Hangry: 5 Simple Steps to Balance Your Hormones and Restore Your Joy

by Sarah Fragoso and Brooke Kalanick, ND, MS

REVIEW BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE

“We can no longer ignore that today’s women are not happy and thriving; they are barely surviving. Studies like this show us that feeling spread too thin and the symptoms that arise from all this stress are most definitely not in our heads, so what are we supposed to do about this very real phenomenon?”

Admittedly, I dove into this book for research for an article expecting to learn a few tips about the onset of menopause and hormonal balance. I was pleasantly surprised at just the massive amounts of information; everything from how many hormones work in conjunction with one another, how diet and exercise affect those hormones, how lifestyle changes and mindfulness affect women’s moods and productivity. The book also includes workout plans and malleable diet plans, as no one plan works for everyone. For example, someone with a deficiency of one hormone and excess of another should avoid certain foods, while other people tolerate those same foods quite well. The book includes a quiz to determine which hormonal imbalances you might be experiencing and suggests methods for tackling those issues holistically without necessarily resorting to hormonal replacements or surgery. 

This book is for those who are curious about perimenopause or are already in the throes of menopause. It is for the women who experience fatigue, are living with depression, or are simply less happy and fulfilled than they once were. The strategies discussed teach you how to listen to your hormones and use the symptoms as tools for how to eat and feel better. It details the importance of strength training, especially as women progress in age, and how working out too hard can be more damaging than women might realize. The advice is practical for the various lifestyles of modern women, but also honest about what is likely to hinder women’s well-being and quality of life. This book wasn’t written for a certain type of woman, but rather an outline for all women to listen to their bodies and discover their own path to health and wellness. 

Hangry is written by Sarah Fragoso, the author and creator of Everyday Paleo, and Dr. Brooke Kalanick, a functional medicine practitioner