Ep. 304: Dr. Sharon Bergquist: The Stress Paradox - Why You Need Stress to Live Longer, Healthier, and Happier
PLANTSTRONG Podcast
Rip Esselstyn
4.8 • 2.3K Ratings
🗓️ 5 June 2025
⏱️ 128 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What if stress isn’t the enemy—but a secret ingredient for a longer, healthier life?
Rip is joined by Dr. Sharon Horesh Bergquist, physician, scientist, and author of The Stress Paradox, to explore how certain types of stress can actually help us thrive.
In this conversation, we’ll explore what she calls "good stress" and her five key stressors that can enhance our longevity and healthspan:
- Plant-based phytochemicals
- Intermittent intense exercise
- Thermal stress (heat and cold exposure)
- Circadian fasting
- Mental and emotional challenges
These kinds of stressors can actually activate the body’s repair systems and boost our physical and mental health.
You’ll also learn why modern comfort might be making us sicker, how to safely introduce beneficial stress into our lives, and practical, actionable strategies for building resilience and boosting vitality.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the idea that stress is something to avoid at all costs, this episode will offer you a liberating and science-backed shift in perspective.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I'm Ray Besselston, and you're listening to the Plan Strong podcast. |
| 0:06.0 | What if the key to thriving isn't eliminating stress, but learning how to harness it? |
| 0:15.4 | Today, I dive into a revolutionary new way to think about stress with Dr. Sharon Horace Bergquist, author of The Stress Paradox, |
| 0:25.6 | Why You Need Stress to Live Longer, Healthier, and Happier. |
| 0:30.4 | We'll hear more about the benefits of stress, specifically the right kind, right after these words from Plant Strong. |
| 0:45.0 | Hey, everybody. I'm just chatting with my producer, Carrie Barrett here, and we're talking veggie burgers. |
| 0:51.8 | Because veggie burgers, they talk a big game, but really what in the |
| 0:57.8 | world is in them? Carrie, do you have any idea? I mean, honestly, Rip, most veggie burgers are |
| 1:03.8 | just ultra-processed. They've got these soy protein isolates. They're packed with oils, they're packed with unnecessary fat, |
| 1:15.0 | these fillers that try to make them taste, taste like meat. But like, honestly, rip, most |
| 1:21.5 | veggie burgers are garbage. Well, a lot of them, they're like Frankenburgers, right? |
| 1:26.2 | Fractionated ingredients. |
| 1:27.9 | Exactly. |
| 1:28.7 | You nailed it. |
| 1:31.3 | And so I want to let everybody know. |
| 1:35.6 | If you haven't tried the Plants Strong Skillaburger's, we skip all the shortcuts. We use only whole ingredients made from plants. |
| 1:39.7 | No oils, no refined grains, zero mystery additives. Does that sound like something that's right up |
| 1:46.5 | your alley? Yes, it absolutely does. It's actually in my pantry as we speak. And then the other |
| 1:51.9 | thing I love about the burgers is they're super simple. You just mix with water. You shape into |
| 1:56.8 | patties. I like to then put them into the refrigerator for just five or ten minutes. |
| 2:01.5 | And then you sear them up, delicious, satisfying burgers, literally ready in just a few minutes. |
| 2:07.9 | And you know what else I use them for, Rip? I make meatballs with them. So if you are making |
... |
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