The Balance Within: The Science Connecting Health and Emotions |  | Author: Esther M. Sternberg M.D.
Publisher: W. H. Freeman
List Price: $16.00
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Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 58493
Media: Paperback
Pages: 250
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 3.6 x 0.9
ISBN: 0716744457
Dewey Decimal Number: 616.0019
EAN: 9780716744450
ASIN: 0716744457
Publication Date: May 7, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Since ancient times humans have felt intuitively that emotions and health are linked, and recently there has been much popular speculation about this notion. But until now, without compelling evidence, it has been impossible to say for sure that such a connection really exists and especially how it works.
Now, that evidence has been discovered.
A thrilling scientific detective story, The Balance Within tells how researchers finally uncovered the elusive mind-body connection and what it means for our health. In this beautifully written book, Dr. Esther Sternberg, whose discoveries were pivotal in helping to solve this mystery, provides first hand accounts of the breakthrough experiments that revealed the physical mechanisms - the nerves, cells, and hormones - used by the brain and immune system to communicate with each other. She describes just how stress can make us more susceptible to all types of illnesses, and how the immune system can alter our moods. Finally, she explains how our understanding of these connections in scientific terms is helping to answer such crucial questions as "Does stress make you sick?" "Is a positive outlook the key to better health?" and "How do our personal relationships, work, and other aspects of our lives affect our health?"
A fascinating, elegantly written portrait of this rapidly emerging field with enormous potential for finding new ways to treat disease and cope with stress, The Balance Within is essential reading for anyone interested in making their body and mind whole again.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 13
 A fine addition to the popular books on medicine July 13, 2009
O. Krasnykh (San Francisco, CA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Unfortunately, I have read Sapolsky's "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" 3rd ed. prior to reading this book. If I hadn't have done that, I would have given this book 5 stars-- it is well researched, well written, and is accessible for anyone regardless of science background. However, it is difficult to compete with Sapolsky, a prominent figure in the stress research field, in writing style with all his wit, charm, random anecdotes and the like. Also, Sapolsky's book is more up-to-date, has greater breadth, and, I feel, it is a little more substantial. However, I do feel like Sternberg's book may be a little more accessible to someone with no science background, while Sapolsky's may be difficult to follow, especially when he gets carried away with scientific terminology (though, I would still recommend sticking through those difficult parts, of which there are few, because the author never ceases to return from the heavily scientific woods with a quick and easy-to-grasp summary of the main points).
EVERYTHING'S CONNECTED October 15, 2008
Maritsa (Tujunga, CA)
I took Biology and Chemistry in college and although I am not a health professional it is very interesting to have learned the general approach our physiology follows when faced with stress and emotions. The first 65 pages of the book describe the physiology of the brain and then some very interesting hypothesis is concluded. One among which is an elaborate description of test animals that revealed a link between stress and inflammatory diseases, arthritis being one of them. You should read this book because I'm not going to tell you how it concludes. What would be the point?
What I loved about the book is that it's written to adults and it's written very well. The author really knows how to put things in order. When dealing with such a complicated system as the human nervous system this is a good idea and certainly made the reading smooth and fast.
Some very interesting history is woven into the fabric of this book, making it less like a textbook and more like a non-fiction novel. I haven't changed my minds about personality types and the author does point out to interesting relationships between people. She talks about type characteristics like traits, the ones we use to describe people. I do believe that majority of what psychologists observe as Intuitive people is now directly related to human stress response.
The Balance Within October 13, 2008
Trudie Barreras
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a delightful and fascinating book. While it is meticulously researched and technical in spots, it is extremely readable. Sometimes even amusing, and even touching. I heard Dr. Steinberg interviewed on "Speaking of Faith" on NPR, and this is what motivated me to purchase her book. I am glad I did.
Aha! so that's how emotions lead to health issues! July 9, 2008
R. Gale
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Most of us believe that emotions have an impact on health--emotional stress often leads to illness and bad environments definitely changes our moods and our health. But...just how do immune defenses work, does the brain really send messages to our body to protect it from the impact of stress or lead us to get sick? How do we get the balance of healthy performance and stress right? This extraordinarily well-written book describes the mechanisms relying heavily on current research and does so with exquisite references to history and descriptions of real situations. Sternberg writes so well that many of the emotions she discusses are evoked for the reader. It challenges mainstream linking without promoting simple-minded extreme new age therapies. It shows how a balanced life can be the healthiest lifestyle. This delightful journey through the body is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand how stress and immune responses really work.
Worth reading and re-reading April 27, 2008
Johanna N.
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a beautifully well-written book. Mind body-books can be arrogant or too ethereal.
Dr Sternberg succeeded to write a thoroughly researched and referenced book that is also a fun book to read. This book is really helpful to understand how your mind functions. It is worth reading and re-reading.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 13
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