Instead of jumping into the new trend of low carb craze, nutritional biochemist Dr. Shawn Talbott finds that the key to weight loss is maintaining cortisol levels. With stress causing an increase in cortisol levels, the results force higher blood sugar levels, increased appetite, and heightened fat storage. In addition to exposing carb diet myths, he shows how depriving yourself of carb-rich foods can fuel stress and therefore increase cortisol levels. Instead, he believes in maintaining cortisol through various methods, such as using the dietary supplement Cortislim.

Before you jump onboard the low carb craze, look before you leap!

“It’s exactly like the low-fat (Snackwells) phenomenon that hit in the 90’s—and unfortunately, it will be backfiring for millions of Americans in much the same way,” says Dr. Shawn Talbott, nutritional biochemist and author of ‘The Cortisol Connection—Why Stress Makes Us Fat and Ruins Your Health.’

Dr. Talbott, an adjunct professor at the University of Utah, believes it’s a fat-storing hormone called Cortisol—not carbs—that is the chief culprit in making people fat.

“From the moment we wake, we’re bombarded with stress,” he points out. “Each stressful moment—work, relationships, bills, dieting—releases more cortisol into the blood stream. Cortisol causes blood sugars to rise, appetite and cravings to increase, and signals the body to store stubborn abdominal fat.”

According to Dr. Talbott, formulator of CortiSlim, a popular cortisol-control weight loss supplement, just thinking about that savory pizza you’re missing can cause your cortisol levels to spike.

“It’s true. Just feeling deprived of your favorite foods is a stressful event,” says Dr. Talbott. “Dietary restraint increases psychological stress and elevates cortisol levels, which increases appetite and abdominal fat accumulation, and thus makes weight loss more difficult – a situation that increases emotional stress even more and compounds the difficulty in losing weight.”

Dr. Talbott believes the key to consistent, healthy and gradual weight loss is getting a handle on your cortisol levels through nutrition, exercise and dietary supplements, such as CortiSlim.

Here are a few other things Dr. Talbott believes should be considered before starting any low-carb diet:

1. Remember, your brain needs at least 100 grams of carbohydrates daily (to function optimally) much more than allowed on most low-carb diets!

2. If you don’t control your cortisol hormone, carb cravings can become uncontrollable on a low-carb diet.

3. Low carb diets can result in weight loss, but only when accompanied by reduced caloric intake—and only if you stick to them. (Drop out rates is typically 50 percent or higher for low-carb diets).

4. Many of the new low-carb products have the same, if not higher caloric counts, than higher-carb products—and calories still count!

After 15 years of research into cortisol (a primary stress hormone) and its impact on weight gain, Dr. Talbott is convinced that controlling cortisol levels is the key to losing weight.

“When cortisol levels ease, carb cravings are also greatly reduced and people start losing weight naturally,” he added. “Cortisol-control products, such as CortiSlim, make it easier for people to lose weight!”

For more information about Dr. Talbott’s cortisol-control research, visit www.cortisol.com.