Out of desperation, I've been reading as many books on the Transition as I can get my hands on -- this one gets too caught up in being cute, and I got frustrated, as evident in my review tone. Some readers who get bogged down by the specifics of endocrinology may love Blum's Hey-Girlfriend kind of approachability (jokes about having been a "pastitute" and a "bagel babe" due to over-eating carbs in her 20s, for me = giant eye-roll). I like to nerd-out on the specifics of how hormones really run our bodies. I used to have a sense of humour. But that was before basic human functions like sleeping, eating and thinking somehow became impossible due to an overnight hormone implosion.
As with a lot of these Transition books, there is a painful over-emphasis on weight loss, body image and advice to avoid carbs at all costs, as though our changing bodies are a kind of tragedy. I get that it's not ideal to get fatter if you've spent your life convinced being thin is a superpower, but I wish the emphasis was on how to stay strong, not on how to "burn fat". Blum specializes in nutrition, so you know what's coming: protein protein protein. Weirdly, Blum completely avoids discussing the potential hormonal pitfalls of dairy and its associations with inflammation; additives like nitrates (she mentions eating animal protein often, but doesn't delve into the risks;) and shockingly, not one single word on histamine-containing foods and their interaction with estrogen. The idea that the intestinal tract is the second brain seems to be presented like a big reveal, but we started reading about the microbiome a decade ago. The section on phytoestrogens also seemed dated.
If you've experienced the distress of severe hormone fluctuations, you're familiar with the desperation to feel well, and the priority to get enough sleep so that you can feel human, get through your day doing the things that are important to you, and remember the things that you need to. Trying to avoid life-threatening risks that you may have become more vulnerable t0, (cancer, osteoporosis and dementia) are a much higher priority than eating protein so you can "burn fat", I think.
So! I think this is a great first dip of your toe into reading on the Transition, if you haven't read much about it yet, and are feeling scared and are most freaked out about gaining weight; but I think there are much better books out there with more current, properly-referenced information.
I would recommend
(1) The Upgrade by Dr. Louann Brizendine (neurological focus)
(2) Hormone Repair Manual by Lara Briden, ND (naturopathic approach -- so not always evidence-based but an excellent guide on symptoms and supplements)
and maybe, depending on your current drive to dismantle the patriarchy while reviewing the real evidence on whether HRT or supplements work,
(3) Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter (western medicine approach)
Wishing you well in your health journey.