cover image The Hormone Cure: Reclaim Balance, Sleep, Sex Drive, & Vitality Naturally with the Gottfried Protocol

The Hormone Cure: Reclaim Balance, Sleep, Sex Drive, & Vitality Naturally with the Gottfried Protocol

Sara Gottfried. Scribner, $25 (448p) ISBN 978-1-4516-6694-6

At the forefront of this scientifically advanced yet deeply humane guide to hormonal heath—and the complex problems that result from imbalances—are the views of the relatively new area of functional medicine: lifestyle changes as the first line of attack; a close patient-physician partnership for wellness; and the notion that, despite a myriad of confusing and sometimes overlapping symptoms, many conditions and diseases have a few basic root causes. Through in-depth questionnaires and case studies, bioengineer, gynecologist, and yoga instructor Gottfried guides readers to first identify their main hormonal problems (disordered levels of critical hormones like estrogen, thyroid, and the stress hormone cortisol) and then apply a combination of do-it-yourself remedies (diet, herbs, supplements, etc., to reset the scale. Gottfried calls hormonal balance a “soul-infused pie chart,” which must be achieved for optimal health, including mood, sleep, weight, immunity, and longevity. For many women juggling careers and families, eliminating caffeine, sugar, and gluten from their diet and devoting time to achieving calm through self-care may seem like climbing a mountain, but Gottfried says that realigning hormones is much easier than continuing in a cycle that seriously impairs quality of life. As readers wade through detailed scientific explanations and extensive recommendations ranging from fish oil and ginseng to yoga-based breathing and meditation, they will be cheered by her appealing sense of humor and disarming candor. And likely, many of them will also be stirred by Gottfried’s sympathetic understanding to stay the course. Agent, Katherine Cowles. (Mar.)