The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health - And What You Can Do about It

""Stress is killing us,"" warns Talbott, and ""humans are not zebras"": unlike the rest of the animal kingdom, our fight-or-flight reactions to physical and emotional disturbances can lead to prolonged, chronic stress and elevated levels of cortisol. Over the long term, excessive amounts of this ""primary stress hormone"" can ""kill your sex drive, shrink your brain, squelch your immune system, and generally make you feel terrible."" While Talbott freely admits that nearly as many ways to cope with stress exist as events and situations that cause it, his recommended solution to alleviating tension and achieving balanced cortisol levels is the SENSE program. These five principles-Stress management, Exercise, Nutrition, Supplements and Evaluation-aren't necessarily groundbreaking, but they're undoubtedly sensible. Talbott is a nutritionist, and thus the book's coverage of vitamins, minerals and adaptogens (general anti-stress supplements) is especially comprehensive, and includes important recommendations for safety and dosage levels. With features including a ""Stress Self-Test,"" daily food plans and a guide to additional stress management resources, the text is organized for both quick reference use as well as for readers, especially health care workers, interested in conducting a more detailed exploration.