Syndrome W: A Woman's Guide to Reversing Midlife Weight Gain [Hardcover]

Harriette Mogul (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2005

If you’re a woman of a “certain age”, you know what we’re talking about—that unexplained weight gain that creeps up no matter what you try to do to stop it. Enter Syndrome W, the book named for the metabolic condition caused by abnormal insulin levels commonly found in women aged 30 to 60.

Dr. Harriette R. Mogul, the physician who discovered the condition, shows how it can be reversed when properly diagnosed and treated so you can regain your waistline! From understanding the symptoms, to finding a doctor who can help, to creating a food and exercise plan, and beyond, Dr. Mogul provides the practical tips that will help you reverse Syndrome W.

In addition to providing the tools you need to understand and fix Syndrome W, Dr. Mogul provides mouth-watering recipes, including Tailgate Turkey Chili, Wildflower Crab Cake with Vanilla Mango-Chutney and Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette, Wild Mushroom Sauté, and Concord Grape and Burgundy Poached Pears with Quinoa Crisp Cookies, each specially designed to complement the treatment for correcting Syndrome W—forever!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Any weight loss plan that warns readers their doctor may resist administering treatment intrinsic to its success raises questions about the plan's credibility. And so it goes for this book, written for middle-age women who exercise, eat "right" and still can't lose weight. Medical doctor Mogul says the key lies in a frequently undiagnosed metabolic abnormality characterized by high insulin–low sugar levels, increased cholesterol and "white coat hypertension" (blood pressure that rises in the doctor's office). The solution: a "moderately low carbohydrate diet" (recipes included), eating smaller portions and exercising, as well as the "off-label" use of Metformin, a prescription medication for Type II diabetes. In a somewhat chaotic writing style, Mogul suggests that not following her plan is a fast track to "Syndrome X," a forerunner to heart disease. Unfortunately, links between Syndrome W and Syndrome X are purely alphabetical. No major research validates the connection or establishes that Metformin is helpful when sugar levels are normal. Mogul has published small studies on this topic and may have a treatment appropriate for a subgroup of women. But as a mass market solution, it's bound to disappoint. (Sept.)
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Review

Syndrome W offers middle-aged women resources to battle weight gain. (Amy Sara Clark The Journal News )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: M.Evans & Company (August 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159077048X
• ISBN-13: 978-1590770481
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #736,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid medical info and great chefs' recipes!, October 2, 2005

By 

Louise's granddaughter (White Plains, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Syndrome W: A Woman's Guide to Reversing Midlife Weight Gain (Hardcover)

Harriette Mogul's SYNDROME W is groundbreaking, highly informative - and also fun. Her gourmet recipes make your mouth water, motivating you to start cooking her carb-modified meals right away. SYNDROME W is an absolutely unique mix of solid medical information, gourmet chefs' healthy recipes, and your loving aunt's gentle understanding of your resistance to exercise as she helps reorganize your kitchen for your new way of cooking and eating!

Mogul is an endocrinologist who, in her own research, has discovered that many women who gain a substantial weight in their middle years are suffering from a medical condition that is virtually never tested for. Such women cannot lose weight even with dedicated diet and exercise - until a medication called metformin is added to their regime. With metformin and proper eating habits, Mogul's patients are finally able to lose excess poundage. Because the proper medical tests are not widely done, Mogul lists precise instructions on two pages so the reader can easily photocopy them for her doctor, along with citations to the scientific literature supporting the efficacy of metformin. While the medical information derives from Mogul's academic work, her writing in this book is light, concise, and perfectly clear.

Mogul gives all kinds of unique practical information about how to reorganize your eating habits - e. g., travel and restaurant tips, and which ready-prepared low-carb products in your grocery store are truly tasty and effective (and her grande skim-milk latte tip, along with the scientific explanation of its effectiveness!). The last 100 pages of SYNDROME W are actually a gourmet cookbook full of "Delicious Recipes from Great Chefs." (Typical of Mogul's generous manner, she even includes a bio of each of her chefs.)
Anne Bobroff-Hajal, Ph. D., author Working Women in Russia Under the Hunger Tsars

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Caution about metformin recommended in book, July 26, 2006

By 

WiseWoman (South Eastern USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Syndrome W: A Woman's Guide to Reversing Midlife Weight Gain (Hardcover)

Before anyone buys this book, he or she should look up metformin on the web, follow some links, and find out about this product, which Hariette Mogul uses with her Syndrome W patients. One site, for example, says that a tiny percentage of women develope lactic acidosis using this product, and 50% of those cases are fatal! Many people ought not to even try it. // Beyond that, the recipes are healthy and her dieting concepts unique and probably very helpful for those who can safely eat up to 12 ounces meat/fish protein a day or substitute sources. Her recommendations of 4 or more vegetables, 3 fruits, 3 starches, some fat, etc. are in line with currently respected healthy diet guidelines for women. The admonition to not eat cereal in the morning, even whole grain, might be worth trying. Some books by MD's state compulsive overeaters should have oatmeal in the morning and that women digest starch more slowly than other foods, so it should be eaten by noon. However, it's also the case that protein in the morning makes many people feel more alert; and after eating eggs, people eat less for lunch. Also, those who overeat at night may find an evening cup of oatmeal, or bowl, staves off evening snacking. // The concise suggestions for each meal, laid out in an orderly fashion on a few pages, are helpful. I recommend this book for reading and thinking about.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Answer I was looking for, March 11, 2008

By 

Mary F. Munguia - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Syndrome W: A Woman's Guide to Reversing Midlife Weight Gain (Hardcover)

When my doctor suggested I get this book my first thought was "oh no, another book on what I am doing wrong and why I can't lose weight". I was wrong! He told me the book can actually explain why some women CAN'T lose weight. After reading the book I began to cry, because I finally had an answer to my problem. The only sad thing is I have gone so long undiagnosed that I am already Syndrome X. The book opened my eyes and actually provided answers to many of my questions. I am on metformin and have begun the process of getting my life back on track. The book is worth the read and a great gift if you know someone who has struggled with metabolic problems.