Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: A Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping [Hardcover]

Robert M. Sapolsky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1994

When people burdened with stress start to feel bad physically, it is not just in their minds. Emotional crises bring on specific physical changes in the body. If those stress responses are prolonged or set in motion too often, the resulting wear and tear can lead to digestive and sleeping problems, heart disease, cerebrovascular diseases, reproductive disorders and other illnesses. "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" is Robert Sapolsky's look at the interconnections between emotion and physical well-being. Drawing on the latest research, Sapolsky describes the physical toll associated with emotional turmoil. He also discusses some proven effective ways of learning to moderate the body's responses to stress. This book's balance of biology and psychology, and research-supported suggestions for coping, should make it a helpful guidebook for people worried about worrying themselves sick.

Editorial Reviews

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.

Review

What happens when people are stressed over a period of time? Biologist/author Sapolsky provides a description of stress response, examining the latest research as he focuses not only upon man, but upon animals who have different methods of managing and expressing stress. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: W H Freeman & Co (Sd) (1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0716723913
• ISBN-13: 978-0716723912
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #510,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #18 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Disorders & Diseases > Ulcers & Gastritis

More About the Author

Robert M. Sapolsky is the author of several works of nonfiction, including A Primate's Memoir, The Trouble with Testosterone, and Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. He is a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and the recipient of a MacArthur Foundation genius grant. He lives in San Francisco.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Understanding Stress, August 24, 2006

By 

Rachel B. Ramey "a2jc4life" (Winchester, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why Zebras Dont Get Ulcers: A Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases, and Coping (Paperback)

This is an extraordinarily well-written book about stress. The information contained is quite technical, but the author does a superb job of illustrating these technical concepts with everyday things the average person can understand. Garden hoses, toilets, the banking system and, of course, zebras, are all employed at one point or another to explain the physiology of stress. There are not really any practical ideas here for managing stress; the focus is more on how stress affects the various systems of the body. You will, however, have an amazing understanding of all of these intricate mechanisms by the end of the book! Copious end notes flesh out some concepts which are over-simplified in the main text.

Some readers will want to be aware that a lengthy paragraph of erotica is employed at one point as an illustration (it is not superfluous; it is a very effective teaching tool), and that, as is common with modern scientific works, there is a distinctly evolutionary bias.