32 | Fight or flight, how to avoid overtraining and chase optimal health with HRV (Heart Rate Variability testing)

Today I’m interviewing the CCO of a really cool new company I discovered at PaleoFX this year that is going to make huge leaps and bounds in the realm of adrenal fatigue, stress management, elite athletes, and even people with chronic health conditions. It’s called Heart Rate Variability testing from Elite HRV, and you guys know I love being a guinea pig for all this stuff, whether it’s trying out different food plans, food sensitivity tests, blood testing, all before I recommend anything to you guys. And this one is LEGIT.

We talk about heart rate variability testing versus heart rate measuring, and how HRV measures the state of your nervous system – your ability to switch between fight or flight mode and rest and digest mode. If you’re in a state of chronic stress, you will have low variability because your body isn’t switching very well between fight or flight mode and rest and digest mode. We’ll learn about all the different factors that play into this – food, exercise, sleep, lifestyle stuff, coffee, alcohol, etc. and how you can measure if specific lifestyle changes you undertake are working for you or actually causing your body more stress.

In this episode, we discuss:

What is heart rate variability testing (vs. heart rate) and how can you use it to measure wellness and optimal health?
Why Vivek decided to switch from a primary care doctor in the Western medical system to a more alternative approach – and why we need to stop demonizing
Western medicine
How athletes, people with food sensitivities, adrenal fatigue and underlying health conditions can use HRV testing to chase optimal health
What are the major factors that can decrease your HRV (and overall wellness)?
The impact of stress, overexercising, and undereating on long-term health
How to avoid becoming overly dependent on tools like HRV, steps trackers, the scale, and calorie counting – when you should *not* do HRV testing

Everyone is unique – we all have unique genetics, unique ways in which we are raised, unique environments, with unique microbiomes – so you can’t apply a one-size-fits-all approach when you’re trying to solve health problems.

How can you test your HRV? Using a CorSense HRV sensor.

Check out the monitor here!

Vivek runs the business side of Elite HRV. Vivek left an executive career in the corporate world (medical devices) because of a passion for health and wellness – specifically to figure out how to prevent chronic disease instead of trying cure it. He has been an ancestral wellness advocate for over 10 years and spends his time with his wife, two daughters and dog in the Boston-area – outdoors whenever possible.

Elite HRV is one of the largest and top-rated heart rate variability (HRV) platforms with over 200,000 users. The company provides heart rate variability insights in a simple, easy to understand system for our coaches, health practitioners, athletes, researchers and health enthusiasts. They are passionate about helping people reach their health, performance and stress-management goals. They believe HRV has become one of the most powerful tools for people to achieve those goals.