From Burnout to Biohacked: The Nervous System & Cortisol Fix for Energy, Hormones & Fat Loss

Welcome to the Biohack Method. I am Lindsay Burwell. I break down the science, cut the fluff and give you real tools to optimize your body with peptides, transdermal patches and root cause biohacking that actually works.

Welcome back to the Biohack Method podcast. I am so just running on a high, honestly, because we just had our patch party launch on Sunday and it was just everything, honestly, everything I dreamed of. Like, at first I was like, I'm not going to throw a launch party. Like, we've already been rocking and rolling. But if you know me, I just am obsessed with getting people together and creating connection, creating an opportunity for women to be uplifted and just like fill their cup. And so I brought together some really awesome local businesswomen who do many tattoos and permanent jewelry and a bouquet flower DIY card. And then we had a dj. And my vision was just to again, bring, bring women together, bring the community together to celebrate health, celebrate their bodies and just do something so fun. And so we launched our two new patches, the cortisol fixed patch, as well as the Metabolism plus patch which has the GLP booster. And so we did some patch activations, let everyone try the new patches, purchase the new patches and have some patch teeny drinks. It was literally just so fun. Like, I walked away on such a high just in true gratitude of just community and friendship. And if you know me, it just. There is nothing that means more than friendship and people who link arms to, you know, raise people up. So I just can't thank you enough. If you came, there was friends that came, people who I've been working with that came Instagram, friends that came, that I met for the first time. So it was just honestly amazing. But today I actually want to dive into a topic that has been, it feels like like top of discussion with new clients and friends and just everyone I've been around lately. And it's all about cortisol, which is literally the silent sabotager of our health. It like hijacks your cells. And I want to dive into why and how and what we can do. And because ultimately your body will not heal in a state of stress, you have to experience cell safety in order to really turn on the metabolism and experience true vitality. So here's the thing. We talk a lot about pe. We talked about patches, we talk about fasting, we talk about supplements, right? But if your nervous system is dysregulated, your body is not ever going to be in healing mode, okay? Because your cells cannot thrive when they're living in a state of chronic stress. And honestly, like if you think of the world we live in today, we live in a very high stress state. Even driving is stressful, right? Like we have a million things on our to do list where if you're a mom, if you're a friend, if you're a wife, you know, we stack ourselves so height every day. Hustle culture is such a thing. We have chores, we're cooking, right? Like our, we are on constant go, go, go. And our bodies just were not designed to live in that state all the time. And something really important to note about this too is that primitively when we are just in this rush and go and pack jam, our brain does not know like, okay, is Lindsay stressed because she's busy and she's driving around and she's got a lot of stuff to do or is she stressed because she's literally being like chased by a tiger. And ultimately our body doesn't know the difference. So technically our body does think we're being chased by a tiger and when it does that, it goes into survival mode. So we need to teach our body that we are not being chased by a tiger. There are no threats. And to really learn in synergy like how to balance, you know, this modern day lifestyle with actual needs that our cells need to survive. And so I'm going to break down basically how cortisol and your nervous system literally control your metabolism. What happens when your mitochondri, Andrea, when you're literally just chronically stressed, how to biohack your body to restore harmony and resilience. And really why I created the whole cortisol fix patch, which is now my personal go to for stress regulation, energy balance. Like I'm telling you, even the testimonies and feedback we've been getting back so far is so incredible. Women are like, I feel like I just took a Xanax. Like I'm just so zen and chill. So I can't wait to kind of dive into some of that. But let's kind of start with the reality check of really cortisol. So cortisol here's also something really interesting because I think sometimes we talk about cortisol. We're like, cortisol is so bad, but it's actually not always the villain. But let me explain. So cortisol is one of the most important survival hormones that we have. It wakes you up in the morning, it gives you focus, it helps you respond to challenges. So cortisol follows a circadian rhythm which if you didn't listen to the last PODC or two podcasts ago. You totally should, because I talk all about the importance of timing when it comes to cortisol and metabolism. But cortisol really does follow a circadian rhythm. So it should be high in the morning to wake you up and mobilize energy and then gradually fall throughout the day so your body can rest, digest and repair. But here's the problem. In modern day life, that rhythm is completely hijacked. Constant notifications. Oh my gosh, the pings of the phone, right? We're all getting that all day long. The over caffeine. Like we love a good coffee, then we love a good energy drink, and then we love a good energy, energy, energy all day long. We're skipping meals, late night, you know, working, we're over training, emotional stress, we're driving all over the place. All these things are literally keeping our cortisol level high all day long instead of that normal, more natural flow of high in the morning. And then we start kind of winding down as the day goes on. So what does chronic stress in cortisol do to our cells? I want to dive into the science of this. So if we're looking at mitochondria, which is your body's energy factories, when you're under stress, your mitochondria shift from energy production mode to survival mode. They produce ATP output and what will they'll start doing is they'll in a state of chronic stress, they're going to actually drop that ATP output. So ATP is the energy of our cell. So when you're chronically stressed, that ATP is going to be reduced and then what it's going to do is it's going to increase free radicals, which means more inflammation, more fatigue and slower metabolism. High cortisol all day long also does a lot of other damaging things like block thyroid hormone conversion. So that this means like your metabolism slowing down throughout the day. It also raises blood sugar and insulin, making it so much harder to burn fat. It also has a huge impact on progesterone and estrogen, which can lead to PMS cycle issues, mood swings, all that good stuff, which we don't love, right? It, this is what's really wild, is it actually can shrink the hippocampus. So this is part of your brain for memory and emotional regulation. And the worst part too, and I have felt this, it can weaken your gut lining and disrupt microbial balance. I have had a pretty emotionally heavy week this week, and I will tell you firsthand the impact of cortisol and nervous system dysregulation is debilitating when it comes to gut. So if you have gut issues, inflammation, ibs, ibs, C, or like, you know, diarrhea or constipation, we need to focus on nervous system for sure. Those, those pathways and those chemical messengers just basically get completely blocked. Basically. Like if you're feeling inflamed or tired or moody or like can't lose weight, even though you have these other perfect habits, you're working out so hard, you're eating so perfectly, I want you to kind of start thinking about your cortisol and how maybe the dysregulation of cortisol throughout the day could be a contributor, contributor to really like this metabolic dysfunction. And I just want you to really like hone in on knowing you can't heal when your nervous system is in survival mode. Like we have to send cell safety and you can't detox, you can't digest, you can't build muscle when your body thinks it's running from a tiger. Like going back to that initial story, we have to tell our body, hey, you're safe, there's no Tigris, everything is okay. Here's another really important part about biohacking, is how connected it is to your nervous system. It's honestly, it's the ultimate biohack, it really is. So if you want to biohack longevity, metabolism and energy, you have to start with safety. Your nervous system sets the tone for everything your body does when you shift from fight or flight. So that sympathetic system to rest and digest that parasympathetic, you literally change your biology in minutes. That's what's wild. It doesn't take long. You don't need this like one hour meditation. You can do this in a few simple breaths. And what's amazing is just within minutes, it improves your digestion. Your mitochondria start producing that ATP efficiently again. Your detox pathways open up, your hormones rebalance naturally, your body is on your side, it will heal in minutes. It's just looking for the right signal. Like this is so powerful. Sometimes we think we need a seven day detox to feel better. What if you just need a few deep belly breaths? What if you just need a moment to like reground? Truly this is so powerful. This is why regulating cortisol is the cornerstone of cellular healing. Here's a little fun kind of routine. Because I know if you're like me, you love a routine, you love a schedule. Like you're like, okay, this is great, tell me what to do? Morning, afternoon, evening, I just need a plan. So here's a little fun plan for you and I' put it in the show notes. So here's how you can support your nervous system and cortisol throughout the day to get all those benefits of digestion, of energy, of metabolism that we talked about. So in the morning I want you to wake up with sunlight and hydration before caffeine, okay? So red light therapy, if that's really early or you're in a place that doesn't have sunlight, maybe that's just literally getting outside in the sun here in Arizona. Get some hydrogen water, get some electrolytes, get some minerals in your system. And I want you to do this before you have caffeine. Then I want you to eat a protein rich breakfast within 60 minutes to balance blood sugar and anchor cortisol rhythm. Okay? Lots of good protein, healthy fats, healthy fiber within an hour, really feed that metabolism. Honor that cortisol being high and utilize that timing to work smarter, not harder and actually get some protein in. You will metabolize that food faster in the morning with higher cortisol than you will at night. Then I want you to use some red light or grounding while journaling or breathing for just even five minutes in the morning. Like center yourself, do a thought audit, Release the thoughts that aren't serving you. Hone in on the thoughts that, that are in alignment of your values, your goals and who the person you want to embody, the mom you want to be, the friend you want to be, the wife you want to be. Take just five minutes and do that visualization, do that breath work. Then in the middle of your day, here's a fun little idea for you. Do a movement sn. I love the name of this but truly like a little movement snack. 10 minute walk or breath work just to clear stress hormones. Because you're going to get through the day, you're going to start working, things are going to come up, your notification is going to go off and I want you just to take 10 minutes to like recalibrate. I love a midday recalibration. It's so powerful. And this includes like stepping away from screens for even two minutes or deep breathing into the sunlight. So step away from the screens, put your phone down, get outside, do some breath work, read a book, meditate, journal, just sit there, listen to some high frequency, you know, sounds like, or just listen to nothing, whatever resonates with you, it is just such a great reset. And just know that cortisol naturally dips here in the middle of the day. So support that dip with minerals and adaptogens. This is so powerful. And this would be a great time to put that cortisol fix patch on, which I'll explain a little bit here in a bit. Okay. Evening. This is key. So, so, so, so, so key. Here's your game plan. Here's your kind of routine for the evening. I want you to reduce blue light exposure after sunlight sunset. So that means artificial lighting, house lighting, things like that, TV screens, okay? Get some blue light blockers, get some red light lamps in your house. Like, let's pretend that lights were never invented. Let's go back to the beginning of time where we were literally living with the sun rise and the sunset, and let's honor that circadian rhythm. So turn off those lights and get some light blockers if you need to add some magnesium, some herbal tea, a warm bath to kind of signal like, it's safe to rest. We are winding down. We're not winding up, we're winding down. Oh my gosh. Even just me taking a deep breath right there just felt like so safe and just so powerful. Maybe consider doing like a gratitude journal, a prayer, some gentle stretching to calm the vagus nerve. I even love a sauna session at night. It is just something about getting in that sauna releases so much tension in my body and just regulates truly like my nervous system to set me up for an amazing night of sleep. These small shifts done daily literally retrain your nervous system to feel safe. These small, tiny shifts are so powerful. Sometimes it's the little things that make the biggest difference. Okay, now I'm going to get really, really, really excited because all of this to say is exact why I created the cortisol fix patch. Also because I was seeing so many women in my clinic and constantly their labs were like, adrenals, adrenals, adrenals, adrenals. And I was having the same conversation of like, we have to regulate our adrenals, our nervous system before we can do anything else. We have to. It's step one and it's the hardest work because we don't want to do it. It doesn't feel like an accomplishment when we sit there and meditate, right? We're so wired to think like going on a run is our accomplishment and not sitting there and breathing really. I love what one of my friend Britney always says. She's like, our breath is the first thing we enter this world with and the last thing we exit it with. And that just shows how powerful our breath Is like, I even have goosebumps even just saying this right now. It's so amazing. So let's talk about this incredible transdermal patch to be a tool in your tool shed to help with this cortisol craziness that we're all experiencing. Okay. The cortisol fix patch literally was created because, like I said, saw so many women doing all the things but staying stuck in that survival mode. Their labs, everything was just, like, adrenals and stress. So I didn't want to offer another pill we already knew people were not absorbing anymore. So I was like, let's create the patch with it. These are transdermal biohacking patches. Think vitamins that you wear, and it's going to get directly into the bloodstream, bypass gut and liver for more optimal absorption. And even better, there's, like, 10 different beautiful synergistic ingredients to support cortisol and stress versus, like, taking all these pills internally. Let me kind of break down the ingredients too, because, like, these are the queens and the kings of adrenal support. Like, for real? For real. Okay. What's inside the cortisol patch is one ashwagandha. So this is an adaptogen that lowers high cortisol, and it supports thyroid and adrenal health. So check mark. We love that one. There's also L theanine, which promotes calm alertness without drowsiness. When I take out theanine, I feel it within seconds. It's just so amazing. It also has magnesium glycinate. So this one relaxes your muscles, calms the nervous system, and just, like, gives you that nice Zen vibe. It also has B vitamins, which, when you're stressed, your body literally uses B vitamins to pull you through that stress. That's why a lot of people are deficient in B vitamins. So it's got a complex B vitamin which is going to fuel those adrenal glands from that that stress depletion and stabilize mood and stabilize energy. I'm obsessed with B vitamins. I always say your B vitamins are your mood, your metabolism, and your energy. The other thing it has in it is passion flower. So this enhances gaba, the neurotransmitter of calm. Literally. In addition to passion flower, we have gaba in the patch. It is, like, the power. I'm telling you. I'm like, every time I, like, go through the ingredient list, I'm like, dude, this thing is insane. No wonder when you wear it, you actually feel like you took a xandex. It just takes you Just another level of calm. And I'm obsessed with the synergy of all these ingredients combined together. It also has some herbs in it that have been clinically shown to blunt excessive cortisol spikes and improve focus. So what's not to love about the cortisol patch? And here's what's really important on timing and when to use it. So it is a 12 hour patch. You wear it once a day, you don't have to wear it every day. I like to say you wear it on those days where you just, just can't even anymore. Right. Like, oh my gosh, today is an adrenal day and I'm just, I really need some tlc. So the important part to know is that because cortisol peaks in the morning, that's when we want it high. You don't necessarily want to put the patch on in the morning unless you're in an SOS state. You wake up and you can feel that nervous system breaking, which I've been there, I've like woken up crying before and just zero capacity for like emotional of anyone else's emotions on my own. And that would be a great day to put on patch on in the morning, but any other normal day I would actually not put the cortisol patch on until about afternoon because that's when stress and caffeine and mental fatigue really start to hit. And that's when you can honor more of those secure circadian rhythm. So I use it basically for high stress work days or travel before the evening wind down to get into a deeper, more restful sleep, maybe after a tough workout to prevent adrenal burnout. And again, you're going to want to wear it for 12 hours. It's a great transdermal drip for a 12 hour period. So here is kind of how we're going to land the plane here. I just want to kind of bring this home on like, why it's important and really give you the image of like this is what happens when your cortisol is balanced. It's like a beautiful, beautiful, harmonious cadence in your body. Because when cortisol is balanced, like everything clicks, you digest better, you burn fat more efficiently, you sleep deeper, your libido returns, you literally glow differently because your cells are no longer surviving, are thriving. Regulating cortisol isn't just about stress. It's the foundation of metabolic health, longevity and cellular vitality. So if you've been feeling weird and wired and tired and anxious and inflamed and you cannot close down all the tabs mentally calm your system and start with these patches. Start with some of the lifestyle hacks, some of the food, some of the herbs, the te, the meditation, the breath work, the journaling. Start somewhere and you will notice a shift and even just visualize yourselves dancing in just so much love of gratitude for the work that you did to support them. So if you are just like so ready to try these patches, send me a DM at the Pat the Patch method on Instagram and I'm going to send you a special promo because I want everybody to have this tool in their toolkit and forever, honestly, not just for the holiday season, but forever. Because we live in a high stress environment, we live in hustle culture and we need tools these days and we know like the pills aren't going to work and so we need a different approach and that's transdermal delivery. So that is a wrap for today. It's a beautiful Tuesday here in Arizona. I'm about to go on a walk, get some sunlight, ground myself for an amazing day ahead. I just want to end with saying I cannot thank you guys enough for being in my circle, being in my community, for allowing me to love on you and for you to love back on me. I really have always believed that people come into your life so intentionally. We are God's hands and feet and each interaction, each friendship, each conversation, there is a light. And to if you look at each each of these experiences seeking that light transformation and just quantum shifts of love truly happen. So I just wish nothing but love for you all as you proceed throughout your day. And if there's anything I can do to love on you more and provide guidance and support, never hesitate to reach out. Have an amazing day.

That's it for today's episode of the Biohack Method. If this lit something up in you, do me a favor, share it. Tag me at Lindseybirwa Wellness and drop a review. Ready to dive deeper? Head to the show notes for peptides, patches and programs that are changing the game for high performing women like you.