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In this episode of Thyroid Pharmacist Healing Conversations, I spoke with Dr. Erin Kinney, a naturopathic doctor, author of The Cortisol Cure, and expert in stress hormones and adrenal health.
Dr. Kinney shares a fresh perspective on cortisol, debunking the common myth that it is an “evil” hormone that must always be lowered. We explore why low cortisol is often the true culprit behind chronic fatigue, brain fog, and autoimmune flares, and how viewing your energy through the lens of a “cortisol bank account” can fundamentally change how you approach stress management and healing.
If you’ve been feeling burnt out, struggling with low energy, or trying to navigate stress while managing chronic health conditions, this episode offers actionable, real-world tools to help you rebuild your energy reserves.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why cortisol isn’t the villain it’s made out to be. Dr. Kinney explains that cortisol is your body’s natural anti-inflammatory and helps provide the energy you need to respond to stress. She also discusses why low cortisol, rather than high cortisol, may contribute to symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and sleep disturbances.
- The “cortisol bank account” concept. Learn how every stressful activity, internal inflammation, or food sensitivity acts as “withdrawals” from the bank, while rest, parasympathetic practices, and doing things you simply enjoy are more like “deposits” that help replenish and balance energy.
- Internal vs. external stressors. How hidden internal drains like nutrient deficiencies, food sensitivities, and chronic infections consume your energy just as much as work, family, and busy schedules.
- Why “high achievers” fall into burnout. Dr. Kinney discusses the emotional and mindset patterns common in high-performing individuals, such as difficulty resting, lack of boundaries, and saying yes to everyone except themselves, and how to flip the script.
- Building your “relaxation muscle.” Just like physical exercise, resting requires practice. Dr. Kinney shares why relaxation can feel uncomfortable at first and how quick daily micro-practices can strengthen your parasympathetic response over time.
- Simple two-minute daily resets. Practical, low-barrier tools you can use immediately, including box breathing, belly breathing, humming, and even focused activities like puzzles, can help to interrupt anxious thought spirals.
Check Out Dr. Kinney’s New Book!
What if cortisol isn’t the hormone you need to fear, but one you need to better understand? In The Cortisol Cure, Dr. Kinney takes a fresh look at our relationship with cortisol and explains how chronic stress can leave us continually “spending” more than we can replenish. Using her approachable “cortisol bank account” framework, Dr. Kinney explores how stress, rest, and daily habits can influence our ability to maintain energy, recover, and feel our best. Through real patient stories and practical strategies, she offers an empowering roadmap for recognizing when your body may be running on empty and making sustainable changes to help restore balance. It’s a #1 new release on Amazon – get your copy here!
Freebies
- The Cortisol Debt Score Assessment – This assessment helps you identify the sources of your stress, both externally and internally.
Connect with Dr. Erin Kinney
- Learn about Dr. Kinney’s work and resources on her website
- Explore her clinic here
- Follow Dr. Kinney on Instagram and Facebook
- Check out Dr. Kinney’s book: The Cortisol Cure
- Check out her podcast: The Dr. Kinney Show
Programs and Resources Mentioned
- The Cortisol Cure by Dr. Erin Kinney – A book exploring practical strategies to balance stress hormones, rebuild energy reserves, and regulate the nervous system.
- The Spoon Theory – A conceptual framework often used in chronic illness to explain energy depletion and capacity management.
- Vagus Nerve Stimulation – Techniques such as humming, singing, or cold exposure that activate the parasympathetic nervous system. There are also devices like the Pulsetto and Nuropod that stimulate the vagus nerve.
- Box Breathing & Belly Breathing – Controlled breathwork techniques designed to shift the body out of fight-or-flight mode.
- Cortisol Testing – Saliva and urine tests can give you insight into your cortisol levels and patterns. You can get a standalone test like the one from ZRT Laboratory, or the DUTCH test is another option that gives you additional insight into your overall hormonal health.
- Neo-Emotional Release – Dr. Kinney suggests this breathwork-based therapy as a way to enter a deeply relaxed, hypnotic-like state and process stored emotions, noting that it helped relieve her tension migraines and joint pain.
- Adrenal Transformation Program – This is my signature program to support the adrenals and help people overcome symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, and more. Use this link for a special discount.
Supplements and Medications Mentioned
- Physica Energetics Adrenal Support Supplements – Dr. Kinney suggests products from this company for highly sensitive patients who have difficulty tolerating supplements or herbs; consider homeopathic remedies like Adreno Code and Adrenal Milieu for gentle adrenal support.
- Iron – Essential mineral often evaluated and supplemented when addressing fatigue and low adrenal energy reserves. See my article on anemia for iron-boosting strategies.
- Epsom Salt Baths – Magnesium-rich bath soak used to promote muscular relaxation and support stress reduction.
- Lavender Essential Oil – Aromatherapy tool used to support relaxation and nervous system calming.
Adrenal Articles and Resources
- Adrenal Transformation Protocol: A 4-Week Plan to Release Stress Symptoms and Go from Surviving to Thriving by Dr. Izabella Wentz. A simple and actionable program to identify adrenal triggers, balance the stress response, and build resilience to prevent excess stress from overwhelming the adrenals in the future.
- Are Your Adrenals Sabotaging Your Health?
- Why Addressing Adrenals Is a Must if You Have a Thyroid Problem
- Strategies to Overcome Anxiety with Hashimoto’s
- How Balancing Iron Levels Can Help Your Thyroid
- Podcast Episode: The Hidden Nervous System Problem Keeping Your Thyroid Stuck With Elizabeth Clark
- Podcast Episode: The Missing Piece Of Healing: Boundaries, Self-Worth, And Nervous System Health With Amy Untamed
Get the Full Episode Transcript
Let’s Connect!
- Follow me on Instagram: @izabellawentzpharmd
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- Subscribe & Review: If you loved this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rate it on Spotify!
Got questions? Drop them in the comments! 🙂
About Our Host
Dr. Izabella Wentz
Dr. Izabella Wentz is a compassionate, innovative, solution-focused integrative pharmacist dedicated to finding the root causes of chronic health conditions. Her passion stems from her own diagnosis of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2009, following a decade of debilitating symptoms.
Dr. Izabella Wentz has written several best-selling books, including the New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, the protocol-based #1 New York Times bestseller Hashimoto’s Protocol: A 90-Day Plan for Reversing Thyroid Symptoms and Getting Your Life Back, the Wall Street Journal bestseller Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology: Nutrition Protocols and Healing Recipes to Take Charge of Your Thyroid Health, and Adrenal Transformation Protocol. Her latest book, IBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is now out in the world, and available here!
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About Our Guest
Dr. Erin Kinney is a naturopathic doctor, author, and speaker who helps high-achieving men and women recover from burnout, hormone imbalances, and the long-term effects of chronic stress. She is the creator of the “Cortisol Bank Account” framework, a relatable way to understand how stress impacts energy, metabolism, thyroid health, and overall resilience. This framework is the foundation of her new book, The Cortisol Cure. She is also the founder of The Kinney Clinic in Annapolis, Maryland, where she helps patients uncover the root causes of fatigue, hormone imbalance, and chronic health issues. As a business owner and mom of five, she’s no stranger to stress and loves helping people rebuild their energy and resilience.
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