Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers

In college I was lucky enough to take a class from the foremost leader in gratitude research named Dr. Robert Emmons. Not only has gratitude become a cornerstone of my life, but in the class he had us read a really intriguing book that has left an impression all of these years later.

The book was titled “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers” by Robert Sapolsky.

It’s primarily about how our evolutionary hardwirings as animals are maladapted to our current world. Built into our physiological process is a stress response that surges us with energy should we need to respond to a threat. It’s often called our ‘fight or flight instinct’ and it’s effective at keeping us alive.

However, today’s society frequently presents stimuli that activate our internal stress response. It’s not just physical danger that we feel threatened by, but everyday instances related to money, relationships, the expectations of others, and so on. 

Even though the nature of the threat is very different, the body only has one way to handle it. Our natural stress response, which is meant to be temporary and acute, has become overactive and is causing chronic health issues our bodies aren’t evolved for. Things like cardiovascular disease, accelerated aging, problems with the immune system and digestive issues.

Thus the title “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers”.

When it comes to combating stress in life, the suggestions are simple: More exercise, mindfulness, social interaction, and focusing on things that are within our control. And even though we feel like our stress is our problem, we can engage others to help us manage our stress, and even be more thoughtful about how they impact our life so that we don’t live in such a stressful environment.

All in all, our society is extremely overstressed and our collective health is suffering as a result. It’s a public health issue, and the best way we can contribute to solving it is by modeling what healthy living looks like for others.