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

by Kristin Johnson, Maria Claps

You have been misled about menopause. This comprehensive guide based on the latest research in aging, women’s health, and HRT dispels decades of misinformation.

The Great Menopause Myth is your essential resource for optimized menopause care.

More than simply an end to fertility, menopause is a time when a woman’s health can spin out of control. The hormonal shifts of menopause impact everything from body composition and immune system function to increased risk of chronic health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, dementia, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

If you’re lucky enough to even be offered menopause treatment, traditional protocols, based on decades-old shoddy science and erroneous research conclusions, have gotten it wrong. Badly wrong. For years, conventional wisdom—and medical practice—have told women nothing needs to change in their lifestyle or healthcare at midlife, and they should just white-knuckle the discomfort of hot flashes, sleeplessness, weight gain and loss of muscle mass, mood swings, painful sex, joint pain, and incontinence as if it will all just (magically) go away in a decade or two.

The Great Menopause Myth shows you how to age wise and well at midlife and beyond. Learn actionable steps and guidelines to curate an optimized menopause regimen based on your unique health considerations.


Nutrition, exercise, and sleep hygiene at midlife: Best practices for aging healthy
Thyropause, fatty liver disease, and gut health: The overlooked systems that need attention during menopause
HRT or MHT: What is the difference and does it matter? (hint: it does!!)
Not all HRT is created equal: Low dose or physiologic? Static or rhythmic? Continuous or cyclic? Creams, gels, patches, injections, pills, or pellets? Learn how to choose the best option for you.
When HRT is truly not an option: Supplements and integrative options for menopause care

Centered on your overall health and happiness, The Great Menopause Myth offers a welcome new narrative on menopause.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Medical

240 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2024

Reviews

[The Cats’ Mother · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Great Menopause Myth is a new guide to managing a woman’s transition through menopause written by two American functional health practitioners/nutritionists who run a website which offers a remote treatment service. I’m nearing that stage of life myself, and having been out of routine primary care for nearly a decade, and seen HRT yo-yo in and out of favour over the 36 years since I started medical school, I was curious to read what the current recommendations were. I found this book to be detailed, comprehensively researched, and well written, but very biased towards a very particular kind of treatment and anti the conventional medical & pharmaceutical establishment.

Beginning in Part 1 with a very detailed overview of female reproductive physiology, which I suspect would be a bit much for most lay readers (but was a nice refresher for me), they describe all of the terrifying consequences of oestrogen deficiency and make their main case - that other hormone deficiencies like diabetes and hypothyroidism are considered diseases and treated with lifelong replacement therapy, so why shouldn’t ovarian failure be managed the same? This point is hammered over and over and got a bit tedious. Part 2 discusses recommended lifestyle modifications, with a big focus on nutrition. I mostly agree with their advice although many would baulk at their insistence that animal protein is the key component of a healthy diet. Similarly, the exercise regime they suggest (resistance training three times a week plus cardio - I do actually do this but it takes a lot of time) and their advice to give up alcohol completely would be unpalatable to many readers.

Part 3 discusses all the available treatments, hormonal and non, including conventional and herbal preparations, supplements and alternative therapies. The brands are all American and many of the treatments would not necessarily be available in other countries.
The final part includes the appendices, and this is where the book fell over for me. They casually suggest a plethora of blood tests required for monitoring health as often as four times a year, which would cost literally thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands on an annual basis, and require hours of time to interpret and discuss, even supposing you could find a specialist willing and able to request them. There’s no way a GP would have the time, and neither would or should they be funded by public health budgets. It all seems conveniently designed to drive readers towards their website…

The best part of the book for me was the analysis of the different research trials and explanation of how HRT has swung from the fountain of youth panacea of the 70s, to the health promoting necessity of the 90s, to the cancer & clot causing poison of the 2000s, and back to being recommended as a good option for most women with symptoms (the general medical consensus) and a necessity for long-term health (the authors’ position.) I’m not opposed to taking HRT when the time comes, and feel this book gave me some useful pointers as to what to ask for and what to avoid, but someone looking for a practical guide to managing the menopause may wish to find something more accessible, especially if they don’t have a background in healthcare.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto for the ARC. The Great Menopause Myth is published on September 10th.

[Kimberley · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
I’ve been reading/listening to a lot of menopause books so I’m getting better at sorting the wheat from the chaff. I liked how the first part of the book set the stage, describing how menopause is a hormonal medical condition that should be taken more seriously. But then it switched to almost insulting levels of dietary advice to avoid gaining too much weight. That’s where it lost me— it was a big gap between making valid medical points to then immediately condescending to advise people how to purchase in bulk to afford a low carb diet.

[Sonja · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Great Menopause Myth is a current day guide for women who are in or beginning menopause. It's basically an A-Z informative course to understanding what could be happening during menopause.

Quite a bit of this book reads like a text book or medical journal and while there were interesting points, some went over my head. There are some text boxes which neatly sum up key points.

Using one example, the use of HRT as being necessary for a multitude of reasons, may not be a viable option for everyone. Doctors will not necessarily prescribe this just because you request the hormones. In fact, many of the tests recommended in this book are not so easy to get referrals for unless you are willing to pay for private health care.

There are so many interesting ideas on how to manage that period in a woman's life, much information, so at the very least you might be able to generate some questions for your health care provider.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t finish. Too technical and it just made me want to give up. Our bodies are amazing and super complex. There’s no easy way to take care of ourselves and monitor all of the many factors effecting our health. I could seriously spend so much time trying to regulate the many processes of my body and there are still no guarantees. So whatever.

[Allyson Klein · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with all books educating on women's health, I found you have to take advice with grain of sand. This applies for this book, too. There were plenty of helpful tips and insightful information on how a women's body changes and morphs through our aging process. Then came the soapbox about animal protein. The author had the opportunity to be more inclusive of other diets but chose to stick to red meat as her example. This book is not the place I'd turn to for nutrition advice regardless of my preferred diet. But, it certainly fits the agenda for those who want to preach about red meat benefits.
I did however, find many other helpful sections of the book. If you're looking for a more holistic viewpoint of menopause, I recommend the Menopause Brain.

[Angela Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book really interesting and it had lots of good information on the menopause.
It provided advice on diet, exercise and HRT which gave me plenty of information to think about and try to implement going forward,
It was well presented and a positive book which I would recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley, Kristin Johnson, Maria Claps and Quarto Publishing Group -Fair Winds, for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Jamie Busman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond excellent! This is a must read for all mid-life women! In fact, read it in your 30’s so you are fully educated and informed on this topic! Thankful to have the authors and read this now!

[Clairelettersandmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Menopasue might be having it's moment but you're the star"
This is a book that should exist in every household as it concerns women's health but men should be aware too.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read to help you enjoy the very best years with the most optimal health possible!

This book is a must read for every woman!!!! In my early thirties, while struggling to get pregnant, I came across a great book about fertility. This fertility book taught me things about my body and menstrual cycles I never knew and wished someone had taught me long before. The information in the book was incredibly timely for the fertile years of my life. Now in my mid 50s, and searching for similar help to navigate the midlife, menopausal years, I came across Kristin and Maria’s book, “The Great Menopause Myth: The Truth on Mastering Midlife Hormonal Mayhem, Beating Uncomfortable Symptoms and Aging to Thrive.” This book helps to quiet the noise heard across social media, podcasts, books, online articles, and from practitioners and health coaches who profess to be menopause experts, many who have never even, at least not yet, experienced menopause themselves. All this noise includes the promotion of supplements and other miracle treatments sure to “balance” your hormones, shrink your menopause belly, and take you back to your 30s. “With an estimated 1.2 billion women worldwide becoming post-menopausal by 2030, influencers, innovators, and investors are starting to pay attention to a market that has been long overlooked.” And in this market where women are desperate for answers to manage their symptoms, unexplained weight gain, and healthy aging outcomes, these folks realize you’ll spend your hard-earned money on the many great promises they present to you. Don’t fall for the myths! At least not before you’ve read this book by the Wise and Well ladies!

The Great Menopause Myth will arm you with all the knowledge you need to tackle the midlife, menopausal years. You’ll learn all about the things that will help you age with a quality of life that may feel out of reach at this point. With a look at metabolic health, nutrition, lifestyle and movement, gut health, quality sleep, among many other topics, you’ll be armed with the tools you need to feel good and enjoy life. There’s a full discussion about hormone restoration including a look at the research, testing options for evaluation of your metabolic health and hormone therapy performance, an HRT decision tree, and a guide to finding an HRT practitioner. Even if you feel HRT is not for you,because of a personal or family history of cancer, advanced age, or you just aren’t interested, you’ll learn about when HRT may not be advised, and about ways to optimize your quality of life if hormone restoration is truly not for you.

Hitting midlife doesn’t have to mean decreasing health, and not feeling well. Arm yourself with The Great Menopause Myth and enjoy the very best years of your life with the most optimal health possible.

[Kitten Kisser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard about this book on Robb Wolf's podcast, The Healthy Rebellion. Then, they had the authors on as guests for "salty talk". I decided to use an Audible credit. After listening to it, even with the included PDF, I realized I needed the physical book to make the best use of the material. With that said, the book is due to arrive in a couple of days.

I've been following an AIP diet for about a decade. I actually don't have a lot of the symptoms in this book even though I'm now 49. I do cycle regularly. I absolutely believe that my diet & lifestyle choices (I'm also a full time Eco Farm woman), are part of why I'm not worse than I am for my age.

What I did notice in only the past year to year & a half is that things that didn't bother me, now bother me incredibly easy. I am incredibly sensitive to carbohydrates. If I eat even a little more than I can now handle, I feel sick. Jittery. I also can no longer tolerate a mere glass of red wine. The next day I feel horrible. F'n horrible from one regular glass of organic red wine! I was so baffled. Apparently this is normal for a woman my age. I had no idea. But at least I now know that these new to me symptoms are to be expected and "normal."

However, it doesn't end there. Last year I also developed crazy pains in my fingers mostly. Sometimes my wrist &/or palm. One finger would hurt to move at all. It started in one joint. Would last for 24 hours, then migrate to another area/joint in my hand. I had no idea why this was happening, but it has diminished my quality of life because the pain is bad enough that I cannot properly grip anything. Therefore I cannot work or even do basic tasks without extreme difficulty &/or pain. Even something light in weight will be too much for me to handle. Apparently this too, is due to hormonal changes.

I've seen sooo many reviews that seem to be promotional from friends, family, paid, supporters or whatever, extra especially on amazon. I'm really sorry that the authors did this. It takes away from the real value of this book. Granted, had it not been for Robb & his wife, I'd never have even considered this book. But because I respect him in the nutrition field, here I am. So, "Thank you Robb!"

I am looking forward to the physical copy of the book so that I can better sit down & start to implement the recommendations in this book to hopefully help me move through this part of my life a little more smoothly.

If I have any more to add afterwards, I'll be sure to add an update.

[Nicki Markus · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a woman for whom menopause is only a few years off, and having heard some stories from colleagues already going through the transition, I decided to give The Great Menopause Myth a read to arm myself with a little knowledge in advance. My feelings towards the book after reading were mixed. On the plus side, it paints a view of menopause that is balanced: sending a positive message while acknowledging all the problems that can arise. It tries to give an objective view that looks at things from many different angles. However, as someone not scientifically minded (I'm a humanities girl through and through), I found the scientific content a little heavy. It is good to understand the science behind the changes taking place, but there were times when I would have liked to have seen that balanced out with some sections written more in layperson's language, with practical tips alongside the scientific detail. And, to be honest, the book left me more stressed about the forthcoming changes than I had been before reading it, as I learnt about all the ways my body would stop functioning properly when menopause hit, and all the negative side effects I could expect. That said, my view of menopause before reading was just that it meant periods would finally be a thing of the past, though I might get some hot flushes along the way. But I now know it's a lot more complicated than that, which is probably a good thing to be aware of. Overall, I am giving this book 3.5 stars. It certainly offers a lot of detailed and useful information, but it did leave me feeling overwhelmed at times due to the amount of unrelenting scientific detail in every chapter, so its utility may depend on the reader.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨️Audiobook review✨️The Great Menopause Myth
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

So this one was a bit different for me. Although I'm not at this stage in life yet it doesn't hurt to educate yourself.

I honestly thought I was going to be something bored listening to this, but predominately I found it interesting. There were a few sections where they reeled off lists of stats or herbs or other bits that I did find dull.

I learnt a lot about how Menopause actually affects a huge part of your life not only physically but mentally. How things that you've done your entire life will affect certain things and how you basically need to completely change lifestyle habits as you age.

Now this is a US author and I'm based in the UK so there will be certain aspects of this book that don't work for the UK but that's ok.

I also dont know how genuine these kind of books are as there are soooo many of them.

All in all an interesting book.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of REALLY good, helpful information! The reason I gave it four stars instead of five is because of the insistence that animal protein is the ONLY protein that should be eaten as a main staple in the diet. As a vegetarian (and scientist) who has done a ton of my own research, I do not agree that you can't get the proper protein/amino acid amount from a plant-based diet. It is more difficult and requires more planning, but it can be done. By stressing that animal protein is the only way to go, the authors are segregating out a large portion of the population who choose a more plant-based diet (whether for financial, ecological, health, or ethical reasons). It would have been nice to have a plan for vegetarians and vegans.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

After asking so many questions the last few years and finding myself in solid denial, I knew I needed to do some research on my own. The Great Menopause Myth is just an excellent tool for anyone with questions. I love how the chapters are broken down and content is easy to find. Knowing that this stage encompasses some time, this will be a resource I keep handy for reference. Thanks for developing a one-stop-shop for women to seek expert answers to all their questions related to menopause and the havoc is creates on the woman’s body!!
I received a complimentary book from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

[Tristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any woman seeking more info on taking care of themselves in perimenopause which would be any woman approaching 40 or 40+. It has cutting edge info from research and the best explanations of Hormone Replacement options and education. Women will find that they need to pivot and tweak the way they take care of themselves in midlife in order to be their healthiest. I recommend or buy this for everyone I talk to who is in 40s and beyond and those who are especially experiencing a host of symptoms or unsatisfied with what conventional docs are prescribing. Do yourselves and everyone midlife woman in your life a favor and read it or gift it!

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this, it was like a lighbulb going off. "So that explains it! So that's what's happening!" I didn't have a traditional transition to menopause because I had a tumor on my fallopian tube and after it was removed I never had a period again. My doctor never talks about it, but I am definitely going back to my next wellness check with suggestions and a plan for a full conversation. I highly recommend this book to everyone, even men, because menopause will affect everyone. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

[Michelle Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

What worked -
*non-HRT suggestions provided (if with judgment)

What didn’t -
*not remotely vegan friendly
*the authors really push HRT - and make it seem like the only reason not to is when one medically cannot - not everyone wants HRT
*not everyone who menstruates and goes through perimenopause is a woman

This wasn’t one of the better books I’ve read on the topic of menopause and if you’re not interested in hormonal therapy, this isn’t a book I’d recommend.



Thank you to Fair Winds Press and NetGalley for the PDF

[Shonna Siegers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book. Glad I read it. There were times when it seemed contradictory, as in eat soy for this matter, but stay away from soy because it does so and so.
To be fair, I listened to the audio so it made it difficult to go back and find specific sections again to cross reference. In addition, the suggestion of making sure you have a team of several experts to help you is actually unhelpful unless you have a lot of money. My insurance does not cover most of those types of suggestions and the chemically identical HRT. But the diet and exercise areas were helpful.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would love a whole conversation on this on YouTube, whether it's in a part series or just one hour of demystifying some of the things women have been told about menopause and in reading this book, I wanted to know how best to prepare given that I am well beyond my thirties and almost into my forties and just learning about diet, exercise, hormones and also how many other factors like stress can affect us, made this such a great read.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Great Menopause Myth is the quintessential read for any woman entering or close to entering menopause. It’s an honest look at the changes women can expect during this time broken down in an easy to understand format. Meant to dispel misinformation, but also shed light on those rarely talked about and often misunderstood issues, like hormone therapy and women’s overall health during this phase of life, it’s a must read for all women.

[Soquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

PG

This is one of the best books on women's health that I've read. It's different from other books on menopause because of its focus on hormonal factors. While it discusses all the same studies and HRT options as other books written with the last 10 years, this book also goes further into how menopause affects our bodies and why we need to practice good nutrition and maintain hormones in our systems.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am just beginning to learn/study about menopause, so this is the first book I've read on the subject. That being said, this book was very enlightening and validating! I feel like I'm reading about someone who actually understands what is going on and will not just dismiss it. I especially enjoyed learning about how our hormones affect all systems of the body. This book is a wealth of information, and I am grateful to have it as a resource and foundation for talking with doctors.

[Kimberly Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for women in mid-life. Even if you are asymptomatic, this is a great read to understand what is going on in your body as you age. For those who are suffering with midlife changes, this book is LOADED with valuable information that will help arm you with the resources you need to find help in order to address your concerns. Don't let another uneducated doctor gaslight you! Educate yourself and find a provider willing to listen and work with you. It will make all the difference.

[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors, Kristen and Maria do a fantastic job of breaking down the important, need to know information in an easy to understand way. They help you see menopause isn't just about hot flashes but how the loss of hormones over time changes everything in the body and how the transition starts way earlier than we think. Highly recommend.

[Curly's Ramblings · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of great detail and a should read for women. The only problem I have is with the personal business reference, tying it in at the end feels a little unsettling and should make any reasonable adult question some of the content. With that being said though, a lot of what is noted in this book is available for the general public to research and find on their own.

[Karen Schex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish this book existed 20 years ago when I started peri menopause in my mid 30s. I’m post menopausal and late to the hormone therapy game, but doing everything I can to optimize my health. Must read for every woman 30+

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book on Audible and while the information was interesting and I did get quite a bit out of it, the referenced PDF should really contain the Appendices for later reference. There is a lot of medical detail that is hard to take in.

[Stephanie]

Very informationally dense. I may need to read it again. My personal opinions about hormone replacement therapy are very challenged and I look forward to doing more research. Highly recommend this book. Don’t wait for menopause!

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very informative. It answered some of my questions about menopause. It inspired me to come up with educated questions to ask my doctor. I would recommend it for ladies who enjoy learning about the physiology behind our biological changes.

[kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for women during the menopause transition. Authors Kristin & Maria provides a detailed description of, lists all the key studies, and background information to make informed decisions about our health. Recommend!