Monday Matters with Holly Cochrane Holly Cochrane

Progressive overload, aka lifting a little bit heavier after a few sessions will help you avoid plateaus, gain overall strength, maintain muscle as you age and make you feel a sense of accomplishment. Not every day is PR day but if you aren't reaching for something just a little more challenging are you challenging yourself? Todays podcast is all about how to increase your resistance training sessions.

Breathing to optimize health is not something I was born knowing how to do well. I have been learning the value of how to breathe and how it influences every system in my body. On today's podcast, I talk about how getting dialed in on your belly breath can help get rid of the belly.

The body's natural stress response can dysregulate many physiological functions when emotional trauma remains unresolved. This heightened state of arousal and the mind-body connection can manifest in various physical symptoms. While these may be normal reactions initially, persistent physical issues with no clear medical cause could indicate the effects of unprocessed emotional trauma held in the body.

It's important to rule out any potential medical conditions first. But if physical symptoms persist without an identifiable physiological reason, exploring the role of emotional factors through therapy can help facilitate mind-body healing

Physical symptoms can sometimes be manifestations of emotional trauma held in the body. Check out today's podcast about the mind-body connection.

Vitamin D helps reduce cortisol levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and promote weight loss through its effects on hormonal regulation, glucose metabolism, and adipogenesis. Sunshine can also increase Leptin and a feeling of fullness so we do less mindless eating when we are busy outside. I know I am sold on Sunshine!

If you know you are stressed out and starting to hold extra weight around your belly the food you eat can help to support lower levels of cortisol. On the Monday Matters with Holly Cochrane podcast this week I talk about the foods that are easy to work into your everyday meals to help reduce the hormone mid-section.

Cortisol is our stress hormone and we can't try to lose weight around the midsection and ignore the stressors in our life.

Today's episode is all about Cortisol and 10 ways you can reduce it.

10 ways to lower cortisol


Identify stressor and triage them


Relaxation techniques breathing, quiet time, walks, sauna, yoga, journaling, creative outlets


Eating a balanced diet: fibre, fatty acids, fermented foods


Avoid caffeine/smoking


Get enough sleep/ bedtime routine 


Take up a hobby that is not associated with your stressors


Laughter and Joy


Exercise Don’t do too much, but just right


Build good relationships.


Take supplements - start with lifestyle then try Omega 3 fatty acids, Magnesium, Ashwagandha,