Today’s show is relevant to every woman because, if we haven’t gone through it already, we all will face menopause one day. You may not realize that there are steps we can take regarding diet and exercise to prepare our bodies ahead of time. Join us for a closer look at natural ways to manage hormones, health, and happiness.  Elizabeth Ward and Hillary Wright are the authors of the new book, The Menopause Diet Plan. The book explores the physiology of menopause symptoms that many women experience and outlines important diet strategies to manage those symptoms. We’ll also talk about eating according to your body clock, why plant-forward diets can be your best friend, and why many of us should cut back on carbs.    Liz Ward is an award-winning nutrition coordinator and writer who lives in the Boston area. She’s the author of several books including Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy.   Hillary Wright has over 30 years’ experience as a nutrition educator with expertise in women’s health. She’s the author of two previous books, The PCOS Diet Plan and The Prediabetes Diet Plan. She is also the senior nutritionist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and she’s a founding member of the nutrition technology company, Good Measures.    Show Highlights:   Get to know Liz, the mother of three girls, and Hillary, the mother of three boys (and no, none of the children of these lifelong friends ever matched up together as their mothers wished) Menopause and perimenopause defined Common menopause symptoms include the following: hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, irregular periods, mood swings, dry skin, and weight gain Why perimenopause and menopause symptoms vary from woman to woman Other symptoms can include bone loss and a greater risk of heart disease from lack of estrogen Is there a magic bullet for hot flashes? Sadly, the answer is no. Things that may help with symptoms include hormone replacement therapy, soy foods, exercise, proper sleep, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques Use caution with supplements that have an estrogen-like effect Why Liz and Hillary wrote their book about menopause From the book, the core principles of menopause nutrition: Eat according to your body clock Focus on plant-based foods Focus on eating lower carb/higher protein diet Get regular physical activity Why Liz and Hillary’s menopause diet plan doesn’t exclude any food  The benefits of curbing refined carbs and eating fewer refined grains while eating high-quality carbs and more protein The supplements that might be helpful are calcium, vitamin D, and Omega-3 fatty acids What it means to eat a “plant-based” diet Liz and Hillary’s recipe for walnut pesto; it’s made with yogurt and walnuts and tastes great on fish and chicken How the recipes in the book are delicious, easy, flexible, and family-friendly How many recipes in the book can be modified to fit your tastes, like Stir-Fry, Your Way From the book, a recipe for Chicken Italiano that includes lots of vegetables The biggest take-home message about menopause today: “Women need to start paying attention to preparing for menopause long before their period ends.” Why belly weight gain happens in menopause     Resources:   The Menopause Diet Plan on Amazon   Find Elizabeth Ward on the web at: Better is the New Perfect Find Hillary Wright on the web at: Hillary Wright   Elizabeth Ward on IG: @ewardmsrd Elizabeth Ward on Twitter: @ewardrd Elizabeth Ward on Facebook   Hillary Wright on IG: @Hwrightrd Hillary Wright on Twitter: @pcosdiet   Menopause Diet Plan on Facebook