The Menopause Diet Paperback – January 1, 2003

I learned a lot about what's going on in my body as it ages. It isn't a bad thing, it's just a new thing. And now I understand it a lot more. I have put to practice the recommendations that she suggests and I'm finding that I am much more satisfied and I'm losing weight. I am even sleeping better.The negative side is that she doesn't tell you how much protein a woman should have in her daily diet, she uses percentages. And a layman could get lost in the medical jargon. But with effort it really isnt that hard to understand. It makes sence now! And I am able to put to practice the principles that she is suggesting. It is do-able. It is a good book, and very informative. I would recommend it to any woman who is approaching and or going through menopause.

Gillespie's book is very refreshing in her no-angst acceptance of the fact that women's bodies are just not the same as men's; she points out clearly that most dietetic and medical research (including the infamous FDA food pyramid) were based on the requirements of young men. Much of the information in her book is available from other sources, but she has put it all together very clearly. I particularly liked Gillespie's emphasis throughout on the individuality and personal responsibility of each woman's choices and decisions, and found her presentation of the hot-button estrogen supplementation therapy very even-handed. I was amazed, given the terror linkage of estrogen supplementation and breast cancer, to find that the risk of dying from breast cancer, even when using very low dosages of straight estrogen is only 3.3%, and the risk of dying of heart disease, when not using estrogen, is 22% (p113). Another example of her even-handed approach is her appraisal of the pros and cons of eating soy foods, and her warning that women with hypothyroid (me, again) should use caution and restraint with soy. I also liked the simple, easy to digest and remember, of the diet recommendations (p54). As I do not eat fish or seafood, am hypoglycaemic, and gluten-sensitive, lack the digestive enzymes required to digest pulses, and loathe coconut in any form, I tend to toss books with comprehensive diet plans. I'm sufficiently intelligent and committed to keep tabs on what I eat and appreciate the flexibility of Gillespie's commonsense advice not to drive oneself crazy trying to balance every single meal perfectly. [...]I use the tools available on the free website Spark People dot com. I edited the basic recommendations in my nutritional profile, and add the foods I eat on a daily basis to that day's record. With increasing awareness, over time my intake oscillates around the 40/25/35, and it's becoming hardwired. I've lost 10lb. There's a huge amount of information available on the glycaemic index, and Gillespie gives a quick-and-dirty list of what to avoid, apart from the obvious "white stuff" - refined starches and sugars (p46). I also like her discussion of the exercise options.One advantage of estrogen supplementation that Gillespie does not mention, surprisingly, is reduction of migraine headaches. Mine, which started in early childhood, had become chronic, as in 23+ days of pain out of every 30. I had to quit work and spent 6 months working through a Chronic Pain Clinic, taking large doses of powerful medications, Botox shots, emergency shots, learning and practicing biofeedback, and so on. I was told there was nothing left for me except surgery to sever my cranial nerves, and that is not infallible. After careful discussion of the risks of estrogen supplementation with my OB-GYN, who was clear that small doses posed a minute risk of cancer, while my risk of stroke during a headache was rising with each attack, I made the decision to go with it, and take 0.5mg Estradiol daily. I've gone to 7-9 days of pain per month, at an intensity of 5-8 out of 10, instead of 9-10. The hot flashes and night sweats, which were severely debilitating (my husband thought I was wetting the bed!), are now no more than a minor inconvenience. I went back in school, work part-time, go to Curves, and have a life.To sum up, Gillespie makes it very easy to head for lifetime health; waist size under 30", BMI under 25, body fat under 25%. The last one's a bummer, but I'm working on it! The minimeals approach is well proven, and Gillespie's formula for calculating the number required (p135) is easy.

I have a degree in scince and my head was spinningn trying to read this book!! I was confused by what I could or could not eat.The only helpful information I received was that every woman goes thru this and with the right diet and exercise you can change it.But I will not find the right diet or exercise with this book!I do recommend " fit after 40" by prevention. It gives a simple overview as to why your body is changing and has photos of different exercises along with a diet program.

I used this book when I first started my 'menopause journey', and it was exactly what I needed. I lost the book and needed it again, so I am happy to have found it. The book arrived as described and on time. I will order from them again in the future.

There is more information out and better said

This book will definitely help you through your menopause state! I highly recommend this to help ease the symptoms!

I purchased this book after being thrown into surgical menopause in my late thirties. I found the book to be difficult to follow and it didn't seem to have any "breakthrough" information. I felt exhausted just reading the book. I didn't feel the layout was "user-friendly" and abandoned the plan shortly after beginning. I do believe the book contains good information. But, it was just hard to follow.

Great if you can stick to it. I couldn't. I finally lost 20 lbs on medifast.

The author quite aggressively promotes hormone replacement therapy of estrogen only throughout the book. Since Dr. John Lee's experiences with thousands and thousands of woman this is very harmful. Most with menopause problems are progesterone deficient and should - if all else failed - be provided with natural progesterone cream. Givin HRT or estrogen alone is cancer-inducing, promotes the risk of heart failure and many more problems. Just to use estrogen replacement to get thin - even if that worked - is very dangerous.She promotes the sweetener Aspartam (page 46), who is known to cause ravenous hunger attacks. Because this sweetener's breakdown product is methyl alcohol it really is not the most healthy in the sweetener department. There are much better alternatives like stevia or xylitol.The rest of the book is your average diet book but with hard to get ingredigents.

Very good.