I am trying to compile information for a study and research on the problems with normal dieting and weight gain problems for Women over 40. Specifically women in the Perimenopausal-Menopause stage. I have been in the field of Nutrition for a long time and have done a lot of studies on children, teens and young adults in dieting, helped develop custom diets plans for individuals under a Doctors care, but with this new study, I could really use any Ladies opinions and experience on the problems of weight gain over the age of 40. We know that over 40 there's a average weight gain of 1 pound a year, mainly around the waistline, what I need to know what you have done to try to lose weight, what dieting/exercise plans have been successful for you. Any tips on natural remedies for hormonal balancing. The treatments that have been around are Soy, Black cohosh, wild yam, dong quai and valeriamroot, -- but truthfully there is actually no proof, (legitimate) studies, these work, Unless someone out there has tried any of these, and lets me know some first hand information. Also, We all know the advice that is given by most Dieticians, I'm embarrassed to say, unfortunately is eat more fruits and veggies and lean meats and exercise more, even I know this isn't the answer... My Department head does not want information from the web based sites, we have access to everything out there, but I could use any feedback from Ladies Only... Any Help you ladies can give me will help with my new project... Any volunteers?? :D

The things you listed are more for hot flashes and those kind of women problems. They and most illnesses and diseases are the result of health problems not the cause.
doctors treat symptoms and not the root of the problem. I have been listening to three local alternative doctors and have learned a lot about what to do instead of running to the doctors of course they say to go to the doctors but meds aren't necessarily the path to go. The pharmacutical industries want people sick so they can make money. Many of the drugs contribute in the inability to lose weight.
They know when drugs such as Vioxx are going to cause serious side effects but they are in it for the business.

Who you want to talk to is Doctor Pompa Welcome to Pompa Health Solutions
He talks about how many environmental products, poor diet, junk food and various things that 'make and keep us fat'
He says that Americans are in the death zone and explains how when people climb Mt Everest they get into the death zone where the air is thin and they feel great but the native Chakra's are there to pull them out of the death zone because they know that it is only a good feeling that tricks them into death if the Chakra's don't pull them out.
He also said that if you look at the diets of the centurions in places like Okinawa and Chapota tribe in Africa you will find answers. They live on fruits and vegetables and so forth and are healthier than anybody. He said, (Which I have said for years) why are Americans gaining so much weight and on so many drugs and these poor countries are healthy until they get the American diet.

I have been telling people for years that the preservatives and chemicals in foods are making us prone to diseases and weight gain. Remember the LAYS commercial "Bet you can't eat just one" that was the start of putting addictive chemicals in our foods. Pizza Hut and McDonalds use them as well as many prepared frozen and boxed foods.
At the seminar they showed films on how junk food doesn't break down so how can our digestion system get rid of it properly. The one video showed a Twinkie being torched the I beam in half but the Twinkie only turned black where the torch was touching it. They showed a video where a guy put a burger in his pocket and forgot about it for a year. It still looked the same. It use to be on this site Welcome to Pompa Health Solutions but it is on YouTube.

We are being lied to that vegetable oils are good for you. Canola is one of the worst not the healthiest.

People think that they are doing good eating and drinking DIET foods but aspartame actually tricks our bodies into retaining fat. Aspartame turns to formaldehyde in our body.

The antibiotics and things they are giving the animals we eat is making us retain weight too.

When I tell people they need to take supplements they say they get enough vitamins in their food. They don't realize much of the nutrients are cooked out and replaced with chemicals. Commercial brand vitamins do not dissolve in our system. We are not optimizing and synergizing our vitamins. Our bodies are not processing amino acids right which is effecting our thyroid and metabolism.

I have been checking out about how our DNA genetics can mess up our metabolism and how to 'fix' it.
We either have a faulty appetite control response, stress hormone overload, cellular inflammation, oxidative stress (free radical damage), sluggish metabolism, under active thyroid, and over worked liver.
Before we can even dream about losing weight we need to get in these things in balance by doing detoxing heavy metals, products of the environment, antioxidents, digestive cleansing and so forth.

Low carb Low fat diets cause our serotonin and GABA levels to fall causing things like cravings, hunger and anxiety.

Stress and nutrient deficiencies or imbalances weaken our metabolism.

environmental toxins are not only pollutants but also everyday cleaners and air fresheners and other commercial products we use daily.
Plastics to soaps and cleaning supplies trick our bodies into thinking our estrogen levels are too high because they have estrogen mimicking chemicals xenoestrogens. In response the body produces extra cells to store the excess estrogen =belly fat.

My favorite part of what he said which is the key, was that the man made or man altered products and foods have a left spin energy and natural things have a right spin energy.
The man made or altered products and foods build up toxins which cause inflammation in the liver which causes all the diseases that Americans are suffering from.

You can have the genetics for cancer or any illness but you do not have to get it if you do not fall into the American standardized ways.

I always thought that table salt was natural and I can't live without salt. When I got home from his meeting I threw away the table salt and started using sea salt. I noticed an immediate difference in my joint pain and now three weeks later I am not feeling stomach bloat.

The first two or three weeks he says to cut out all meat, sugar, grains, flour, pasta, margarine and vegetable oils and junk food
eat lots of eggs, omega and olive type oils, fruits and vegetables and yogurt
After that add whole grains, meats and so forth
D0 N0T add back vegetable oils, bleached flour, junk food.

I have been self teaching myself about alternative herbal treatments and nutrition for years and just starting to get into all this other stuff. I feel healthier now than I did thirty years ago.
I have learned to be in tune with my health and know what to do to keep from needing doctors.

I have pages and pages on what I have learned. I could and should write at least 3 volumes.
I haven't even begun to cover an outline here.

So basically it IS about nutrition and getting your life back.

Whew... Now that was a mouthful. And I will check out that information cause I am so interested in the information you gave. I am also in total agreement with the information you gave about the toxic results in most foods we eat. Which is why 99.9% of the time I don't eat fast foods, white flour/sugar, veggie oils or processed foods. Been using sea salt since my hippie days. Never eat sugary salty snacks, and have really been precise about know what I'm putting into my body. But I also have no health issues, not overweight and at my age that is pretty good, in my opinion. Being in this field has taught me how to really look into the benefits of healthy eating just as you said. Trying to convenience other people that... another story, of course. But the piece I'm working on is mostly general research as to what Women can do to lose the weight they seem to get over 40, Even I've noticed I've put on some weight, but I'm 5ft 8 and 135 lbs, so I was happy with the extra pounds, not so the case for a lot of others. Right now we have a few women on a 1200 calorie diet which really consist of a 1/2 plate of veggies, throughout the day 5 serving of fruits and small amounts of lean meat, less than 3 oz. And 3-5 pints of water, 3-4 servings of yogurt, but there's been really no significant weight change, maybe 5 lbs, And even those 5lbs seem to flucuate with these patients, but going under 1,00 calories a day is too extreme so I'm at a standstill about this right now. But anyway, thanks so much for your reply and your information!