Many diseases have been linked to chronic infections and/or the stress hormone cortisol. Infections raise cortisol levels, and cortisol suppresses the immune system. Thus each infection makes us more susceptible to the next one, and our "infectious burden" grows heavier as we age. In The Potbelly Syndrome, Russell Farris and Dr. Per Mårin showed how infection-cortisol loops produce obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. In this group we discuss the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options available for diseases linked to chronic infections and/or excess cortisol. These include arthritis, cancer, and most of the diseases we now associate with aging.