Some of the factors associated with lower thresholds for stress and higher “cortisol reactivity” are low socioeconomic status, job stress, being female, scoring high in dietary restraint (a measure of chronic dieting), and an overall lack of power and confidence. Taking three buses to get anywhere, working two or more jobs, figuring out how to put food on the table, and not knowing whether you will be able to pay the rent—all significantly affect not just your state of mind but also your physiological state. And if you are not Caucasian, the stresses associated with racism will double these health effects. African Americans and Latinos suffer from higher mortality rates of nearly every disease than their white counterparts. While there are certainly genetic influences, stress plays a major role in health disparities among the races