Building Resistance to Stress and Aging The Toughness Model [Paperback]

The toughness model proposed in this book incorporates psychological research and neuroscience to explain how a variety of toughening activities - ranging from confronting mental and physical challenges to meditation - sustain our brains and bodies, and ultimately build our mental and psychological capacities degenerated by stress and by aging.Introduction 1. Toughness: An Opponent Process 2. The Basic Brain: Grand Structures 3. The Basic Brain: Neurons and Neurochemistry 4. Heredity, Genes, and Environment PART II - INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTERS 5-6: IMPACTS OF STRESSORS, AGING & OBESITY 5. Stress and Challenge: Kinds of Arousal 6. Long-term Stress: Stress Kills Neurons Too 7. The Aging of Brain: Not for Sissies 8. Fat and the Brain: Dumbing with Adiposity PART III - INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTERS 9-14: TOUGHENING AT LAST 9. Basic Toughness: Helplessness and Cold 10. Basic Toughness: Scandinavians and Exercise 11. Nurturance Toughens and Neglect Weakens 12. Cognitive Enrichment Toughens 13. Physical Exercise Toughens 14. Toughening Through Meditation PART IV - INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTERS 15-18 - APPLICATIONS OF TOUGHNESS 15. Toughness Affects Learning 16. Toughening Self Control and Mental Energy 17. Toughness, Emotional Control, and Therapy 18. Summary and a Full Model: It's a Tough Life ?

Dientsbier's work on physiological toughness has been seminal. This well-written, informative and, at times, humorous book complements those of Sapolsky and McEwen - a must read for those interested in resilience. - Jim Blascovich, Distinguished Professor, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

'Stress in our lives has a bad reputation. But the author marshals a vast amount of research literature to demonstrate that we can grow and become tougher from stress, with a resulting increase in our physical and mental capacities. This readable and highly informative book covers topics all the way from genetic, cellular, and endocrine functioning to helpful disculó#