246 Stress, Burnout and Biological Aging. Simple Habits to Reclaim Energy and Longevity with Erica Jones
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Release Date: 01/19/2026
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Chronic stress and burnout are often worn as a badge of honor, yet they can be powerful accelerators of biological aging. In this conversation, wellness entrepreneur and educator Erica Jones explains how persistent stress can disrupt sleep, increase inflammation, and influence mitochondrial function, hormones, and even gene expression through epigenetic pathways. Together, with the host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch, we focus on sustainable strategies that busy, high-capacity people can actually maintain - starting with the “unsexy basics” of hydration and sleep, plus boundaries that protect your...
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Early life trauma can leave lasting imprints on the brain, body, and emotional health well into later life, but healing is possible at any age. In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with memoirist and wellness practitioner, Wendy Correa about adverse childhood experiences, intergenerational trauma, and the profound healing power of self-awareness and creative expression. Wendy shares how writing her memoir, My Pretty Baby, became both a personal reckoning and a path to liberation. This conversation explores how movement, mindfulness,...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Chronic stress and anxiety are not just emotional experiences; they can quietly accelerate biological aging and undermine brain health. In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with integrative mental health expert Dr. Nicole Cain about how anxiety, panic, trauma, and unresolved stress shape the nervous system across the lifespan. Dr. Cain explains the critical differences between fear, anxiety, and panic, and how symptoms often serve as meaningful signals rather than disorders to suppress. This rich conversation offers science-backed, compassionate...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
What if the way you move could directly influence how well you age? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch is joined by movement specialist and chiropractor Dr. Edythe Heus to explore how intentional, brain-engaged movement can become one of the most powerful tools for longevity. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Dr. Heus explains how subtle changes in movement reorganize fascia, enhance balance, sharpen cognition, and reduce fall risk. This conversation reframes exercise not as punishment, but as a playful, intelligent practice that supports...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Many people believe that memory loss, physical decline, and loss of independence are inevitable parts of aging. But what if that belief is wrong? In this first Growing Older Living Younger episode of 2026, Dr. Gillian Lockitch challenges the outdated narrative that aging automatically means decline. Drawing on decades of medical expertise, cutting-edge epigenetic science, and her own lived experience, Dr. Lockitch explains why growing older is inevitable—but aging poorly is not. This episode introduces the concept of healthspan—the years of life lived with clarity, mobility, independence,...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch shares a powerful story of resilience—one that unfolds unexpectedly as she prepares to celebrate turning 80 through dance, vitality, and joy. What began as a year of celebration was abruptly reshaped by a diagnosis of persistent atrial fibrillation, forcing Dr. Lockitch to confront physical limitations, uncertainty, and the temporary loss of a defining passion. Rather than framing this episode as a story of illness, she reframes it as a story of adaptation, courage, and transformation—and what it truly means to grow older...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Gillian Lockitch talks with Alison Bladh about navigating menopause and midlife with confidence, vitality, and grace. Alison shares over 35 years of experience helping women transform their health, beauty, and mindset through evidence-based nutrition, lifestyle, and self-care. Learn how small, realistic changes can rebalance hormones, improve sleep, manage weight, and restore radiant skin and energy—so you can age youthfully and thrive through every life stage. Alison Bladh is an award-winning nutritional therapist and aesthetician...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Can you build healthspan in your 50s, 60s and beyond? In our episode 239 conversation, Jeff Weiss says yes—and he’s got the miles to prove it. After his first 10K at 48, Jeff progressed to marathons, ultramarathons, and Ironman triathlons, discovering how structured training within smart guardrails, and the right mindset can unlock cardiovascular fitness, strength, confidence, and cognitive resilience in midlife. We explore practical ways to get started (and keep going), how to balance discomfort vs. danger, and why setting “big, hairy, audacious goals” fuels transformation far beyond...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Coach and educator Carla Wainwright joins Dr. Gillian in episode 238 to reframe midlife (about 40–65) as a gateway rather than a decline. Drawing on science and somatic wisdom, Carla explains how shifting sex hormones affect metabolism, sleep, stress tolerance, and body composition—and why nervous‑system regulation, metabolic basics, and pleasure practices are foundational for healthspan. You’ll learn simple micro‑resets (breath, grounding, nature time), how to stack small rituals, and why cultivating daily moments of joy/connection boosts oxytocin and nitric oxide—two...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
In Episode 237, in conversation with Dr. Gillian Lockitch, Scott Fulton reframes “successful aging” as more years, more moments, more money. He unpacks his MEDAC model—Mind, Environment, Diet, Activity, Community—and shows how small, practical tweaks compound: design homes for longevity, manage toxin exposure sensibly, eat for quality/variety/fiber, move all day (not just “exercise”), train balance, and build supportive community. They also explore simple ways to measure what matters and why stepping outside your comfort zone is a powerful aging tool. Scott Fulton is...
info_outlineChronic stress and burnout are often worn as a badge of honor, yet they can be powerful accelerators of biological aging. In this conversation, wellness entrepreneur and educator Erica Jones explains how persistent stress can disrupt sleep, increase inflammation, and influence mitochondrial function, hormones, and even gene expression through epigenetic pathways. Together, with the host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch, we focus on sustainable strategies that busy, high-capacity people can actually maintain - starting with the “unsexy basics” of hydration and sleep, plus boundaries that protect your nervous system. You’ll also leave with one simple “try this today” reset to restore perspective when you feel overwhelmed.
Erica Jones is a wellness entrepreneur and educator and the co-founder of Elevays, where she helps high performers build sustainable routines that support energy, focus, and longevity without burnout. With a background in biology and an early career in pharmaceutical sales, Erica transitioned into a root-cause approach to health through functional and holistic wellness. She has guided thousands of entrepreneurs, CEOs, and coaches toward greater clarity, balance, and resilience through practical, real-life strategies.
Episode Timeline
00:00 – Opening teaser: stress and biological aging. Why burnout and chronic stress can quietly accelerate aging, and why small daily shifts can help reverse the trajectory.
00:30 – Dr. Gillian Lockitch introduces the episode focus: stress, mitochondria, telomeres, hormones, inflammation, sleep, and longevity.
03:48 – Meet Erica Jones. Erica shares her work helping high performers build sustainable routines that support energy, focus, and longevity.
04:11 – From pharma to holistic wellness. Erica describes her biology background, early pharmaceutical sales career, and the pivot into holistic, root-cause health.
08:39 – The problem with “overwhelming wellness routines" Why drastic overhauls and intense routines backfire for busy people, and how to simplify to what’s doable.
09:55 – Non-negotiables: hydration and sleep. The “unsexy basics” that protect the cell: consistent hydration (often with electrolytes) and prioritizing sleep.
11:35 – Electrolytes: a practical tool. Erica recommends an electrolyte option (LMNT) and explains how it can support consistent hydration.
13:48 – Real-life challenges and cravings. Dr. Lockitch shares how health events and medication shifts can change appetite, cravings, and weight management.
16:10 – How stress ages us at the cellular level. Epigenetic alteration, chronic inflammation, and lifestyle patterns that can turn on disease expression over time.
25:05 – What to stop doing now. Protect sleep, reduce late-night screens and blue light, and create boundaries with devices and always-on digital life.
29:28 – A common myth: waiting for the perfect time. Why “I’ll get healthy after this busy season” keeps people stuck, and how constraints and commitment create change.
31:16 – Balancing work, family, and self-care. Erica’s approach to focus, guilt-free boundaries, and a nightly wind-down routine to prevent burnout.
33:53 – Try this today: step outside. Fresh air and nature as a fast nervous-system reset that restores perspective and supports momentum.
36:00 – Wrap-up and where to connect. How to find Erica’s free gift and resources, plus Dr. Lockitch’s invitation to schedule a roadmap call.
Resources and Links Mentioned
Erica Jones and Elevays: https://eleves.com
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@
Erica's 5-Minute Daily Detox for Burned-Out Entrepreneurs (Free Download) → https://elevays.kit.com/
Call to Action
Subscribe to Growing Older Living Younger on your favorite podcast platform. Leave a review to help others discover the show and share the link
Contact Dr. Gillian Lockitch at askdrgill@gmail.com to explore your personal roadmap to longer healthspan and living younger longer.