(SINGLE AUDIO CD DISC) The Stress Connection

Connecting the Link Between Stress, Hormone Disruption and Immune Suppression The term "stress" is often used in medicine to explain away vague symptoms that are heard during the patient interview. Studies show that 75%-90% of visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints or disorders. If stress-related disorders are so prevalent, all physicians and healthcare providers should be well educated in the diagnosis and treatment of stress and stress-related disorders. This lecture will review the basic stress response. We will discuss how to use salivary testing to identify abnormal diurnal patterns of cortisol (the stress hormone) secretion. Abnormal cortisol secretion can lead to disruption of all hormone secretion patterns including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid hormone, and insulin. Abnormal cortisol patterns decrease energy production leading to fatigue and insomnia. Abnormal cortisol negatively affects the cardiovascular system, gastrointes