The Great Menopause Myth: The Truth on Mastering Midlife Hormonal Mayhem, Beating Uncomfortable Symptoms, and Aging to Thrive

“No woman gets to avoid menopause but she can avoid its impacts,” according to this inconsistent debut guide. Holistic nutritionist Johnson and health coach Claps explain that decreases in estrogen production during menopause put women at higher risk of insulin resistance, metabolic disease, and low-grade inflammation. To prevent such outcomes, they extol the benefits of hormone therapy, discussing how it prevents bone loss, decreases the risk of breast cancer, and is “the most effective treatment for hot flashes.” With the bulk of the book devoted to explaining how hormone therapy works and why women should feel safe undergoing the treatment, it’s confusing that Johnson and Claps wait several chapters before clarifying that hormone therapy “is not nor should it be the first tool for women to use when creating a plan to combat the functional declines and to thrive in midlife.” Unfortunately, the authors don’t spend nearly as much time discussing alternative strategies for managing symptoms through diet, exercise, and sleep, and the advice they do provide also gets snarled in contradiction. For instance, their initial assertion that the amount of carbs one consumes “needs to be tailored to you as an individual” clashes with their later preference for “eliminating most carbs.” This will leave readers confused. (Sept.)