Library Journal Review

Michaels (Making the Cut; Winning by Losing), the strength trainer for television's The Biggest Loser, here addresses the influence that hormone balance-affected by estrogen, insulin, testosterone, cortisol, epinephrine, leptin, and others-has on weight loss. Various internal and external influences can cause hormones to over- or underproduce, resulting in not only weight gain but serious illness. Michaels's plan emphasizes natural foods, organically grown and unprocessed. She describes which foods affect which hormones and how plastics and pollutants in our air and water and additives in many different products can also cause imbalances. She makes a good case for not using bioidentical hormones. Michaels claims that most prescription drugs should be eliminated but does recommend doing this under a doctor's supervision. This generally responsible program is bound to be popular with the public. Not an essential purchase, but a good one if you need this type of material.-Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.