Author's note -- Introduction -- Part I Hardwired for stress : our body's natural regenerative systems. The stress dilemma -- Cellular resistance : getting at the big picture by understanding the small -- The stress solution : ancient stress as a modern cure -- Part II Good hormetic stressors : the right kind, dose, and duration. Food "toxins" as medicine -- Exercise stress for cellular fitness -- Cold and heat therapy for activating thermogenesis -- Cycles of fasting, eating, and our circadan biology -- Finding the golden mean in emotional and mental stress -- Part III Living longer, healthier, and happier : using good stress to age better, fight illness. The hallmarks of aging : when good cells go bad -- Turning bad cells to good : new ways to combat the most common killers -- Living in balance : the cellular connection to a better life -- Part IV Stress, recover, repeat : putting the power of hormesis to work. Getting out of your comfort zone -- The stress paradox protocol -- Creating your hormetic kitchen : recipes and customizable meal templates -- Epilogue -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- Index

"There's a breakthrough happening in the study of wellness and longevity. We know that excessive stress can be toxic, but emerging new research reveals that too little stress is just as bad for you as too much. ... In [this book, Dr. Bergquist] explains that our bodies are designed to heal and repair themselves, but we need the right amount and type of stress to rejuvenate at a cellular level. Many modern comforts have inadvertently increased our risk of mental and physical illness by causing us to underutilize our inherited response to challenges. Our need for stress is so deeply embedded in our genes that you can't achieve good health without it. Dr. Bergquist reveals how to optimize five key stressors to maximize mental, emotional, and physical resilience and reap a host of health benefits, from staving off dementia to increasing the years of your life"--