Editors Of Prevention Magazine - The Natural Menopause Solution: Expert Advice for Melting Stubborn Midlife Pounds, Reducing Hot Flashes, and Getting Relief from Menopause Symptoms

This book is intended as a reference volume only, not as a medical manual. The information given here is designed to help you make informed decisions about your health. It is not intended as a substitute for any treatment that may have been prescribed by your doctor. If you suspect that you have a medical problem, we urge you to seek competent medical help.

The information in this book is meant to supplement, not replace, proper exercise training. All forms of exercise pose some inherent risks. The editors and publisher advise readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits. Before practicing the exercises in this book, be sure that your equipment is well-maintained, and do not take risks beyond your level of experience, aptitude, training, and fitness. The exercise and dietary programs in this book are not intended as a substitute for any exercise routine or dietary regimen that may have been prescribed by your doctor. As with all exercise and dietary programs, you should get your doctors approval before beginning.

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2012 by Rodale Inc.

An exclusive direct hardcover version was published by Rodale Inc. in June 2012.

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Exercise photos by Sara Forrest
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ISBN 9781609618445 trade paperback

eISBN 9781609617219

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For women at midlife everywhere

A re you ready to melt stubborn midlife pounds, banish belly fat (at last!)and get relief for perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and low moods? Dont slash calories to a bare minimum. Dont spend hours in the gym. And dont reach for hormone replacement therapy (yet)not until youve tried the research-proven and real-women-tested Natural Menopause Solution.

Its so simple, feels so good, and works on so many levels that youll be amazed at the results. Heres what a few of the women who tried the plan told us.

• I lost 5 pounds in the first 5 days, reports Robin Laub, 42, a busy first-grade teacher and a mother of two who went on to drop a total of 12 pounds in just 30 daysalong with more than an inch each from her waist and hips. I always said I could walk for 10 miles and not lose a single ounce. But the interval walks on the Natural Menopause Solution made a big difference. I feel good about myself again!
• I honestly didnt think anything would help my hot flashes, says Alicia Schleder, 55, who works for a utility company and has one daughter. Theyve been cut in half on the plan. In addition, Alicia lost 11 pounds, saw her cholesterol fall 37 points, and moved her blood pressure into a healthier range. And shes feeling great: Its like the old me is coming back, and Im loving it.
• I ate more, exercised less, and lost way more weight than on other programs Ive tried. Im totally thrilled, says Barbara Hunsicker, 58, a jewelry designer and a grandmother of three who lost 6 pounds in 4 weeks. In the past, I barely lost weight on 1,200 calories a day. So when I heard wed eat 1,500 calories in Phase 2 of the diet, I was a little worried. But theres something in the combination of the walking routine and the ingredients in this diet that made a big difference.
• Im sleeping soundly now and wake up feeling refreshed, says Carol Keene, 54, a human resources manager and a mother of two who fit the routine into a whirlwind schedule helping to plan her daughters wedding. I used to have several night sweats each night; now Im down to just one little warm spell. And my energy level is highI never feel tired! Carol lost 9 pounds and an inch each from her hips, waist, and thighs. My daughters wedding is soonIm going to look great in my mother-of-the-bride dress!

The Natural Menopause Solution begins with a specially formulated diet and exercise programbut it doesnt stop there, because as the editors of Prevention magazine, we know that a womans health and wellness needs shift fundamentally in her thirties, forties, fifties, and beyond. Not only have we heard the stories from our millions of readers, but weve experienced it firsthand, too. Like you, weve had countless conversations about all the little changes were noticing. Were talking about diet and exercise routines that suddenly dont work as well as they used to. Belly fat that wont budge no matter how many crunches we do. Strange mood swings, interrupted sleep, and cravings that pop up out of nowhere. Changes in our menstrual cycles. Shifts in key health indicatorsblood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugarthat signal rising risk for serious trouble ahead like diabetes and heart disease. Oh, yes, and those hot flashes and night sweats.

We knew that by midlife, most women needed more than another conventional diet-and-exercise routine. So we went to work. Here at Prevention magazine, its our mission to bring you only the most up-to-date, essential, well-researched, and practical information about health and wellness. So we read hundreds of medical studies each month. Were in constant contact with top experts in every area of womens healthfrom weight loss, fitness, and nutrition to complementary and alternative medicine to psychology to mainstream disease prevention and treatment. One expert, Melinda Ring, MD, medical director of Northwestern Integrative Medicine in Chicago, became the medical advisor for this book. We knew that thanks to an explosion of new research into midlife womens well-being, experts had a brand-new understanding of what was going onand plenty of new tools and tricks for overcoming midlife weight, perimenopausal symptoms, low moods, and worrisome health changes, without necessarily reaching for that old standby, hormone replacement therapy (HRT).