Chinese Medicine, Adaptogens 101, Why You Need More Bone Broth and Collagen, and More – Dr. Josh Axe on The Genius Life

Hormesis, one of my favorite biological principles, is the mechanism by which small doses of stress from, say, a tough workout, a good sweat in the sauna, or even temporary calorie restriction (which we call intermittent fasting) can promote more efficient cells and greater long-term health.

There is chronic stress—the kind that comes from a bad job, sour relationship, prolonged financial hardship, or even what my friend fitness author and mega-athlete Mark Sisson calls “chronic cardio” (discussed momentarily). This kind of stress accelerates entropy and decay. It leads to prolonged elevation of the hormone cortisol, which can rob our