Lara Briden is a naturopath with 25 years' experience in women's health. She currently has consulting rooms in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she treats women with PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, perimenopause and many other health problems. Lara talks to NZ Booklovers.
Tell us a little about The Metabolism Reset.
Through a compassionate lens, The Metabolism Reset explores the widespread issue of metabolic dysfunction, commonly known as insulin resistance. This condition is a major contributor to excessive hunger, hypoglycemia, and difficulty in losing weight. As a solution, the book provides a 10-step plan for identifying personal metabolic obstacles, such as hormonal issues, digestion problems, ultra-processed food, chronic stress, and medications. It then offers actionable strategies for overcoming those obstacles and explains why a simple intervention like fixing the gut can reverberate through the entire system to help people feel less hungry and burn more energy.
As a clinician with 25 years of experience, I know that different approaches work for different people, so the book does not attempt to provide a one-size-fits-all diet prescription. Instead, it serves as a workbook or manual, guiding readers to discover their unique path back to metabolic health. As one reviewer noted, the book addresses such a wide range of scenarios that "no one is left behind."
What inspired you to write this book?
From my clinical work with women’s hormones and periods, I had seen firsthand how strongly insulin resistance affects all aspects of health, including women’s health. Therefore, a book on this topic felt like a natural progression in my series on women's health. Additionally, witnessing my patients’ struggles with metabolic symptoms like fatigue and excessive hunger motivated me to try to bring some clarity and hope to the situation.
What research was involved?
I consulted with experts and reviewed the latest scientific research on metabolic health, focusing on the critical roles of hormones, the nervous system, and epigenetics, which is the passing on of environment-induced changes to future generations. In practical terms, epigenetics means that our modern-day collective shift to metabolic dysfunction has been underway for generations and that a person’s metabolic problems today are likely to have started when they were a child or maybe even before they were born. That’s why I called Chapter 1 “Metabolic dysfunction and weight gain are not your fault.”
What was your routine or process when writing this book?
My writing process involves lots of outdoor walking, which helps me formulate ideas. I split my walking between the Port Hills of Christchurch, my adopted home, and the foothills of Southern Alberta, Canada, where I’m from and where I spent a few months writing last year. As Thomas Mann once said, “Thoughts come clearly while one walks.”
If a soundtrack was made to accompany this book, name a song or two you would include.
“Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles because the book aims to bring new hope to those feeling overwhelmed. The cover resembles a sunrise, reinforcing the theme of new beginnings, and a couple of early reviews called the book “a beacon of hope.”
What did you enjoy the most about writing The Metabolism Reset?
I enjoyed translating my clinical problem-solving approach into a clear, actionable framework that readers and clinicians can use to achieve better health outcomes. Developing an individualized treatment plan is not always easy, but it is possible!
What did you do to celebrate finishing this book?
My husband and I celebrated with a winter getaway to Rarotonga, where we did lots of snorkelling—my second favourite activity after walking.
What is the favourite book you have read so far this year and why?
With all the stress of finishing and releasing the book, I’ve found solace in re-reading some of Anthony Trollope’s novels, particularly The Last Chronicle of Barset. I like it for its well-developed, complex characters and their relatable flaws and foibles.
What’s next on the agenda for you?
I plan to take my time developing ideas for a fourth book. Among my various roles—clinician, presenter, podcaster, and writer—writing is what I enjoy most.
Pan Macmillan