Book-length Review

I found this book, The Stress Cure , in the public library while looking for one to read for the book-length assignment. The author, Vern S. Cherewatenko, M.D., is a family physician who has founded and started many organizations and programs that help patients with a variety of health issuess. Cherewatenko says that he has "introduced hundreds of women to The Stress Cure and helped them balance their lives"(7) and that "Within days of starting The Stress Cure, they felt as though a mysterious veil of gloom had been lifted" (7). This book starts by discussing the term of stress, and the effects stress can have on your body in the first four chapters. As it gives you the facts, such as women have more stress than men, it also gives little statements Cherewatenko's patients have described to him over his career that all relate. One example is, "I find myself lashing out at things, people and situations that I shouldn't even be upset about" (14). The seven steps then start with chapter 5, going through the end of the book at chapter 10. The steps consist of: 1.Dehydroepiandrosterone, 2. Supplemental Nutrition, 3. Taming the Tiger, 4. Rekindling Relationships, 5. Effective Exercising, 6. Sensible Eating, and 7. Sound Sleep. It was a lot of information, but I have to say that I have learned so much about stress in this book than i did all the other posts put together.
The Stress Cure was really informative when it came to stress in general! Not only did it explain stress in great detail, but it gave a lot of case studies and examples that really illustrated what exactly he was trying to say. It wasn't exactly blunt and boring either. He put in every day personal stories that he has heard from real patients, and that made it easy to relate to and easy to comprehend. I also learned many new facts such as the comment that women are more easily stressed than men; "University of Michigan found that estrogen may increase cortisol secretion and decrease the ablity of cortisol to shut down its own secretion" (33).
I really liked the self assessments in chapter 4 that Cherewatenko added that he calls his "inventory". When I finished the book, I got a piece of paper and went back to the chapter and went through each of his assessments and added up my total and have realized how stressed my body is. After reading the effects stress can have on your body, I am so glad that I also read the steps he knows can de-stress someone so I can put step 1 into play for myself. You don't always realize how much stress you have on your body, so it may be best to be going ahead and having the physical activity or just a break time to just relax and do another one of the de-stressors Cherewatenko has suggested so stress doesn't have any affect on your body at all. If you feel that you are under stress and need a break, I GREATLY recommend this book. It has really opened up my eyes and has taught me a lot about stress.


Cherewatenko, Vern S. The Stress Cure A simple 7-step plan to balance mood, improve memory, and restore energy. 1st ed. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 2003. Print.