Potbelly syndrome (PBS) is a metabolic disorder that affects about one-third of the adults in industrialized countries. Its most important symptoms are abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Contrary to popular belief, these conditions are caused by chronic infections, not by bad habits. PBS is initiated by a small, long-term excess of the stress hormone cortisol. The extra cortisol stimulates our appetite and slows down our metabolism. It makes fat accumulate in places where it isn't wanted or needed. Most of the fat settles around our waists, but some of it settles in our liver and muscles. Liver and muscle cells aren't supposed to store fat, and the fat prevents them from working correctly. As a result, we feel tired and hungry much of the time. As our potbellies grow and our PBS gets worse, our blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin, and blood sugar levels rise. Most of the excess cortisol is produced in response to mild, chronic infections. Some of the germs that cause PBS also produce sores in our arteries. When these sores are large enough, they can block arteries and cause heart attacks. The Potbelly Syndrome explains how to diagnose and treat some of the germs that cause PBS and heart disease. If you've done everything you were supposed to do and still gained weight, became diabetic, or had a heart attack, or if you are a medical professional who suspects that there are serious gaps in the current understanding of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, The Potbelly Syndrome will provide you with the answers you need to bring about better health. Book jacket.