The Menopause Diet

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Summary: The Medical Community Catches Up with Gillespie
Review: According to a study published last week in JAMA (July 2002), Progestins, not estrogen, causes breast cancer. Now where have I read that before? Oh yes.... chapter 6 in The Menopause Diet (on HRT)... a book that was published about three years before the new study on HRT. From the chapter on HRT: "Not only do progestins counteract the positive effects of estrogen on your heart, but they increase the tension in the carotid artery, which can lead to strokes." This is a small sample of the sound, and obviously ahead-of-its-time advice, that can be found in this entire book. I highly recommend that all women read this book and then talk to their doctors about their HRT options. If The Menopause Diet (and The Goddess Diet) is indicitive of the type of information Dr. Gillespie's providing to women when their own doctors are not, I look forward with great anticipation to her next book, "You're Not Crazy... It's Your Hormones!
Cathi

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Summary: If your looking for excuses don't read this book
Review: After seeing Dr. Larrian Gillespie on tv, I bought the book and was amazed at the information. Not only did I get a new understanding of how my body was digesting food differently because of my hormones, but I understood for the first time why the marketing ploys of "natural" products, such as black cohosh etc do not support my falling estrogen levels. I learned how to be responsible for my own health and eating by using the simple recipes. I guess if you can't boil water, you might be intimidated by the recipes, which get you to use spices and other items you may have only stared at on the grocery store shelf. My husband loves the food I am now making and I don't spend more than 15 minutes putting things together. This book is not for women who are looking for excuses to remain fat and want to whine about having to shop for fresh food etc. No food or diet victims should buy this book because Dr. Larrian will put it to you truthfully. Weight doesn't magically disappear - you have to plan to lose it by exercise and choosing the right foods. This book gives you all those guidelines. It's a flexible diet, so you learn how to average your food intake and not rely upon frozen meals as the answer. My cholesterol dropped, my blood pressure came down and my hubby keeps putting his arms around my newly reappearing waistline. What more can a woman want?

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Summary: This book shoots straight from the hip
Review: Although there is a lot of information in this book, I found the actual DIET hard to put together. The doctor covers too much technical information which most of us do not need. There are a smattering of recipes, and some source lists, but nowhere is there a definitive few pages outlining the DIET! Read with a note pad handy to get the information you will need to use the diet.

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Summary: Nearly perfect plan for the rest of your life
Review: First off, if you're looking for a "quick fix" diet, the kind that "promises" you'll lose 10 pounds in 2 days, this is NOT the book for you. But if you want to understand why it can be so difficult to lose weight as you reach those menopause years and what sort of changes you need to make to keep the weight off for life, this may be the only book you need. Well-researched and written, it contained all the information I wanted- details about how the hormonal and physical changes of menopause affect weight gain, the reason why mini-meals are better than larger ones and the type of lifestyle changes I needed to make to take the weight off. And it WORKS- the proof being that I am already 6 pounds lighter in 2 weeks of eating this new way.
My only quibble (and it is a minor one) with this book is that the recipes are not necessarily family friendly (but I have to add that my family is very picky about what they'll eat) and they can take some time to make. However, I liked what I did make and the food was satisfying. Bu
Even with this minor criticism, the book is more than worth the money for the rest of the information and you can always adapt the food suggestions to your own tastes and that of your family. And for the first time in years, the weight is coming off and I feel great!

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Summary: I'm almost looking forward to menopause!
Review: I found Dr Gillespie's first book ("You Don't Have To live With Cystitis") to be informative, well-researched and written with a light and humourous touch. It's no surprise, then, to find more of the same with "The Menopause Diet". At last, someone has taken the time and trouble to explain what REALLY happens during menopause - now I know what was going on with my mother and grandmother and sundry aunties, who all went from slender to porky almost overnight. Now I know it's not a foregone conclusion that I'm going to go the same way! I was delighted to see recipes included in the book, and to know that another cookbook is forthcoming. I've reached that peri-menopausal stage in my life, and I'm trying to learn as much as I can about what to expect. I don't want menopause to a be a terrible experience for me like it was for my mother. This book is a valuable addition to my library - thank you, Dr Gillespie!

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Summary: dietitian
Review: most information was old information , and it was general pepole and basic

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Summary: This is the ONLY diet book you will ever need!
Review: The Menopause Diet isn't a week-long Slim-Fast approach to losing that extra 5 lbs. to get into your bathing suit this spring. As those of us who have struggled with mid-life weight gain know, the quick-fix approach just doesn't work. As our bodies change, our eating has to change as well. The Menopause Diet book doesn't contain day-by-day or week-by-week eating plans, but rather it tells you what things to eat and what things to eliminate from your diet to get rid of your "Buddha Belly." Dr. Gillespie gives each of us the tools to make this new way of eating part of our lives; she doesn't dictate each and every mouthful of food. The recipes in The Menopause Diet are wonderful: fresh, healthy, without additives or conveniece products. For a more detailed "diet plan," I recommend The Menopause Diet Mini-Meal Cookbook, which actually gives some daily menu recommendations. The recipes in this book are really good as well. The same goes for The Gladiator Diet book, which is aimed at men. While Dr. Gillespie does use recipes that call for ingredients that might not be familiar to everyone, it is well worth the effort to find those ingredients and make the recipes. An added benefit is that the flavors and ingredients that might be new and different for some people, help to keep your mind off the fact that you aren't eating the high-carb, pot-belly-producing meals that got you to the point of buying a diet book in the first place. The Mini-Meal plan keeps you from being hungry, and the diet really, REALLY works to remove that menopausal pot belly. I can't recommend it enough. In addition to The Menopause Diet (which gives the whys and hows of the plan), and The Menopause Diet Mini-Meal Cookbook, which gives menu suggestions and many, many recipes, I recommend adding The Gladiator Diet book as well--if not for your spouse, or other male relative or friend--get it for the recipes! Try the Thai Waterfall Salad--it's really fantastic!

Rating:
Summary: This is the ONLY diet book you will ever need!
Review: The Menopause Diet isn't a week-long Slim-Fast approach to losing that extra 5 lbs. to get into your bathing suit this spring. As those of us who have struggled with mid-life weight gain know, the quick-fix approach just doesn't work. As our bodies change, our eating has to change as well. The Menopause Diet book doesn't contain day-by-day or week-by-week eating plans, but rather it tells you what things to eat and what things to eliminate from your diet to get rid of your "Buddha Belly." Dr. Gillespie gives each of us the tools to make this new way of eating part of our lives; she doesn't dictate each and every mouthful of food. The recipes in The Menopause Diet are wonderful: fresh, healthy, without additives or conveniece products. For a more detailed "diet plan," I recommend The Menopause Diet Mini-Meal Cookbook, which actually gives some daily menu recommendations. The recipes in this book are really good as well. The same goes for The Gladiator Diet book, which is aimed at men. While Dr. Gillespie does use recipes that call for ingredients that might not be familiar to everyone, it is well worth the effort to find those ingredients and make the recipes. An added benefit is that the flavors and ingredients that might be new and different for some people, help to keep your mind off the fact that you aren't eating the high-carb, pot-belly-producing meals that got you to the point of buying a diet book in the first place. The Mini-Meal plan keeps you from being hungry, and the diet really, REALLY works to remove that menopausal pot belly. I can't recommend it enough. In addition to The Menopause Diet (which gives the whys and hows of the plan), and The Menopause Diet Mini-Meal Cookbook, which gives menu suggestions and many, many recipes, I recommend adding The Gladiator Diet book as well--if not for your spouse, or other male relative or friend--get it for the recipes! Try the Thai Waterfall Salad--it's really fantastic!

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Summary: The Menopause Diet
Review: This book had a lot of good information, but didn't quite live up to my expectations. I found it to be too medically technical in most areas. A simple do and don't section would have been more beneficial to the average person who doesn't have a medical background. I found the menus to be quite cumbersome to prepare. In my schedule I don't have the time to prepare such meals with hard to find ingredients in some instances. I was hoping for simple, basic menus that could be prepared without much fanfare, since I work full time and the meals in the book would take a full time chef to prepare. The book didn't even go into the use of herbals such as black cohash, etc. to find out a snapshot of what herbs work best in conjunction with other supplements. Bottom line, this book was too technical and not an easy read. I was disappointed after having read and appreciated "You don't have to live with Cystitis", also by Dr. Gillespie.

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Summary: Best book to make you understand it's about your hormones
Review: This book is still on target for being written in 1999. I lost 27 pounds and have not regained it since I followed Dr. Gillespie's very sound, documented advice. It's all about our hormones, and how they affect our health. The chapter on "Are Hormones Making You Fat?" is worth gold, as it explains why a little ERT ( not HRT..doesn't anyone at MassEDU read???)goes a long way towards protecting us from the diseases brought on by aging and lack of exercise. This plan gets women away from "counting" calories and instead relies upon using protein to start a meal in order to stimulate the release of glucagon, a hormone that helps to lower your insulin response. I learned that progesterone makes me feel bloated and slows down my stomach's emptying, which leads to MORE weight gain. Now I baste in low dose estradiol, exercise and eat fresh fruits, protein and good fats at will and never looked better! Anyone who says this book is pro HRT NEEDS some estrogen because they are going blind! This book was ahead of its time, presenting the dangers of progestins and premarin, yet explaining that nothing is risk free. Don't pass up this book if you want a healthy time during menopause.