Episode #1
Cortisol Isn't the Enemy!
What if cortisol isn't the enemy we've been taught to fear? In this episode of Penney for Your Thoughts, Penney Megginson sits down with Sheila Malkani of PowerCube to rethink the conversation around cortisol, stress and women's health. We often hear that cortisol is "bad" and that the goal should be to lower it. But cortisol is an essential hormone — and understanding how our bodies respond to stress may be far more useful than simply trying to eliminate it. Penney and Sheila explore what happens when the body is under stress, how our stress response can change through different stages of a woman's life, and why recovery matters just as much as the stress itself. They also look at the relationship between stress, exercise, nutrition, fasting, hormones and the nervous system — and what this can mean for our energy, performance and long-term health. The bigger question: rather than trying to avoid stress altogether, can we become better at adapting to it and recovering from it? This conversation is part of the newly relaunched Penney for Your Thoughts: Longevity, Mindset & Women's Health — exploring the science and practical tools that can help us not simply add years to our lives, but add more LIFE to our years. Topics include: • Cortisol and the stress response • Chronic vs acute stress • Women's hormones and stress • Exercise as a form of stress • Recovery and resilience • Nutrition and intermittent fasting • Nervous system regulation • Healthy aging and longevity ️ Penney for Your Thoughts: Longevity, Mindset & Women's Health ✨ Home of Glowgevity — because longevity isn't just about living longer. It's about living better.
