The Menopause Switch was inspired by the successful protocol developed by the author in her private practice to help menopausal women manage their symptoms naturally. If your body has stopped responding to diets and exercise during midlife and everybody is telling you that “it’s normal,” this easy-to-read book will show you how you can simply flip the switch to finally live a normal life again, reducing hot flashes, weight gain, insomnia, and the end of intimacy. Menopause is an unavoidable, natural phase of life which comes with its share of confusion. However, menopausal changes don't have to be dreaded. In The Menopause Switch, Dr. Carissa Alinat offers science-based facts that she translates into easy-to-follow, natural and actionable tips so that any woman suffering from menopause can easily regain the vitality and body of her youth. In stirring away from unproven silliness, the author focuses on real, effective, and natural solutions.Written with authority and her humorous demeanor, Dr. Carissa provides an outstanding tool to transitioning to a new and exciting phase. She details what happens, why it happens, and reveals the exact blueprint to living a more normal life, making The Menopause Switch a trusted step-by-step guide to treat yourself the way Mother Nature intended: Naturally.
Dr. Carissa Alinat is an expert in weight loss and hormone balancing.
She owns a busy clinic in Florida and has helped thousands of patients (especially women on menopause) reach their wellness goals and balance their hormones naturally.
Dr. Carissa's mission is to help women disrupt aging and live their best life past midlife.
Dr. Carissa obtained her PhD from the University of South Florida, where she has had extensive research experience in Complementary and Alternative Medicine while working on large clinical trials involving the use of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in breast cancer survivors. She has published more than 30 articles in medical journals and health magazines and has presented at conferences across the United States. She is also a board-certified nurse practitioner practicing in weight management and hormone therapy.
But first and foremost, she is a woman. She knows what it's like to feel tired all the time while riding on a hormonal rollercoaster and trying to keep it together. She has struggled with her own weight and hormone imbalances. She tried countless diets, took the wrong supplements, and failed over and over again until she finally found the solutions that helped her succeed.
She lives in Florida with her chef husband and their 5 children. They often travel to their second home in the South of France.
For more information on Dr. Carissa, to connect with her on social media, or for media inquiries, please visit her website at DoctorCarissa.com.
I like this book. A LOT. It’s seriously all you need to know about female bodies and hormones and it’s functions and how it affects your body (physically and mentally) in different stages of life (and menopause). Honestly, I started reading this book thinking that it will be one of those boring books with just facts written in it but I was pleasantly surprised on how easy and fun this read was. The language is simple and easy to understand. The content is obviously the best part because everything is very detailed and informative. The book provides solutions to all the problems (hormonal imbalances caused by menopause) and shows women how midlife can be bright and sunny and happy. By the end of the book there are recipes provided that are good for your diet which is a plus. And lastly women need to read this book to know about their bodies and what’s good for them because they deserve to keep their bodies safe and healthy and happy after all the hell their bodies’ have been put through.
There are so many books written about menopause! Most deal adequately with explanations of the hormonal disruption involved, but usually only offer mainstream medicinal approaches to symptom reduction. These includes anti-depressants, sleeping pills, chemical hormone replacement, etc.
I am a Nutritionist and Homeopath and since the 90s have been a strong proponent of the “Functional Medicine” approach. So, I was very pleased to find this book by Dr. Carissa Alinat. Functional medicine, developed by Dr. Jeffrey Bland, is a form of alternative medicine that attempts to uncover the root cause of a disease or syndrome, rather than just address symptoms. To learn more go to: https://www.ifm.org/.
Dr. Alinat discusses the issue of low estrogen, its symptoms, and how to address it. Although there are three forms of estrogen, the mainstream medical community focuses on Estradiol. However, there is reason to hope that with more research, we may find the third form of estrogen, Estriol, may be an effective and less aggressive way to help with the drop off of estrogen that occurs during menopause.
There is also the issue of "estrogen dominance," which is the opposite of low estrogen. Many women find, through functional medicine testing, that they have high estrogen levels, especially in pre-menopause. This imbalance as an issue has raised its ugly head in the last 50 years due to hormonal disruptors such as plastics in our environment. This can be tackled by reducing contact with these substances, or more directly by the use of natural progesterone, which works to control estrogen in the body.
In an easy to read, clear style, Dr. Alinat offers natural suggestions and advice for the menopausal and pre-menopausal woman. She lays out the hormonal predicament in which a menopausal woman finds herself, then gives a succinct and yet comprehensive guide to natural treatments and protocols. Nutriceuticals and herbs can help, such as Maca and Black Cohosh. In addition, I have found that Red Clover Blossom is a great third wheel here. She does not mention Red Clover Blossom, but there are many nutrients and herbs that assist in menopausal symptoms and she wisely does not overwhelm the reader with possibilities.
As a bonus in the final part of the book, she offers recipes for healthy eating, provided by her chef husband, which help to restore balance as well.
I can highly recommend this book for a concise overview of menopause and how to deal with it!
This book is interesting and covers a lot about hormones and menopause. However, I was hoping to read more about thyroid problems and solutions as it relates to menopause. Much of the information is repetitive, not only in this book , but based on what I have heard in the past few decades. All in all, it is still a good read, especially for anyone who has never understood menopause.
This book did not give me anything new that I couldn't find in an informed Google search. I have read, researched, and discussed with a number of physicians (Family MD, naturopath, Gynocologist/oncologist) the various questions and concerns that I've had while in the midst of this stage in my life and it has all gone beyond the scope of this book. I would only recommend this as a beginning overview for women just becoming curious about this stage in their life. Beyond that, there are much more thorough and informative books out there.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book from Goodreads in exchange for a review. The book is a very informative, relatable and an easy read about menopause and how to help with menopausal symptoms. I have read a lot about peri-menopause and menopause over the years and am currently using, with success, many of the supplements that she recommends. I also appreciated her including lifestyle changes and all natural products for your home, which you usually don’t see. Dr. Alinat is concise in her explanations and the book is very easily understood. I would highly recommend this book to anyone (husbands included!) to help better understand and help with what women experience during menopause.
No more shame and judgment about our bodies! This book guides us gracefully through the season of menopause, expertly sharing the simple changes we can make in our life. We don’t have to suffer in silence with problems around sleep, weight, mood, and sex. She provides medical understanding, helping us to accept our bodies and offers graceful changes for more energy and zest for life. We truly have the power in our own hands to combat issues like estrogen dominance. Useful, practical, and Inspiring.
Dr. Alinat has delivered a welcoming pathway to navigate the menopausal tidal waves. She discusses hormones and symptoms with easily obtainable alternatives and supplements. There are plenty of diagrams and references for the research minded customer and recipes that you and your family would enjoy. It’s a game changer.
This book is so helpful ~ even if you are not in Menopause!! Has recommendations for weight-loss and skin care. There's so much to learn about all the chemicals in everything that you eat or put on your skin, that effects your hormones. Great book! Thanks to Goodreads Giveaways author, Carissa Alinat PHD, APRN.
Nice to see a practical and positive book on midlife women’s health. Clear analysis of biology combined with practical guidance on lifestyle, nutrition and medical help.
This is a really good read with plenty of helpful information. It's written so that anyone can understand the information without having a medical degree and the recipes are a nice bonus.
Major shifts in my skin, sleep and metabolism have been inching their way into my life for the past four or five years. Now that I'm 50, the occasional night sweat has turned into hot flashes at random times of the day and are extremely disruptive, especially living in a hot climate! With menopause right around the corner, I was actively seeking a resource to explain common issues during this phase of life and ways to address them. This book was the answer! I'm currently in the process of doing a "clean out" of bathroom and cleaning products that might be "hormone blockers." I keep this book handy and it's a great companion to Chopra's "Grow Younger Live Longer" book. It was also fun to read that she's married to a Frenchman, as I am too! ~ Merci