276. Stress Series - 06 - Distress and Its Impacts on Your Body

Written By Ali Novitsky, MD

In this episode, Dr. Ali Novitsky, expert in obesity medicine and founder of The FIT Collective, continues her series on stress—this time focusing on how stress impacts the body. Dr. Ali keeps this episode concise and reflective, encouraging listeners to pause and connect with how stress shows up physically.

Key Points Discussed

1. Physical Impacts of Stress

  • Joint Pains and Muscle Recovery: Dr. Ali explains that elevated cortisol during stress can delay recovery and increase joint or muscle pain.

  • Heightened Irritability and Tension: Stress raises irritability and muscle tightness. Dr. Ali suggests a quick body scan — especially noticing how high the shoulders are — as a simple stress check.

  • Perimenopause and Stress: Stress can amplify perimenopausal symptoms such as night sweats and hot flashes. Dr. Ali references research showing that gentle, low-impact exercise (like walking or stretching) can lessen these effects.

  • Immunity and Hormones: Chronic stress impacts immune function through cortisol and insulin dysregulation. High insulin promotes water retention and inflammation, increasing risk for long-term conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

2. Personal Reflection and Daily Practice

Dr. Ali invites listeners to notice the specific ways stress manifests in their own bodies. She shares that for her, stress often looks like:

  • Speaking rapidly

  • Poor sleep

  • Emotional eating

  • Digestive issues

  • Headaches or muscle soreness

She encourages creating a daily “body check-in” practice — noticing tension, breath, and posture throughout the day. Awareness is the first step to release.

3. Self-Compassion Over Criticism

Dr. Ali emphasizes that judgment and self-criticism amplify stress, while self-compassion lowers it. She reminds listeners that it’s normal to feel stressed and that progress, not perfection, is the goal. Replacing inner criticism with phrases like “I’m doing my best right now” supports both emotional and physical resilience.

4. Actionable Steps

Dr. Ali closes with three takeaways listeners can begin today:

  1. Acknowledge Stress: Recognize how stress physically shows up in your body: fatigue, muscle tension, or irritability.

  2. Daily Check-In: Build a brief daily practice to notice posture, breath, or areas of tightness.

  3. Self-Compassion Plan: Practice kindness toward yourself. Affirm that stress is a human experience and that rest and recovery are productive.

Conclusion

Dr. Ali concludes by reminding listeners that acknowledging stress is the first step in managing it. The body keeps the score, but with awareness, movement, rest, and self-compassion, we can heal and thrive. She encourages listeners to be gentle with themselves and to prioritize recovery just as much as performance.

Listen to Episode 276 Here

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Chapters

00:00:06 – Introduction & Overview
00:01:10 – Physical Impact of Stress
00:01:20 – Joint Pain & Delayed Recovery
00:02:13 – Perimenopause & Stress
00:02:24 – Exercise & Menopause Symptoms
00:03:17 – Immunity & Hormones
00:03:38 – Cortisol and Insulin
00:04:21 – Inflammation & Water Retention
00:05:03 – GLP-1 and Heart Health
00:05:14 – Body Carries Stress
00:05:24 – Personal Stress Symptoms
00:06:09 – Daily Body Check-In
00:06:31 – Exercise as Emotional Regulator
00:06:53 – Personal Experience with Stress
00:07:45 – Managing Stress Strategies
00:08:07 – Daily Awareness Practice
00:09:20 – Rest, Nutrition, Activity
00:09:41 – Self-Compassion Practice
00:11:06 – Movement & Stress Relief
00:12:11 – Transform Program & Stress Quiz

Resources:

*Ali Novitsky MD, this podcast, and podcast write-up are NOT providing medical advice. We do not recommend you start any exercise program without first consulting with your doctor!*

Ali Novitsky, MD https://www.mindbodymarriage.com
Next

275. Stress Series - 05 - Distress and Distorted Thoughts