Amazon.com Review
Why don’t zebras get ulcers–or heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases–when people do? In a fascinating look at the science of stress, biologist Robert Sapolsky presents an intriguing case, that people develop such diseases partly because our bodies aren’t designed for the constant stresses of a modern-day life–like sitting in daily traffic jams or growing up in poverty. Rather, they seem more built for the kind of short-term stress faced by a zebra–like outrunning a lion.
With wit, graceful writing, and a sprinkling of Far Side cartoons, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers makes understanding the science of stress an adventure in discovery. “This book is a primer about stress, stress-related disease, and the mechanisms of coping with stress. How is it that our bodies can adapt to some stressful emergencies, while other ones make us sick? Why are some of us especially vulnerable to stress-related diseases, and what does that have to do with our personalities?”
Sapolsky, a Stanford University neuroscientist, explores stress’s role in heart disease, diabetes, growth retardation, memory loss, and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. He cites tantalizing studies of hyenas, baboons, and rodents, as well as of people of different cultures, to vividly make his points. And Sapolsky concludes with a hopeful chapter, titled “Managing Stress.” Although he doesn’t subscribe to the school of thought that hope cures all disease, Sapolsky highlights the studies that suggest we do have some control over stress-related ailments, based on how we perceive the stress and the kinds of social support we have.
–This text refers to the
Perfect Paperback
edition.
From Kirkus Reviews
Entertaining explanation of how stress affects the body and what we can do to counteract its effects. Sapolsky (a MacArthur Fellow who divides his time between teaching biological sciences and neuroscience at Stanford and conducting stress research on baboons in Kenya) makes a much- discussed topic seem fresh and new. Using humor, unexpected analogies, and offbeat examples (to illustrate how the brain sends messages to other parts of the body, he slips in a steamy passage from Lady Chatterley’s Lover), Sapolsky covers how the stress response affects the cardiovascular, digestive, reproductive, and immune systems; the body’s perception of pain; growth; and the aging process. He concludes with some words on how to cope with psychological stress–the type of stress that humans (unlike zebras) experience most often. He also cautions against the oversimplification of stress-reduction manuals, asserting that many suggested strategies–such as developing a sense of control, finding an outlet for your frustrations, and building a system of social support–can backfire. As a first line of defense against stress-related disease, Sapolsky recommends prevention–learning to recognize the signs of the stress response and to identify the situations that trigger it. His lucid text and not-to-be-overlooked footnotes are filled with delightful twists and turns, personal anecdotes, and nuggets of odd information–for instance, on voodoo death, Peter Pan, and the hunting skills of hyenas. Possessed of a lively intelligence, wide-ranging curiosity, and love of science, Sapolsky writes as though his readers share these traits. First-rate science for the nonscientist that’s certain to reduce stress–at least during the time spent reading it. (Forty- two illustrations–not seen) —
Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
This is possibly the best anatomy-phys book I’ve ever read, and as a nurse I’ve read a few! Now don’t get stressed out here! I truely mean it, this one is fun. No formulae to memorize, no complicated Krebs Cycles to navigate, no difficult Latin origin and insertion sites to locate, just pure fun. The author has the knack–no let’s call it for what it really is, a rare gift–for taking the dry facts of biological functioning and making an amusing but clearly informative tale of it all. Dr Sapolsky has a purpose beyond the mere dissemination of information on anatomy physiology of humans, zebras, lab rats, or baboons to the lay person. His intention is to show that the modern lifestyle, and how the individual reacts to it, can have a major impact on health and even on the economy of the country. I’d recommend the book to anyone with an interest in how the body works as wonderfully as it does, to those who wonder why they get sick when they’re stressed out but their neighbor never seems to, to those who want to lead a healthier lifestyle and need a little background information to get started, and to high school or college students who can’t quite get into that biology class because the content seems too difficult–or just plain too boring–to manage.
This book has helped me understand the science of stress and some unpleasant results that I’ve been experiencing. I’m someone who always wants to know WHY certain things are happening, and finds that helpful when figuring out how to fix them. I really like the author’s tone: He’s a scientist, but one with a great sense of humor and also a lot of compassion. This book, while not exactly New Agey/touchy-feely, is also not cold and clinical as it explains the biology behind stress and how it affects body and mind. Once you reach the point where you say, “OK, now I understand how stress is affecting me … Now what do I DO about it?,” you’ll probably need resources other than this book. But if, like me, you like to start out with a good understanding of what the problem is, then this book is a great place to find that foundation.