DOC MAC'S GUT PROTOCOL

MODULE EIGHT

Part Two

THE MEDITERRANEAN MENOPAUSE

🛳️ I'm in France–But You're Still My Priority

“Doc, wow! Comparing the Mediterranean Diet to the Standard American Diet really opened my eyes—no wonder you’re always preaching about GodMade food. Since joining your program, I’ve been mainly eating real, whole foods, and now I get why it matters so much. But here’s my question: Is there a difference in how American women and Mediterranean women experience menopause—especially when it comes to gut health? If I understand correctly, this course is exploring why the Mediterranean Diet might be the best choice for me once I achieve my ideal weight.

TWO DIFFERENT MENOPAUSES

That’s a great question. Before I answer, let me explain why I believe the Mediterranean Diet is considered by science to be the best menu on the planet. It's not only a great tool for weight maintenance, but it's also perfect for preventing and repairing gut issues.

Let’s examine the differences between American women and Mediterranean women. All of a sudden, I heard The Guess Who in my head singing “American Woman.”

Once I did the research, I discovered that menopausal symptoms differ significantly between women in the United States and those in Mediterranean countries, and the contrast tells a compelling story about how culture, lifestyle, and diet shape the menopausal journey. Let me break it down.

United States: Menopause in the Fast Lane

I haven’t gotten “American Woman” out of my head, and now I hear The Eagles singing “Life in the Fast Lane.” Sorry, I'm currently on a cruise ship that has just docked in La Havre, France. After a week of travel and checking items off my bucket list in the United Kingdom, I'm feeling a bit loopy from joy.

Back to menopause, in a nutshell, women in the U.S. often experience a more intense and symptomatic transition through menopause. Common complaints include:

• Weight Gain
• Weight Loss Resistance
• Sleeping Disorders
• Increase Worry
• More Days when she feels off
• Loss of Interest in Being Intimate
• Loss Of Motivation to be social
• Hot flashes and night sweats (often severe and frequent)
• Brain fog and memory issues

Why? Now that’s opening Pandora’s box:

• Standard American Diet (SAD): promotes inflammation and hormone disruption
• Sedentary lifestyle
• High stress levels (and poor stress management practices)
• Environmental toxins and xenoestrogens
• Pharmaceutical reliance over lifestyle-first approaches
• Too many people treat menopause like it’s a glitch in the system—something to ‘fix.’

Mediterranean Women: Gracefully Riding the Wave

Women living in Mediterranean regions (like Spain, France, Italy, and Greece tend to report milder menopausal symptoms and a more positive outlook on aging. They have:

• Fewer or less severe vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats)
• Less reported depression and anxiety
• Less weight gain and better metabolic markers
• Better sleep and energy
• Fewer complaints about brain fog or libido loss

Why?

• Mediterranean Diet: Supports hormone balance, gut health, and reduces inflammation.
• Daily movement: Walking, gardening, physical chores that maintain muscle, insulin sensitivity, and mental health
• Strong social support systems, such as family and community ties, are crucial.
• Positive cultural attitudes: Aging is respected, not dreaded.
• Less exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in food and products

According to observations, there is a significant difference between the symptoms of menopause when Americans are compared to women who live along the coast of the Northern Mediterranean.

I could sit here and write about all of the differences between the two cultures, but it comes down to three primary reasons.

1. The Mediterranean Diet
2. Social Interaction
3. Walking (they walk a lot instead of jumping in a car when they need a coffee)

Anyway, now let's get back to the Mediterranean Diet.

We have established that the key difference between the Standard American Diet and the Mediterranean Diet is that Mediterranean women consume GodMade Food, which is the first rule of The Meso Menu, a weight loss menu.

Chronic Inflammation will cause the death of most of us. It is the primary source cause of most cancers, diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and Alzheimer’s. Most, if not all, chronic inflammation begins in the gut. The Standard American Diet is the worst possible diet for our guts. In contrast, the Mediterranean Diet offers all the benefits needed to prevent damage and promote gut health. As we go through the Mediterranean Diet, you will see why.

Since the Meso Menu leads with protein, I will explore the difference between the protein intake among Americans and the Mediterranean.

WHO WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND FEEL GREAT

The change in our weight as we age is caused by the chasm between two of our ovarian hormones: estrogen and progesterone for women and estrogen and testosterone in men. The larger the chasm, the more symptoms we will have.

Here are the symptoms of the age-related hormone condition called estrogen dominance.

• Weight Gain
• Weight Loss Resistance
• Sleeping Disorders
• Hormonal-Induced Anxiety
• Hormonal-Induced Depression
• Loss of Interest in Being Intimate
• Loss of Motivation to be Social

If you have developed these symptoms, the most essential step to taming them is to lose your belly fat.

"Belly fat converts progesterone and testosterone into estrogen, making us even more estrogen dominant."

I have learned over the past 45 years of practice that everyone is unique. They have different hormone problems, metabolisms, food likes and dislikes, personalities, and schedules. If you would like me to customize a menu for you to lose your belly fat, which is more than half the battle when it comes to taming estrogen dominance, text me to schedule a free week of losing weight and feeling great. Yes! If the HOPE Protocol works for you, you will lose more weight than ever and feel better than ever.

Here's the good news: take it for a FREE one-week trial run.

Text me, "I want to lose weight and feel great." Text me at 209-345-9799. Remember, I'll be in Europe all month, so I will be nine hours ahead of you. However, I'll get back to you immediately if I am awake and my International ATT plan actually works. It has been hit and miss when it comes to complete cell service they promised.

This is what will happen:

• I will send you all the instructions via email.
• You will read the QuickStart Course.
• Decide if it is something you want to do.
• Text me any questions you may have
• Text me what day you would like to start
• On that first day, text me your starting weight and hours slept.
• I will keep you accountable via texting daily
• I will customize your menu as you lose weight and feel great
• I will send you an email course on how to balance your hormones
• We will arrange a motivating phone call when you fall off the horse.

I honestly will send you the exact menu that thousands of hormonally challenged women have used to lose their excess weight. The old ways of cutting calories and exercising will no longer work when you no longer produce fat-burning hormones, and you can’t burn fat without them.

"If you don’t tame estrogen dominance, you will gain your weight back."

There is no obligation, and the week of coaching is FREE!

Again, text "I want to lose weight and feel great" to 209-345-9799.

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​This Week's US-IE

Here's a photo of Vicky and me with the White Cliffs of Dover behind us as we embark on our journey to La Havre, France..

🛳️ The Macs

Hormone and Weight Optimization Author and Coaches

HOPE isn’t just a feeling. It’s a protocol—and it’s waiting for you. 💖

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Disclaimer:

The information provided in this newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, including zinc, especially if you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are taking medications. Individual needs may vary; this content does not replace the advice of a professional medical expert.

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