The New Menopause

March 18, 2024
“Menopause is inevitable; suffering is not,” writes obstetrician/gynecologist Haver (The Galveston Diet) in this enlightening guide. Delving into the biology of menopause, Haver explains that estrogen production slows as “ovaries begin to run out of eggs,” causing hot flashes and missed ovulations. She warns that estrogen’s role in “slowing the breakdown of bone” and metabolizing glucose means menopausal people are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis and insulin resistance. To stem such risks, Haver recommends menopause hormone therapy (MHT), which prompts the body to continue the biological processes stimulated by estrogen. The author also describes lifestyle changes to help readers cope with menopause symptoms, though she skimps on specifics. For instance, she suggests reducing inflammation by eating a diet high in antioxidant-rich produce but doesn’t mention which foods meet this criterion, and she encourages lifting weights and other forms of resistance training without detailing specific exercises. Still, readers will welcome the affirming tone (there’s a chapter devoted to debunking doctors who claim symptoms are “all in your head”) and the attention paid to less-discussed symptoms, as when Haver provides an overview of pharmaceutical products that will help “reintroduce sexual pleasure” in patients with reduced clitoral sensitivity. It’s an informative manual on an important yet underdiscussed health matter. Agent: Heather Jackson, Heather Jackson Literary.