For children and young teens, what techniques have you used recommended for HPA-D treatment for stress reduction? I’ve helped kids learn meditation, but I’ve not had great success with some families who are already overwhelmed, and the child doesn’t have complete control over what they do. I’m encouraging lifestyle changes but would love to have something where kids see a quicker response. Perhaps bio or neural feedback.

Chris Kresser:  Yeah, that’s probably a good option in some cases where the family situation isn’t conducive to meditation or mindfulness-based stress-reduction. There are some really skilled teachers around the country depending on where you are who work specifically with kids on mindfulness and meditation. There are retreats that kids or teenagers can go on. I have actually a really close friend who works with at-risk youth and teaches them mindfulness and meditation and yoga in San Francisco. And these are mostly homeless kids, and it has an incredible amazing effect in that population who you might think, you’d think might not be receptive to it, but given their circumstances.

So, I think sometimes how it’s presented and how it’s taught makes a difference, especially for teenagers. Biofeedback or neurofeedback could be a good option because it can be a little bit more engaging and a little bit less foreign for them initially. Exercise, of course, is an important aspect of stress reduction if they’re not already doing that. Saunas and things that have kind of a more physical nature to them, like hot and cold plunges. I’ve seen some teenagers really get into that. Yeah, I think those are some good starting places.