Dr Haver, an OBGYN physician, found it increasingly hard to shift the weight she put on around her waistline during menopause.
Looking back, she had numerous patients who would come to her for support with similar menopausal issues, to which she’d reply at the time: “Eat less and exercise more.”
Now that she was going through the change herself, Dr Haver realised that the advice she had been giving to people wasn’t working for them, or even herself.
Delving into medical research, Dr Haver set out to make a positive change, which is how she developed the Galveston Diet.
The anti-inflammatory diet involves intermittent fasting, which means only eating within an eight-hour window throughout the day.
People are then encouraged to fast for the other 16 hours of the day, with many of the hours being during sleep time.
Another key element of the Galveston Diet is to swap unhealthy sugary and highly processed foods for nutrient-dense sources of carbohydrates.
Foods you can eat on the Galveston Diet
Proteins
- Salmon
- Eggs
- Quinoa
- Greek yoghurt
- Lean chicken
- Lean turkey
- Lean grass-fed beef
- Nitrate-free deli meats
Fruits and vegetables
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Zucchini squash
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
Fats
- Avocado
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Almonds
- Sesame seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Pine nuts
Adhering to the Galveston Diet, Dr Haver lost 20 pounds and found her menopausal symptoms eased.
“It’s a lifetime eating plan,” Dr Haver insisted. “I was not counting calories, and the pounds started coming off.” Dr Haver added: “I was also sleeping better, and my hot flashes were better.”
