Menopause Menu

"All women are prone to gaining weight during menopause," says Larian Gillespie in her book, The Menopause Diet (Healthy Life Publications, Inc., $17.95). According to Gillespie, who is an M.D. and a woman who's experienced menopause, not only is it possible to maintain a waistline below 30" for health reasons, it's also a necessity. It's also important to maintain a body fat percentage index below 25 percent and a body mass index below 25 percent. To achieve these figures, Gillespie details her diet formula: 40 percent low-glycemic carbohydrates, 25 percent fat and 35 percent protein.

Gillespie's book contains more than a formula for weight loss. She provides an education in Menopause 101. Most importantly, she explains the changes in body chemistry that are responsible for creating the menopausal physique. Gillespie interprets current medical literature, gives her pro-estrogen view on hormone replacement therapy and discusses natural therapies and nutrition.

"The 10 years before we stop menstruating are the toughest on a woman's body," says Gillespie. "Once the ovaries are dead, it's easy. It's the dying that's the hard part." To order The Menopause Diet, call (800) 554-3335.

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