in nature to help your body feel safe again. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or burned out, this episode will change the way you think about fear and give you tools to build resilience from the inside out. Connect with Dr. Stacy Baker: dr-stacy.com [https://dr-stacy.com/] instagram.com/dr.stacy.nd [https://www.instagram.com/dr.stacy.nd] Vibing Well with Dr. Stacy [https://open.spotify.com/show/4N9i6KvVQykcOwT46OHYSF] In This Episode: * (03:34) Information overload, fear-based marketing, and losing your intuition * (06:40) Simple ways to meditate, even if you hate meditation * (10:20) Hormones, cortisol, gut health, and the hidden drivers of anxiety * (15:00) Using your circadian rhythm to reduce stress naturally * (18:15) Good stress vs. bad stress; understanding hormetic stress Resources Mentioned: Your body is talking. This Free 2-Minute Quiz [https://bit.ly/4urhdVg] can help you pinpoint what’s draining your energy, impacting your health, and keeping you stuck. Connect with Daffney: The Game-Changer Consult [https://calendly.com/liftprowellness-info/the-game-changer-consult?utm_campaign=button_list_RequestAConsultation&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio&month=2025-11] → This 60 min deep dive offers you clarity and insight into what’s possible for your next 60 days. Leave this consult feeling full of possibility and with the energy of purpose! liftprowellness.com [https://liftprowellness.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dontfknshrinkpodcast?igsh=eHdiYWh4N3pjaW80] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5-Vd_DXrRhi_bGrFIr1A] | Merch [https://dfs-podcast-store.printify.me/]

42: How She Rebuilt Her Body, Boundaries, and Career in 8 Weeks

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2524252/fan_mail/new] Daffney shares the real story of Stacy, a mid-level professional in her late 30s who came to her burned out, sleep-deprived, and quietly giving her best energy to everyone but herself. What happened over the next eight weeks changed everything: her body, her boundaries, and ultimately her career. You'll hear how Stacy went from saying yes to everything to showing up to meetings with sharper focus, sleeping through the night, and curating her social circle with intention. And the plot twist? She didn't campaign for a promotion. She was asked into a partnership, because people noticed she put in the work. → Your body is talking. This Free 2-Minute Quiz [https://bit.ly/4urhdVg] can help you pinpoint what’s draining your energy, impacting your health, and keeping you stuck in survival mode.  In This Episode: * (02:35) Identifying energy leaks and auditing your schedule * (06:40) Building sustainable exercise routines instead of chasing performance * (11:00) Re-evaluating friendships and relationships during personal growth * (15:55) The physical and emotional transformation after eight weeks Connect with Daffney: The Game-Changer Consult [https://calendly.com/liftprowellness-info/the-game-changer-consult?utm_campaign=button_list_RequestAConsultation&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio&month=2025-11] → This 60 min deep dive offers you clarity and insight into what’s possible for your next 60 days. Leave this consult feeling full of possibility and with the energy of purpose! liftprowellness.com [https://liftprowellness.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dontfknshrinkpodcast?igsh=eHdiYWh4N3pjaW80] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5-Vd_DXrRhi_bGrFIr1A] | Merch [https://dfs-podcast-store.printify.me/]

41: The Hidden Health Cost of Toxic Relationships

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2524252/fan_mail/new] → High performance starts with understanding what your body truly needs. Take the Free 2-Minute Quiz [https://bit.ly/4urhdVg] to identify the missing pieces affecting your energy, focus, and overall performance. Have you ever felt anxious, exhausted, inflamed, or like something just isn't right in your body - even when no one can explain why? Licensed massage therapist and Reiki master, Deanna Scaldaferri, joins this episode to unpack a truth most of us were never taught: the quality of your life is directly tied to the quality of your relationships. And the toxic ones? They show up in your bloodwork. Deanna shares her deeply personal story of navigating nearly two decades in narcissistic relationships, and the shocking moment her lab results confirmed what her body had been screaming all along. After leaving, her chronic symptoms didn't just improve. They disappeared. If you've ever been told you're "too sensitive," struggled with unexplained symptoms, or felt like you've been shrinking yourself to keep the peace, this episode will remind you to trust what your body has been trying to say. Because sometimes your body knows before your mind does. Connect with Deanna Scaldaferri: healinghandsbydeanna.com [http://www.healinghandsbydeanna.com/] Facebook [http://facebook.com/share/1BKfYBaUax/?mibextid=wwXIfr], Instagram [http://instagram.com/decamde1?igsh=M2FtZ3FsM2N6dHdh&utm_source=qr], LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/in/deanna-decamillo-scaldaferri-6b242a2a5], YouTube [http://youtube.com/@HealingHandsbyDeanna] Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Community [http://meetup.com/charlotte-narcissistic-abuse-recovery-meetup-group] In This Episode: * (01:50) Why relationships impact your health more than you think * (04:40) The abandonment of self and emotional suppression * (07:50) Deanna's story: when her body started sounding the alarm * (12:10) Leaving familiar environments and breaking unhealthy cycles * (16:00) The subtle signs of emotional abuse most people miss * (22:00) How to recognize unhealthy patterns in relationships Connect with Daffney: The Game-Changer Consult [https://calendly.com/liftprowellness-info/the-game-changer-consult?utm_campaign=button_list_RequestAConsultation&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio&month=2025-11] → This 60 min deep dive offers you clarity and insight into what’s possible for your next 60 days. Leave this consult feeling full of possibility and with the energy of purpose! liftprowellness.com [https://liftprowellness.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dontfknshrinkpodcast?igsh=eHdiYWh4N3pjaW80] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5-Vd_DXrRhi_bGrFIr1A] | Merch [https://dfs-podcast-store.printify.me/]

40: Productivity Is a Trap

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2524252/fan_mail/new] Daffney challenges the relentless pressure to optimize every aspect of your life and asks a question many high-achieving women avoid: What if slowing down is exactly what you need right now? She explains why pushing through stress, exhaustion, and overwhelm often creates more problems than it solves, how your body may be sending signals you've been ignoring, and why true leadership starts with presence, not productivity. With summer routines shifting and many moms feeling stretched thin, Daffney shares a powerful perspective on creating more connection, more intention, and less guilt. If you've been running on empty and wondering why no amount of doing feels like enough, this conversation is for you. → Your body is talking. This Free 2-Minute Quiz [https://bit.ly/4urhdVg] can help you pinpoint what’s draining your energy, impacting your health, and keeping you stuck in survival mode.  In This Episode: * (01:30) The productivity trap * (04:35) What your body has been trying to tell you * (06:00) Summer, motherhood, and the pressure to be everything for everyone * (10:10) Why slowing down can actually move you forward Connect with Daffney: The Game-Changer Consult [https://calendly.com/liftprowellness-info/the-game-changer-consult?utm_campaign=button_list_RequestAConsultation&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio&month=2025-11] → This 60 min deep dive offers you clarity and insight into what’s possible for your next 60 days. Leave this consult feeling full of possibility and with the energy of purpose! liftprowellness.com [https://liftprowellness.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dontfknshrinkpodcast?igsh=eHdiYWh4N3pjaW80] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5-Vd_DXrRhi_bGrFIr1A] | Merch [https://dfs-podcast-store.printify.me/]

39: Why High-Achieving Women Walk Away (When Everything Looks Fine)

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2524252/fan_mail/new] → You’ve optimized your business. Now it’s time to optimize your body. Take the Free 2-Minute Quiz [https://bit.ly/4urhdVg] to discover what’s keeping you from performing at your highest level. What happens when you're successful and leading at the highest level but it's not your dream? Daffney talks with Sarah Elder, a former CEO who spent 17 years building a thriving art consulting company before making the bold decision to walk away and build a life on her own terms. Sarah gets honest about the years of upheaval, personal and professional, that finally pushed her to ask what she truly wanted outside of her title and her results. Together, her and Daffney dig into the trap high-performers fall into when their identity gets swallowed by their career, why endlessly optimizing yourself like a product is costing you more than it's giving you, and why real joy doesn't just happen. It requires intention, action, and the willingness to hand off what belongs on someone else's plate so you can finally lead the life you've earned. Connect with Sarah Elder: sarahelder.com [https://www.sarahelder.com/about] Substack: I Make The Rules [https://imaketherules.substack.com/] In This Episode: * (01:55) Sarah’s corporate journey; building someone else’s dream * (06:50) When career identity becomes your entire identity * (16:15) The pressure high-achieving women feel to constantly optimize themselves * (20:50) Reclaiming joy, freedom, and intentional living after burnout * (24:20) How creating space leads to more creativity and clarity Connect with Daffney: The Game-Changer Consult [https://calendly.com/liftprowellness-info/the-game-changer-consult?utm_campaign=button_list_RequestAConsultation&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio&month=2025-11] → This 60 min deep dive offers you clarity and insight into what’s possible for your next 60 days. Leave this consult feeling full of possibility and with the energy of purpose! liftprowellness.com [https://liftprowellness.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dontfknshrinkpodcast?igsh=eHdiYWh4N3pjaW80] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9l5-Vd_DXrRhi_bGrFIr1A] | Merch [https://dfs-podcast-store.printify.me/]