64 | Hope Molecules: How Movement Really Rewires Pain for Life

What if your body held its own secret pharmacy that could spark hope in the toughest moments of pain? In this transformative solo episode, Stacey Roberts dives deep into the little-known science behind so-called "hope molecules," and the game-changing role movement plays in healing. With compassion and clear evidence, Stacey challenges the myth that pain always means physical damage and unpacks how your muscles quietly talk to your brain and immune system.Discover why relying on cortisone shots may cost you real, lasting wellness and how small, consistent actions can power up your health at any age. If you're relying on old stories about pain and movement, you risk missing out on a brighter, more empowered future. Listen now to gain exclusive insights and a proven path to real relief you won’t find elsewhere.Timestamped Highlights01:16 – The natural pharmacy inside your muscles03:55 – Why pain is not always about tissue damage05:13 – Hope molecules: how movement changes your brain07:33 – Building resilience begins with a single step08:20 – The surprising link between exercise and mental health10:29 – Turning short-term stress into long-term healing13:13 – How to move safely… even if you hurt15:13 – Why small, consistent actions transform painReferencesPhillips, C. (2018). Immune and neuroprotective effects of physical activity on the brain in depression. Brain Sciences, 8(5), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci8050068 PMID: 30093853 | PMCID: PMC6070639Pedersen, B. K., & Febbraio, M. A. (2008). Muscle as an endocrine organ: Focus on muscle-derived interleukin-6. Physiological Reviews, 88(4), 1379-1406. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.90100.2007 PMID: 18923185Pedersen, B. K., & Febbraio, M. A. (2012). Muscles, exercise and obesity: Skeletal muscle as a secretory organ. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 8(8), 457-465. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2012.49Agudelo, L. Z., Femenía, T., Orhan, F., Porsmyr-Palmertz, M., Goiny, M., Martinez-Redondo, V., Correia, J. C., Izadi, M., Bhat, M., Schuppe-Koistinen, I., Pettersson, A. T., Ferreira, D. M. S., Krook, A., Barres, R., Zierath, J. R., Erhardt, S., Lindskog, M., & Ruas, J. L. (2014). Skeletal muscle PGC-1α1 modulates kynurenine metabolism and mediates resilience to stress-induced depression. Cell, 159(1), 33-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2014.07.051 PMID: 25259918Wrann, C. D., White, J. P., Salogiannnis, J., Laznik-Bogoslavski, D., Wu, J., Ma, D., Lin, J. D., Greenberg, M. E., & Spiegelman, B. M. (2013). Exercise induces hippocampal BDNF through a PGC-1α/FNDC5 pathway. Cell Metabolism, 18(5), 649-659. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2013.09.008Important LinksPain-Free Formula Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pain-free-formula/id1802518411Free eBooks - https://newyouhealthandwellness.com/ebooksBiomechanics: When Movement MattersHeal Your Gut, Heal Your Pain - The Gut Joint Axis: A Missing Link to Joint and Muscle HealthHormones: A Missing Piece in Pain ReliefStacey’s Book on Amazon - https://www.amazon.ca/Pain-Free-Formula-Solving-Injections/dp/0998183717 New You Health and Wellness Website - https://newyouhealthandwellness.comAbout the HostStacey Roberts, PT, MBA, MSN, RN, is an Amazon bestselling author, physical therapist, registered nurse, and functional medicine specialist with 30+ years of experience. She founded and runs New You Health and Wellness in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Her program, detailed in her book, The Pain-Free F