#482 Dr Emily Dow - Cortisol, Hormone Balancing, and Zone 2 Vs Higher Intensity Cardio

The Professor of the Dark Arts, Dr Emily Dow returns by popular demand. Emily has seen a huge surge in popularity, and for good reason. Her media is thoughtful, intelligent, and extremely well communicated.Emily joins me to talk about:Why "high cortisol" has become the new hormonal imbalanceWhat cortisol actually does, and why acute elevations in cortisol are not only not bad for you, but essential to normal physiologyIs there any validity to the claim that cortisol elevation from training stress is harmful, especially for peri-menopausal women?Why chronically elevated cortisol is a problem and how it developsWhy the phrase "hormone balancing" is often a red flag for pseudoscienceWhat common traits we see among unqualified influencers promoting trendy health boogeymenWhat the research tells us about exercise and mental healthDoes your brain benefit more from higher-intensity cardio than Zone 2?A nuanced discussion on the Zone 2 versus higher-intensity cardio debateIs part of Zone 2's benefit simply that it replaces unhealthy sedentary behaviors?Thoughts on research headlines like "Carbohydrate intake does not affect muscle growth"What "scope creep" means when experts are pressured to comment outside their area of expertise, such as peptidesAnd much moreInstagram: @dremilydowCHAPTERS00:49 The Cortisol Myth01:55 Why Cortisol Matters03:45 Hormone Balancing Grifts08:37 Fixing Chronic Stress12:44 HIIT for Women14:58 Fueling and Recovery18:33 Exercise Guidelines20:49 Is Overtraining Real?24:20 Training Load and Injury Risk26:22 Mixed-Modal Cardio30:22 Exercise and Mental Health36:32 Exercise vs SSRIs40:02 Zone 2 and Brain Health43:14 Exercise and Brain Blood Flow43:52 Rethinking Zone 246:00 Steps vs Cardio49:13 Heart Rate Zone Myths50:07 Fiber and Colon Cancer53:48 Carbohydrates and Muscle Growth57:12 When Nothing Matters01:00:54 Supplements and Rituals01:04:49 Scope Creep and Expertise01:12:15 Choosing Real ExpertsSUPPORT THE SHOWIf this episode helped you better understand cortisol, exercise science, or how to separate evidence from hype, you can support the show by:Subscribing and checking out more episodesSharing it on social media (tag me and I'll respond)Sending it to someone overwhelmed by hormone, cortisol, or cardio misinformationFOLLOW ANDREW COATESInstagram: @andrewcoatesfitnesshttps://www.andrewcoatesfitness.comPARTNERS AND RESOURCESRP Strength App (use code COATESRP)https://www.rpstrength.com/coatesJust Bite Me Meals (use code ANDREWCOATESFITNESS for 10% off)https://justbitememeals.comMacrosFirst – FREE Premium TrialDownload MacrosFirst and during setup select ANDREWKNKG Bags (15% off)https://www.knkg.com/Andrew59676Versa Grippshttps://www.versagripps.com/andrewcoatesTRAINHEROIC – FREE 90-Day Trialhttps://www.trainheroic.com/liftfreeReply to the email you receive (or email [email protected]) and let them know Andrew sent youL1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSEhttps://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopeventsUse code COATES at checkout.