The Brain-Gut-Stress Reset
Cortisol, the nervous system, and digestion
In this workshop, Dr. Daniel Schilling explores the connections between cortisol, your nervous system, and digestion, and how everyday stress may show up in the way you feel. You'll hear his perspective on how the brain and gut communicate, and why this relationship matters for anyone navigating stress and digestive discomfort. Dr. Schilling will share practical approaches you can consider as you support your own sense of calm and balance. You'll leave with a clearer understanding of these ideas and questions to bring to your own wellness journey.
$25
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Your Presenter
Dr. Daniel Schilling
DC, Master QNRT Practitioner
Founder & Lead Clinician
From mechanical engineer to Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Schilling brings a systems-thinking approach to integrative medicine. He founded Secoya to create the…
About This Workshop
This workshop is the first quarter ("gut") session of a year-long series at Secoya Health exploring how mental and emotional stress affects digestion. The presenter explains the connection between stress, cortisol, and gut health, and offers practical tools—breathing exercises, warm foods, belly breathing, and lifestyle adjustments—that participants can apply. The session closes with a Q&A covering exercise, red light therapy, saunas, magnesium, tapping, and supplement choices, along with an invitation to connect as a community.
What's Inside
- 1Welcome and Workshop Goals
- 2The Year-Long Series and the Gut Focus
- 3Stress, Digestion, and the Microbe Myth
- 4The Vagus Nerve, HPA Axis, and Cortisol
- 5Normalized Stress and the Frog Analogy
- 6Traditional Chinese Medicine, Worry, and Warming Foods
- 7The Vagus Nerve, Survival Wiring, and the Voo Breath
- 8Mealtime Mindfulness and Gratitude
- 9Supporting the Gut: Vagus Work, Collagen, and Enzymes
- 10Belly Breathing and Setting Intention
- 11A Sample Action Plan and Cold Water
- 12Signs of Cortisol, Wearables, and Muscle Loss
- 13Caffeine, Blood Sugar, and Cortisol
- 14Exercise: Chronic Cardio, HIIT, and Walking
- 15Screens, Light, and Sleep
- 16Weight Loss, Blood Sugar, and Fat Storage
- 17Mood, Serotonin, GABA, and Brain Health
- 18Series Recap and Caution About Fad Diets
- 19Hormones, Progesterone, and Whole-Person Care
- 20The 90-Day Gut Reset and Food Sensitivities
- 21Q&A: Pulse Oximeters and Cortisol in Men vs. Women
- 22Q&A: Stress in Younger People
- 23Q&A: Pilates, Strength, Yoga, and Sauna
- 24Q&A: Red Light Therapy and Saunas
- 25Q&A: Magnesium Types and Supplements
- 26Q&A: Tapping and Moving the Body
- 27Q&A: Multivitamins and Nutrient Density
- 28Community and Closing
What You'll Take Away
- This is the first quarter ('gut') of a year-long series; the presenter's overall message is that mental and emotional stress strongly influences digestion, and that calming the nervous system comes before rebuilding the gut.
- According to the speaker, when the body is stressed, cortisol prioritizes survival over digestion—an idea used to explain why stress management matters for gut health.
- The presenter recommends simple daily practices: belly (diaphragmatic) breathing morning and night, a 'voo' breath before meals, warm foods and room-temperature-or-warmer drinks, and about ten minutes of walking after meals.
- The speaker suggests supporting the gut in a sequence—calming the nervous system (vagus work), then rebuilding with collagen, glutamine, and digestive enzymes—and introducing probiotics only later.
- Lifestyle tips the presenter emphasizes include avoiding caffeine on an empty stomach, varying exercise intensity (limiting HIIT to about twice a week), reducing screens before bed, and using dim lighting at night.
- The presenter frames blood sugar balance as central to changing body composition and notes detoxification will be covered in Quarter 2.
- In the Q&A, the speaker discusses magnesium forms (citrate, glycinate, threonate), red light therapy and saunas, tapping, and cortisol's differing effects on men and women—all as the speaker's views, not established medical fact.
- The presenter stresses consistency over perfection and encourages participants to view symptoms as opportunities to understand their bodies, and to seek a personalized plan or free consultation.
- Note: Health and physiological claims in this workshop reflect the presenter's perspective and should not be taken as diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice; participants with concerns should consult a qualified provider.
Materials Included
- Workshop Guide — The Gut-Stress Reset (January 2026)
- Workshop Slides — The Gut-Stress Reset (January 2026)
Downloadable after purchase, alongside the workshop.
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