Latest / The Rockyn YES Podcast - with Dr. Raquel Yarroch / Episode 1: Your Stress Isn't the Enemy - It's a Message.

Transcript

Episode 1: Your Stress Isn't the Enemy - It's a Message. · The Rockyn YES Podcast - with Dr. Raquel Yarroch

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: Your stress isn't the enemy, it's a message.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to your empowered self, the podcast that helps you heal from within, reclaim your power, and step into the vibrant, unstoppable woman you were born to be.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Dr.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Raquel Yarrell, chiropractor, functional medicine practitioner, and NLP coach.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: After years of helping high-achieving women reverse fatigue, brain fog, gut issues, and autoimmune conditions, I've seen one truth again and again.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: You are the healer.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: Every week, I'll bring you root cause, wisdom, nervous system tools, emotional breakthroughs, and mindset shifts to help you say yes to the healthiest, most empowered version of you.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: Because healing isn't just about protocols, it's about who you become.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: Let's dive in.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome back.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_00: Or if this is your first time here, welcome to your empowered self.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Dr.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Raquel Yarrow, and I'm so glad you're here today.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I was sitting with a client last week and she said something that really struck me.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: She said, I just want to eliminate all the stress from my life.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Then I'll be healthy.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I understood exactly where she was coming from.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: Because for years, I thought the same thing.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: I thought stress was the enemy, something to fight against, something to avoid at all costs.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: But here's what I've learned through thousands of hours working with women just like you, all through my own healing journey.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Stress isn't the enemy.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_00: Stress is the messenger.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: And today we're going to completely reframe how you use stress and how you view stress in your life.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: Let's start here.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: What if I told you that stress is actually your body's built-in alarm system?
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: Think about it.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: When your smoke detector goes off, you don't hate the smoke detector.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: You don't try to eliminate it or suppress it.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: You investigate, you ask, what's the signal trying to tell me?
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's exactly what stress is doing in your body.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: When your heart races, when your shoulders tense up, when your stomach gets tight, when you can't sleep at night, your body is saying, hey, something needs attention here, something needs to change.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: The problem is, most of us have been taught to silence that alarm, to push through, to override the signal.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: We take the Advil, we drink the extra coffee, we tell ourselves, we're fine, and we keep hustling.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: But your body doesn't forget.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: It keeps sending the signal.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: And when we ignore it long enough, that signal gets louder.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: It shows up as fatigue, as brain fog, as digestive issues, as hormone imbalances, as autoimmune flares.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: So let's go over a little bit about the science of stress.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: Let me explain what's actually happening in your body when you're stressed.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: When your brain perceives a threat, real or imagined, it activates your hypothalmic pituitary adrenal access.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: We call this the HPA axis.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: Your hypothalamus sends a signal to your pituitary gland, which then tells your adrenal glands, release cortisol, we're in danger.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: Cortisol is your primary stress hormone.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: And in short bursts, it's actually helpful.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: It gives you energy, sharpens your focus, it helps you respond to real threats.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the problem: your body can't tell the difference between running from a lion or running late to a meeting.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: It just knows danger.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Activates stress response.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: And when that stress response is activated chronically, day after day, week after week, your body starts breaking down.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: Here's what chronic stress does.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: Number one, it raises your blood sugar because your body thinks it needs quick energy to run from danger.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Over time, this leads to insulin resistance and weight gain, especially around your middle.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: So for you ladies who are gaining weight in that middle tummy and your stress, this is why.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: Number two, it shuts down your digestion.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: Your body says, we don't have time to digest food.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: We're running for our lives.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: This is why so many women with chronic stress have bloating, constipation, and gut issues.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: Number three, it suppresses your immune system.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Your body diverts resources away from fighting infections and toward immediate survival.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: This is why you get sick when you're stressed.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: Number four, it disrupts your hormones.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: Your body makes cortisol from the same building blots it uses to make your sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: When you're chronically stressed, your body prioritizes cortisol, which means less progesterone, less testosterone, more estrogen dominance.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: This leads to irregular cycles, PMS, infertility, and menopause symptoms.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: Number five, it keeps you in fight or flight mode.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Your nervous system gets stuck in on, which means you can't rest, you can't digest, and you can't heal.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the truth.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: Most of the symptoms that brought my clients to me weren't random.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_00: They were their body's way of screaming for attention after whispering for months or even years.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: So let's shift the perspective today.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: What if stress isn't something to eliminate, but something to understand?
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: Let me give you a real example.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: I had a client who came to me with chronic gut issues, bloating, constipation, food sensitivities.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: We ran the labs, and yes, there were imbalances.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: But when we dug deeper, we discovered something fascinating.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: Every single time she had a big work deadline or conflict with her partner, her symptoms would flare.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Her body was literally saying, the stress is too much.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: I can't digest life right now.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: Once she understood that her gut wasn't broken but communicating, everything changed.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: She started listening.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: She started making different choices, and her body started to heal.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: So here's what I want you to do.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to start seeing stress as information, not as in, not as a failure.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: When you feel that tightness in your chest, instead of judging it or pushing it away, pause, take a breath, and ask yourself, what is my body trying to tell me right now?
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's saying this boundary needs to be stronger.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: This relationship isn't safe.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: This pace isn't sustainable.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: The thought pattern is draining me.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: Your body is brilliant.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's always communicating.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: The question is, are you listening?
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: Now I'm not saying stress is good for you.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: Chronic, unmanaged stress absolutely damages your body.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_00: It raises cortisol, disrupts your hormones, weakens your immune system, inflames your gut.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the key: the goal isn't to live a stress-free life.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_00: The goal is to learn how to listen to your stress and respond with wisdom instead of reactivity.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: Because when you listen to the message, you can take action.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: When you ignore it, your body has no choice but to get louder.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: So let me leave you with a few questions to sit with today.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: These are what we call Socratic questions in NLP.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: They're designed to open up awareness without forcing an answer.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: So question one.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: If your stress could talk, what would it say to you today?
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: What messages message is it trying to deliver?
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: Just notice.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: Don't judge.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: Don't try to fix it.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: Just listen.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: Question two.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: Where in your body do you feel stressed most often?
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: Your jaw?
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: Your shoulders, your stomach, your chest.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: And here's the deeper question.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: What part of your life does that area of your body represent?
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: Because your body holds memory.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: Your jaw might be holding words you haven't spoken.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: Your shoulders might be carrying responsibilities that aren't yours.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: Your stomach might be holding emotions you haven't digested.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: Question three.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: What would shift in your life if you treated stress as feedback instead of failure?
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Just let that question sit with you.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: And as you go through your day, I want you to notice what triggers your stress response.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of just judging yourself for it, just get curious.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: Because curiosity is the first step to change.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: All right, let's close today with a simple but powerful breath work practice.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: This is called box breathing.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: And it's one of the fastest ways to signal safety to your nervous system.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: Here's how it works: we're going to breathe in a square pattern.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: So you're going to inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're somewhere safe to do so, I would like you to close your eyes or soften your gaze.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: And even if you're not, please just relax.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_00: If you're driving, don't soften your gaze or close your eyes.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: Just listen and just go through the breathing process because you can let your shoulders drop and you can unclench your jaw.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: So let's begin.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: Inhale through your nose for four, two, three, four.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: Hold at the top for four.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Two three.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: Exhale slowly through your mouth for four.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Two three.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: Hold at the bottom for four.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Four.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: Good.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: Let's do this again.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna inhale again for four.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: Two three four hold for four.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_00: Two three four.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: Exhale for four through your mouth.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: Two three four.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: Hold for four.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: Two three four one more round.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: Inhale through your nose for four.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_00: Two three four.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: Hold for four.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: Two three four.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: Exhale through your mouth.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: For four.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: Two three four.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: Hold for four.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Two three four.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: Beautiful.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: Now take one more natural breath and let your body just settle.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: Notice how you feel.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: Even just a little bit calmer, a little more grounded.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's your nervous system shifting from alarm to awareness.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you for listening to your empowered self.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: If this episode spoke to you, share it with a friend or leave a review.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: It helps us reach more women ready to heal from within.
• 12:53
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• 13:45
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• 13:48
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• 13:49
  SPEAKER_00: And your body was designed to heal.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: Keep saying yes to your empowered self.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: I'll see you next time.