The essence of the word diet in both Greek and Latin is “way of living” or “leading life.” Our interpretation of what it means to eat in moderation to reduce weight or to eat for a special purpose is a modern interpretation. For my part, I like the original and it is in that sense that I would like to recommend this month’s book.

The author, Dr. Ron Rosedale is an expert in nutrition and metabolic medicine, as well as an anti-aging specialist. He has worked with both the obese and those whose weight has just become a burden on their souls. Most people end up with Dr. Rosedale when nothing seems to work, no exercise, no hunger, no Atkins. Like many of us, his patients may have had success in the early stages of a new program, but it doesn’t last, and often these people regain the weight they lost in a very short time.

What makes Rosedale’s program so different is that he has become an expert on a hormone discovered in 1994 called leptin. Leptin seems to be the master hormone, all our hormones have leptin as a partner. If leptin is not working properly, none of the other hormones can do their job properly.

So what does leptin do? It is responsible for the continuation of the species and as such indicates that enough fat is stored in our fat cells for reproduction to take place. It controls appetite and weight loss by telling the brain when to eat, how much to eat, and when to stop. According to Dr. Rosedale’s book, “New research shows that leptin may be one of the body’s most important hunger control mechanisms. Control leptin, you control your weight.”

Did it catch your attention? Good because this book has about 150 positive testimonials on Amazon alone. The good doctor is onto something.

And you’ll probably be surprised by the antidote to excess sugar, the culprit here: eating more fat. Hmmm, where have we heard that before? One of my mottos is “don’t be afraid of fat.” However, it seems that I have to modify my way of making fat according to this diet plan. And I’m all for making adjustments because there’s still a lot to love, like guacamole, some cheeses, meats, nuts, and butter.

Not to mention Dr. Rosedale’s twenty years of research and thousands of patients restored to a healthy weight.

The program is not an imitation of Atkins, although certain carbohydrates are taboo. Protein can also be turned into sugar and stored as fat when there is too much of it, as is the case with bread. And the all-you-can-eat, bacon, steak, and cheese fest that is an Atkins program isn’t healthy or promotes long-term, lasting results.

Many middle-aged women are struggling with weight gain now, more than ever in their lives.

The Rosedale Diet can help. If you’re willing to do it your way for 21 days, you’ll see your cravings subside and the weight start to come off.

You won’t be hungry, if you are, eat more, insists the doctor.

You’ll need to make some food yourself or buy from a health food store that you can trust not to cook with “bad” oils like corn oil or peanut oil.

You’ll need to indulge in the things you cut out long ago, and cut out the foods you rely on to satisfy those cravings. Trust me, it will all pay off in the long run. When your body is working the way it should, you won’t have cravings, you’ll be full when you eat, you’ll have more energy to exercise or get on with your day.

Oh, and since leptin is such an integral part of the entire endocrine system, you might see even fewer PMS symptoms, migraines, bloating, and other hateful results of a runaway system.

The book has assessments so you can see where you are, what your protein needs are, and more. There are 100 or so recipes, a great place to start, though once you master the suggested foods, you’ll probably want to create your own.

If 2009 is your year, I suggest you buy this book and commit to it. 21 days, how hard can that be?

Remember that a diet is a way of life. How about trying a way of life that resulted in a healthy body that looks, feels, and functions just like it was designed to?