The Stress Hormone Effect on Weight

Linda and I are writing a book together entitled "The Stress Eater Diet". This should be out in about three months.

I am working on a section now that discusses the effects of stress on various body functions, and there is a large section focusing of course on the "stress hormones". I don't want you to wait several months for the book to come out and I also want to save you $14.95 so here is a brief snippet from the book. Hmmmm...maybe I ought to just give you a brief glimpse so you will spend the bucks in three months, so here goes...

The hypthalamus is a gland in the brain that makes a hormone called corticotrophin releasing hormone ("CRH"). This hormone, in turn, causes the pituitary gland to secrete ACTH, which then causes the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine. These are called the "fight or flight" hormones. When they are released, this causes blood pressure and pulse to increase, muscles tighten, awareness increases and sugar is released into the bloodstream. In response to a threat, these actions will help the person respond better. In the more primitive days of mankind, when threatened by a wild animal or another attacking tribe, these hormones would serve to protect humans by making them either stronger to fight or faster to flee.

However, as we have evolved, these hormones can actually be detrimental to us, especially when the stress-inducing event is not acute and life-threatening. Being given an unreasonable deadline at work produces stress and will elicit this chemical stress reaction, but when over a long term, weight gain, hypertension, immune systme dysfunction and other deleterious effects can occur from the chronic release of these hormones. Clearly, when under an acute, body-threatening event, this hormone release is protective, but when the stresses are more chronic, these hormones can hurt us.

Okay, you gotta wait several months for more of this abs0lutely titillating discussion!

We will let all of our patients and friends know when the book is coming out, and we will most definitely have a really fun book signing event complete with HEALTHY food choices! (Okay, some alcohol and unhealthy choices too!)