Moody: A 21st Century Hormone Guide

by Amy Thomson

There is a secret inside you which, once you understand it fully, has the capacity to unlock untold potential. Once you learn the science of your hormones, you will be able to harness it forever.

Hormones were something Amy Thomson, founder and CEO of leading women's health app and tech service Moody, never paid attention to, until one day her periods stopped and what had been an inconvenience each month became a barometer for her body's health and mental happiness.

When she discovered that her hormonal burnout was driven by stress, she quit her job and focused on trying to understand how her body worked, to establish why and how she had pushed herself too far.

In this guide, Amy shares the research and science behind how our hormones work for twenty-first-century survival, how understanding them can help you build better and healthier routines, and why the systems and cycles inside us are an invisible but powerful force.

With insights from nutritionists, gynaecologists, endocrinologists, personal trainers and others, Moody provides a holistic and practical blueprint for understanding your hormones and optimising your life around them.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction

ebook

Published March 4, 2021

About the author

Amy Thomson (born 15 March 1987) is a British entrepreneur and author. She is the founder of the female health app and tech service Moody and author of Moody - A 21st Century Hormone Guide.[1] She specialises in the future of data, business with emotional intelligence (Source Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Daphne · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the hell?

I was fairly ok with this book, until it got to the mythical metabolism, never once mentioning any of the processes by name..Krebs cycle? Fatty acid metabolism?

I decided this book wasn’t for me from two statements on the same page:

“This is turn was linked to my liver needing a cleanse…”

Repeat after me, cleanses are nonsense. Dangerous and antiquated advice.

“Your liver is magical, it turns fat into water and flushes it out”

Pardon? No mention about the bulk of it being exhaled as CO2? Read about fatty acid oxidation, lipolysis and esterification. Better yet take some Biochemistry classes before writing a book like this.

I honestly thought this book was going to do better. Hugely disappointing.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House, Vintage publishers for the ARC ebook of this book.

This book is a game changer and should be read by all. While the book is specifically aimed at women, Thompson does a good job of including everyone in her writing, taking time to highlight the hormonal experiences of transgender women and men and the problems that are still faced by black women. Medical conditions that affect or are affected by hormones are also included.

Each chapter explores a different way in which women's lives are affected by hormones, going into details about how hormonal cycles can be tracked and sound, evidence backed advice to improve hormone balance to be your most productive self. There is a good level of technicality to the book, making it accessible to a wide audience with varying levels of knowledge. The chapters are rounded off with short, succinct "takeaways" providing a helpful summary of information.

The writing itself, while highly informative, is laid back and even provides a giggle at some of the brutally honest truths.

This is definitely a book that I will be recommending to a lot of people!

[Lyd Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️I found it gave me lots of ideas of things to look into more deeply and was a good start to learning more about my hormones but as it went on I started to feel like it was just saying words for words sake

[Lucie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this to be incredibly repetitive and not detailed or practical enough. I get the sense it was published very hastily. Would not recommend

[Millie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. Feels like a bit of an encyclopaedia of knowledge for women's hormones etc. Not sure I agreed with some of the nutrition information. Also felt like the author was trying to plug her company quite a bit. Overall, I am glad I read it, it was pretty interesting.

[Jayne Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic.

[Andreea Balogh · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was obvious that the author tried to promote her company throughout the chapters of this book, but it was also an insight on how women's body work and how hormones affect our daily life. The author is not a doctor or a specialist and there are a few disclaimers in the book about seeking medical advice if you think something is not right or before taking any supplements as recommended by her. To be honest, this aspect was not my favourite anyway; I feel like supplements and vitamins are a very individual thing that must be discussed with a professional beforehand.

When it comes to the hormones and science, I felt that the book was a bit too detailed. Like, no regular human is gonna remember the names of hormones that they've never heard of before. I know I won't.

Overall, a decent book. The conclusion is that we need to focus more on ourselves and to try and cut out junk food and social media that have such an obvious negative impact on our lives.

[M :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, she plugs her brand a couple times, but honestly - wouldn't you?

I wish this was a book I'd picked up at thirteen, I think it would've helped me make much more sense of my cycle and really understand what it is. I quite ashamedly will say that I have only now, as an adult, come to comprehend the stages of my cycle and this book taught me more than school.

While not as science-y as I expected, I think that this is a perfect book for anyone if they are wanting to learn more about how your behaviours are shaped by hormones and external factors.

Really wonderfully written. I actually binge-read it in a day, but lost it and returned to the final chapter this morning. Would 100% recommend.

[Surmiraya]

A book about hormonal changes triggered by monthly cycles and how each phase is suited for one specific aspect. I need to socialize a lot more. Since, apparently it boosts your health. I need to try to control my sweet cravings causing cortisol elevation leading to even more stress. Chakras were basically your organs in endocrine system. Don't be online too much. Don't screw up sleep cycles. Realised that the 'weird crushes during periods or period crushes' actually have sense and that I was not the weirdo. On second thought, were all my crushes idealised during periods in my teens? O lord! That means that wasn't a proper crush?

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is eye-opening on so many levels! I couldn't put it down. It was like for the first time someone was making sense of how Im feeling and giving me the science behind it. I wish I had read this when I was 12 (or latest 16!). Woman's hormonal changes are so often sidelined. This book helps bring the realness of hormones into the spot light to help you live life more aligned with your body.

[Abbie Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting look into how hormones work (as sex Ed in this country goes no where near far enough to demystify it). There’s a clear effort for inclusivity, reflected in the structure of the app. Didn’t enjoy the final chapter as much but I had also drank 3 glasses of Prosecco at the hairdressers whilst reading it.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why are there so many "health experts" who say that we should avoid fruit (I flat out don't trust a nutrition expert who doesn't know the difference between fructose and sucrose) but alcohol is fine as long as it's "natural wine" or some bs.

Apart from the overconfident nutrition advice - the rest was helpful.

[Rebecca Katie Griffiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative and interesting.
Written and presented in an easy ways

I’ve read a few books on female hormones recently, and I will admit this one isn’t necessarily my favourite but a good read nevertheless

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would recommend all women to read this book. So much insight into how our hormones work on a day to day, minute to minute basis, during our periods, menopause, pregnancy, when we’re poorly etc. I feel more in touch with how my body should work as a woman.

[Stacey Bookerworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew a book about hormones could be so interesting

[Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish this book had of been around 30 years ago. So informative. I learnt things I never knew, and I’m a middle aged woman. I was particularly interested in the section on menopause.

[grace dodd · Rating 2 out of 5]

informative and very interesting, the tone just didn't always land and i wasn't the biggest fan of the way it was written, despite being a topic i am fascinated by

[Juliet S Fulford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books has information that every young woman should know about themselves. Wish I had been able to give this to my daughter when she was 16. An entertaining and informative read perfect for passing on all the information we never had, to the younger generation.

[Becky · Rating 1 out of 5]

Things this book mentions which are utter lies and huge red flags:

Livers needing a cleanse

Hormone dominance

[Ruby G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Learn a lot from this book and found it a very useful read

[Poppy Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic guide to understanding your hormones and how they influence your mental, emotional and physical health. Amy breaks this under discussed topic down in such a relatable, fun and engaging manner, I finished this book quickly and feel as if I've really had an educational lesson.