Even when your labs look normal, and you have healthy habits, chronic stress may still be shaping your heart health. As part of the ongoing Heart Health Month series on UPLEVEL, Dr. Jenna explains what stress is actually doing inside the body and why it matters more than most women realize. She breaks down the physiological effects of stress, from sustained fight-or-flight activation to inflammation and metabolic strain, and explains why midlife women are especially vulnerable as hormones shift. Dr. Jenna challenges the idea that willpower fixes everything and shows how recovery, sleep, boundaries, and small reductions in load can meaningfully reduce your long-term risk. She also addresses common misconceptions about hormone therapy in perimenopause and why you don’t have to wait to get support. Tune in for an honest, science-backed conversation on protecting your heart by working with your biology, not against it!

Key Points From This Episode:

Chronic stress as a major (but overlooked) heart risk in women.
Understanding resistance from your body as protection, not laziness or lack of willpower.
Acute vs. chronic stress, and how the body registers external demands.
Sustained fight or flight and its impact on inflammation and metabolic health.
How midlife women face higher stress sensitivity due to physiological changes.
Why doing everything “right” can still fail under high stress load.
Why recovery, sleep, and consistency matter more than intensity.
Decreasing chronic pressure, not just adding more healthy habits.
The good news: your nervous system is trainable and small shifts add up.
Why hormone therapy does not have to wait until menopause.
Simplifying your life to reduce load and protect longevity.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

UPLEVEL Holistic Health

UPLEVEL Holistic Health on Instagram

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