The Cortisol Connection Diet: The Breakthrough Program to Control Stress and Lose Weight

I heard Shawn Talbott speak on a teleseminar a couple weeks ago, about cortisol and testosterone and their role in stress, weight reduction, and health. I was impressed - the man seemed to know what he's talking about and everything he said resonated with things I already knew, half-knew, or suspected: * Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, is a potent appetite signal for high-calorie, high-carb foods; it tells our fat cells, especially those in the belly region, to store as much fat as possible, while dialing down the body's calorie burning rate and slowly shrinking muscle tissue. * Stress management leads to reduced cortisol, reduced fat - especially belly fat - and an increased metabolic rate, to burn more calories. * Testosterone goes up as cortisol goes down (yes, in women too!), and that's a good thing. We should aim to balance these two hormones, and that's what exercise does for us - this is the main benefit of exercise, not burning calories per se. Walking three times per week will do it! * Hydrate! - We need plenty of water to melt away fat; it's a chemical, metabolic thing.. * High cortisol (high stress) leads to lowered sex drive, bone loss, and suppresses your immune system. Talbott noted how college infirmaries fill up with sick students at the end each semester, because the stress of exams and papers has reduced their immunity. * Eat flavinoids (bright colored fruits and vegetables) and a balance of complex carbohydrates, healthy proteins, and healthy fats to combat cortisol. Talbot, trained in sports medicine, health management, exercise physiology, and nutritional biochemistry, is an associate clinical professor of nutrition at the University of Utah, a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Dietary Supplements (for health professionals) and SupplementWatch (for consumers). An earlier book, The Cortisol Connection, How Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health And What You Can Do About It, is a more general treatment of stress, its effects, and how to control it. In The Cortisol Connection Diet (2004), Talbot concentrates on diet: what to eat and how much, including recommendations for supplements (such as Green Tea Extract). He recommends three meals and three snacks per day, and introduces The Helping Hand - your hand - a readily available physical measure for how much proteins, carbs, and fats to eat. This is not so much a diet as it is a common-sense guide - that common-sense being informed by an understanding of the role of cortisol and other hormones in metabolism as it relates to weight and health. Talbot also critiques popular Diets: Atkins, Ornish, Zone, Weight Watchers, Ephedra (herbal stimulant), liquid. Here is what he says about the Atkins Diet: Q: What are the side effects associated with the Atkins Diet (low carb / high protein)? A: It depends on how the diet is approached. For example, an "Atkins" meal composed of salmon and green salad has no side effe

If you have read any "diet" books from the past 10 years, and then attempted in vain to follow the advice in those books, you will really enjoy and appreciate reading the Cortisol Connection Diet. For starters, it's a very "easy read". It's as though you are listening to a casual conversation from a friend. The information is presented in a logical and easy to follow manner. I read the book cover to cover on a short plane ride. There were two particular aspects of the book that I thought were very unique and extremely helpful. First are the highlights at the end of each chapter. I have found myself on numerous occasions, going back to the book, reviewing the chapter highlights and quickly getting the information I was looking for. Secondly, the sample menu plans and daily logs at the end of the book were great! I would put this on anyone's "must read list"!

I don't do stress well at all! After years as a first grade teacher and a stressful personal life, stress almost hospitalized me. Couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. I was running on a pure histamine. My adrenals were shot-no emergency energy! I was covered with rash, depressed when I could come down enough. My muscles were wasting away. Then my thyroid crashed and I could barely drag my legs around to walk. After the thyroid started up again, the doctors "blood type diet" didn't do much. Then I saw an article on Dr. Talbott in a magazine and followed the advice while I waited for the book to arrive. I've only been on the plan for 10 days and the depression is gone and, oh, yes the brain fog. I can do 30 minutes a day on my crosstrainer. I am sleeping better and feel more positive. All this after I had to quit work five years ago because this syndrome is so debilitating. Great book! Read it! Use it! It's for everyone since we're all living under stress. I'm into The Cortison Connection now. I fell like I'm giving myself a second chance at life and loving it. If you're tired of starving to loose weight and want to eat to achieve a healthy body and spirit, this is the best. I don't have those awful sugar cravings anymore. Did I mention I was on heavy Prednisone for five years and had drug-induced hypoglycemia? Anyway, this food plan (it's not a diet because you're never hungry) is perfect. I was never able to get the weight to drop off and now it's coming off. Thanks, Dr. Talbott. People like you come along far too infrequently. Penecillin and the polio vaccines for the 20th century. Obesity for the 21st! If anyone should question this books importance, open your eyes to how few fit people you see. We've been "digging our own graves with a spoon"! Examine the statistics. It makes perfect SENSE. It's soooo simple!

The two books..the Cortisol Connection and The Cortisol Diet are a must read for anyone stressed from everyday life. Dr. Talbott offers recommendations on diet, lifestyle and supplements which are not only easy to follow, they make a profound difference to your health. You don't have to be overwheight to take advantage of this diet. Its a diet for anyone that is stressed from life.

I picked up The Cortisol Connection on a business trip a year ago and read it cover to cover on the flight home to Boston. It was an easy read that provided lots of information about the science behind stress and its affect on the body. As a salesperson doing lots of travel it really was an eye opener on what stress was doing to my body. My wife (mother to 3 kids under 5 at the time) also found Dr. Talbott's book to be extremely informative. Having tried different diets and weight loss supplements, she appreciated finally having information about how stress was affecting her ability to "shed the pounds". In his second book, The Cortisol Connection Diet, Dr. Talbott provides more useful information and concrete examples of how to use his "SENSE" program to lead to an overall healthier lifestyle. Both my wife and I enjoyed this book as much as the first (it was an even easier read!!!)and look forward to putting some of the additional "tidbits" on reducing stress and proper diet to use. If you've read the first book, you'll find this an excellent follow up. If you haven't read the first book, this one definitely stands on its own, although I'd recommend both.