No Wonder You Feel Like Crap!: The hidden, deadly connection between stress, diet, and disease

by Richard Weinstein

If you feel trapped in a vicious downward spiral of food cravings, obesity, and ill health, you're not alone. Although several excellent studies and books have made the connection to stress, sedentary lifestyle, and dietary salt, sugar, and fat, they're still missing the critical pieces to unlocking the puzzle of what is really making you sick-and without an understanding of those missing pieces, and especially the critical roles of the stress hormone cortisol and internal inflammation-your chances of regaining full health and vitality are not good. In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Weinstein explains in simple terms exactly what goes wrong in our bodies and precisely why our modern lifestyle and poor dietary choices can lead to such a bewildering variety of symptoms and diseases. Once you understand the common factors leading to obesity, illness, and even premature death, the author further empowers you with a commonsense, easy-to-follow program that will show you how to break the cycle of illness and regain and maintain vibrant health. Praise for this book: "I believe Dr. Weinstein's work has much to teach us in allopathic medicine. I regret that I was not taught more about diet and the issue of inflammation in medical school ... I believe this book would be a useful addition to any medical library, and it would be a good book for us medical doctors to have in our waiting rooms for our patients to read and ask us questions about." -Jennifer J. Choate, M.D. Hematology and Oncology "Weinstein illustrates the effects of cortisol in a way that is provocative, illuminating, and easy to understand...This book will provide those in the helping professions a whole new set of tools to refer to their clients. A must for the library of any human service professional." -Bonnie Randall, BSW, RSW, Clinical Addictions Counselor "'No Wonder You Feel Like Crap!' is a scientifically rigorous yet clearly and concisely written explanation of exactly what its title states and how to change that condition. Rather than being yet another gloom and doom presentation of the inevitability of the title experience, Dr. Weinstein provides a simple and easy to follow protocol to reclaim the health and vitality that every person should experience on a daily basis. Unlike many poorly researched and grossly exaggerated "get healthy quick" schemes, every claim made and every health-enhancing protocol described is supported by documented results from the scientific literature in addition to over 30 years of Dr. Weinstein's own on-going research and clinical results: there are more scientific references cited than there are pages in this book." - Dr. Gary Fisher, PhD

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2013

About the author

Dr. Richard Weinstein is a chiropractor in private practice in Santa Cruz county in central California. He is a member of the American Chiropractic Association's Council on Nutrition and of the National Institute of Chiropractic Research.

Reviews

[Schuyler Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually stay away from self-help books that give complex advice on improving me. I don’t need the help. I’m at least as healthy as other men my age. But Dr. Richard Weinstein’s NO WONDER YOU FEEL LIKE CRAP was intriguing because of its title. At last, I thought, a book that takes a lighthearted look at the condition of our bodies. Wrong.

The book is for those “trapped in a vicious downward spiral of food cravings, obesity, and ill health.” That, in itself, is a rather gloomy preview. It supposedly unlocks the secrets of what’s really making us sick. Dr. Weinstein claims to use simple terms to explain what goes wrong with our bodies and why modern lifestyles and poor dietary habits lead to puzzling symptoms and diseases.

The big culprit in this saga of bodily deterioration is the hormone cortisol. According to the author, elevated cortisol in the body is related to almost every major disease. I gamely struggled through a couple of chapters of highly technical jargon until I came upon some real words of wisdom. The author graciously suggested that the reader skip the technical “‘watch making” aspects of his theory and move to Chapter 6, Resolving Cortisol Imbalances. I immediately went there and found an involved regimen of taking a variety of nutritional supplements to ensure the creation of healthy receptor cells. In a daze, I then thumbed through the glossary and realized why I have a long-standing aversion to reading this type of material.

I’m not saying Dr. Weinstein’s theories are crap. Just the opposite. He is obviously an intellectual who is well qualified and his theories are carefully vetted and beneficial. For me, however, they are hard to comprehend, confusing, and simply too much trouble to apply. I am perfectly happy with my food cravings, obesity, and common old-age ailments. I will hobble on to other books more to my liking.

I recommend this book to those persons intent on improving their health, who are searching for well-founded solutions to eating and bodily disorders, and who have the patience and acuity to absorb complicated information and instructions aimed at making them healthy and happy. For those, like me, who are fat, dumb and happy, I recommend the writings of Erik Larson or John Grisham.

[Zeenat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am still not skilled on writing reviews for non fiction, so bear with me.

In this book, Dr. Weinstein uses stress, or the hormone cortisol to be specific, to explain a lot of problems in in our body. From the way cortisol reacts with other hormones to how we can change our habits to be more healthy, Weinstein creates a basic outline so we don't "feel like crap anymore"

The book was outlined well, with research backing up his assertions. It is frustrating when doctor's write non-fiction books with authority but only rely on the Dr. in their name to carry the book. Dr. Weinstein does not do that. Instead, he uses facts and research to prove to us what can and cannot help.

Unfortunately, some of his solutions were either too confusing or too obvious. We already know diet and exercise is good for us! But I am not sure I know how to ask my doctor to check my cortisol levels. This book feels almost useless.

However, if you are looking for some way to feel better or become healthier, this book may help you. I suggest it to those who are looking for any solution to help.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

**Copy provided by Netgalley for an honest review**

[Bonnie Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a clinical social worker practicing in the addictions field, I have long been interested in the impact of cortisol, our 'fight or flight' hormone, and the impact it makes on our over-all well being (or lack thereof). No Wonder You Feel Like Crap dissects this hormone; how it works, why we have it, and what occurs when it overwhelms the system. Issues such as chronic pain, insomnia, obesity, and malaise are accounted for in this provovative book by linking said conditions to an overwhelming presence of cortisol in the system. Weinstein then relays a battery of remedial methods by which to reverse the presence of cortisol and work toward healing and optimal health.

An excellent resource to apply to not only oneself but to offer, if one is a helping professional such as myself, to clients as being 'one more tool in their toolkit' as they work toward recovery.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information presented in this book obviously stems from good research. It was a bit over my head at times, and I must admit I skimmed a bit. The material in the book is directly related to the title, and though it presents a bleak picture in regards to our eating habits,; it does also give the reader a commonsense roadmap to repair their eating habits and hopefully restore their health. It's not a simple, quick, easy solution, but it is a well researched, well supported and well thought out response to our disordered eating.
*I received my copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Anino · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate to say this, but I literally ran away from this book.. Why, you might ask? I'll tell you why! Because I like junk food, candy, Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes, and other "fun stuff!"

But I have to say that staying on the overeating crazy train is not smart, as a matter of fact it can be downright deadly. And this was something that I found out when my Appendix decided to go into hyperdrive, became infected, and literally burst. (Yes folks, I have the hospital invoices to prove it!)

So, what can I say? That Braum's, Taco Bell, Sonic Drive-In, Frito Lay, Coca-Cola, and Pepsi made me stay on the crazy train? No. It was my decision to eat all of that crap, and it is now my responsibility to treat my body like the temple that it is, and eat better.

That's not to say that I'll never indulge in a slice of decadent "Cheesecake Factory" Cheesecake, but what it does mean is that I'll increase my daily portion of healthier Proteins, and Veggies, and I'll eliminate most of the cereal, potatoes, sugar, and anything that has glutamate and gluten, in it.

This book was well written and was simple enough for any diet simpleton to understand it.

Giving this one 4 stars.