Cortisol

Why does stress make you fat? What can you ultimately do about it? Shawn Talbott answered these questions in THE CORTISOL CONNECTION. Cortisol is the body's main stress hormone, prompting our fight or flight mechanism when dealing with a highly stressful situation, like being chased by a lion. However, the human body was made to deal with short bursts of stress (like being chased by a lion), not prolonged, continuous levels of stress (like mortgage payments, project deadlines, and traffic jams). This kind of stress causes the body's cortisol levels to rise, and scientific research has shown that high cortisol levels are associated with obesity, diabetes, fatigue, and even Alzheimer's disease. This new edition describes the results of the latest research about the connection between cortisol and HSD, and cortisol and testosterone. If we keep cortisol and HSD and testosterone within normal ranges, we're able to maximize the metabolic effect of diet and exercise regimen – and improve weight loss. In the first edition, Talbott introduced his SENSE program, that teaches participants how to manage stress and reduce cortisol levels. The program has been refined in the second edition with the help of the new research and the results of Talbott's test of the SENSE program over the past 5 years – he know it works. For the past 5 years, he has been actively researching (and refining and tweaking) this popular program to make it more and more effective in helping people to lose weight. SENSE is a program that combines Stress management, Exercise, Nutrition, Supplementation, and Evaluation into a comprehensive and highly effective (yet easy to follow) program that delivers results. During these 5 years, Talbott has combined different dietary approaches with varied exercise regimens and myriad supplement combinations – until finding just the right combination that works best for the majority of people. This edition contains 25% new material and a revised program to help everyone manage cortisol, stress, and their weight.

The Third Edition of this popular book brings up to date the material that so many readers found helpful in the previous editions. The text has been revised and reorganized with current chapters focusing on the history of cortisol use, sources of confusion regarding cortisol therapy, the significance of normal adrenocortical function, generally accepted uses of physiological dosage, viral infections, miscellaneous clinical conditions, and future directions for research and therapy. The author provides explanation and confirmation of the rationale for the effectiveness and safety of the uses of physiological dosages of cortisol in the treatment, not only of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders, but also of patients with chronic allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, gonadal dysfunction, infertility, shingles, acne, hirsutism, respiratory infections, and other less common disorders. It is a known fact that the influenza virus attacks the human body by impairing the production of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which, in turn, impairs the production of cortisol; the only hormone that is absolutely essential for life. In addition, within the past two years, a new infection has developed in central China and has been labeled Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The ACTH hormone and the SARS epidemic is addressed, and it is hoped that this type of cortisol therapy will not only be helpful in the treatment of the various disorders mentioned but will lead to a better understanding of the factors that contribute to the development of these disorders and ultimately contribute towards their prevention.

Disorders associated with cortisol excess and insufficiency, although rare, deserve the attention of the entire medical community because of high associated morbidity and mortality. Both diagnosis and management of hypo- and hypercortisolism are challenging, and disease presentation, at both clinical and laboratory level is not always definite. New tools are available for non-invasive and early diagnosis, and the choice of treatment should be tailored to each patient to improve quality of life through the regulation of the levels and rhythm of hormonal secretion, while limiting complications associated with the disease and therapies. In this new volume, top experts have contributed chapters on the pathognomonic, epidemiological, clinical, radiological, and laboratory aspects of the various disorders associated with altered cortisol secretion. They also present information on still debated standpoints on management. Cortisol Excess and Insufficiency is a valuable reference book for those wishing to have a reasoned and broad overview of the pathophysiology and management of disorders associated with hypo- and hypercortisolism.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis controls reactions to stress and regulates various body processes such as digestion, the immune system, mood and sexuality, and energy usage. This volume focuses on the role it plays in the immune system and provides substantive experimental and clinical data to support current understanding in the field, and potential applications of this knowledge in the treatment of disease. * Evidence presented in this book suggests that the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems form the Neuroendoimmune Supersystem, which integrates all the biological functions of higher organisms both in health and disease for their entire life cycle. * Contributors include both the scientists who initiated the work on the HPA axis and on the autonomic nervous system, and those who joined the field later.

The brain is the most complex organ in our body. Indeed, it is perhaps the most complex structure we have ever encountered in nature. Both structurally and functionally, there are many peculiarities that differentiate the brain from all other organs. The brain is our connection to the world around us and by governing nervous system and higher function, any disturbance induces severe neurological and psychiatric disorders that can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of the brain has improved dramatically in the last two decades. In particular, the critical role of cations, including magnesium, has become evident, even if incompletely understood at a mechanistic level. The exact role and regulation of magnesium, in particular, remains elusive, largely because intracellular levels are so difficult to routinely quantify. Nonetheless, the importance of magnesium to normal central nervous system activity is self-evident given the complicated homeostatic mechanisms that maintain the concentration of this cation within strict limits essential for normal physiology and metabolism. There is also considerable accumulating evidence to suggest alterations to some brain functions in both normal and pathological conditions may be linked to alterations in local magnesium concentration. This book, containing chapters written by some of the foremost experts in the field of magnesium research, brings together the latest in experimental and clinical magnesium research as it relates to the central nervous system. It offers a complete and updated view of magnesiums involvement in central nervous system function and in so doing, brings together two main pillars of contemporary neuroscience research, namely providing an explanation for the molecular mechanisms involved in brain function, and emphasizing the connections between the molecular changes and behavior. It is the untiring efforts of those magnesium researchers who have dedicated their lives to unraveling the mysteries of magnesiums role in biological systems that has inspired the collation of this volume of work.

Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine, Ninth Edition, offers a balanced view of the most current knowledge of cancer science and clinical oncology practice. This all-new edition is the consummate reference source for medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, internists, surgical oncologists, and others who treat cancer patients. A translational perspective throughout, integrating cancer biology with cancer management providing an in depth understanding of the disease An emphasis on multidisciplinary, research-driven patient care to improve outcomes and optimal use of all appropriate therapies Cutting-edge coverage of personalized cancer care, including molecular diagnostics and therapeutics Concise, readable, clinically relevant text with algorithms, guidelines and insight into the use of both conventional and novel drugs Includes free access to the Wiley Digital Edition providing search across the book, the full reference list with web links, illustrations and photographs, and post-publication updates

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide is the first volume to be written on the neuropeptide PACAP. It covers all domains of PACAP from molecular and cellular aspects to physiological activities and promises for new therapeutic strategies. Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide is the twentieth volume published in the Endocrine Updates book series under the Series Editorship of Shlomo Melmed, MD.

More than 60 percent of American adults are overweight. On any given day, millions of people are using one of dozens of popular weight loss programs. They all promise miraculous results with little effort. They're all guaranteed to work for you. So, why do we need another diet book? One word: cortisol. The recently discovered connection between cortisol and weight gain is not a consideration in other diets. Elevated cortisol levels increase appetite, enhance fat storage, and disrupt blood sugar control. Cortisol control, explained by Talbott in his previous book, The Cortisol Connection, is the missing link to effective weight loss. The Cortisol Connection Diet is a safe, practical, proven approach that harnesses the 3 key aspects of metabolism that are at the heart of our epidemic of obesity. With this diet, you'll eat all of the foods that you love, but you’ll learn how to use your food to control the effects of cortisol and glucose in your body, and ultimately how many calories you burn off or store on your body as fat.