Welcome to another episode of Gut Heroes!

In this episode, I explore powerful, practical ways to reduce pain and stress ‘in the moment’. I share personal strategies I’ve developed over the years to help shift into a better, less painful, less stressful state, including:

✔️ Using the ‘third person’ perspective to reframe stressful thoughts
✔️ Tackling challenging tasks immediately to avoid stress snowballing
✔️ The benefits of hot and cold exposure for lowering inflammation
✔️ How a stroll in nature can act as a powerful anti-inflammatory
✔️ The restorative power of short naps
✔️ Using heat and cooling gels for quick pain relief
✔️ The importance of social connection in managing pain and stress
✔️ Creating a clear action plan for flares or high-stress periods
✔️ Practicing gratitude to reframe your perspective
✔️ The pain-relieving power of laughter

I discuss how these cognitive and physical strategies can work in tandem to help manage both stress and pain, which are often interconnected. I emphasise the importance of tailoring these approaches to suit your individual needs and incorporating them into your routine in a way that feels natural and beneficial.

Show Notes:

🔗 You can also view a transcript of this episode here – view transcript

Studies Discussed in this Podcast:

📘 “Smart People Ask for (My) Advice: Seeking Advice Boosts Perceptions of Competence” – view study
📘 “Humor Therapy: Relieving Chronic Pain and Enhancing Happiness for Older Adults” – view study

Disclaimer: Please note, this is for informational purposes only. Gut Heroes does not offer medical advice. We are all different and what works for me may not work for you. I setup Gut Heroes to share information with you. To shine a light on my own personal discoveries (as I currently understand them) and to help you with your own personal research.