The Galveston Diet
Dr. Mary Claire Haver's anti-inflammatory eating plan for menopause: three principles, time-restricted eating, an anti-inflammatory food focus, and a shift in your fat-to-carb ratio, aimed at midlife weight and symptoms. The individual pieces have real support; the branded combination itself hasn’t been tested in trials.
Use a 16:8 eating window Eat within an 8-hour window, fast the other 16 (mostly overnight); adjust if it does not suit you
A defined window helps some people manage intake and supports metabolic flexibility.
Build meals from anti-inflammatory whole foods Leafy greens, olive oil, berries, nuts, tomatoes, fatty fish; minimise added sugar, refined carbs and ultra-processed food
An anti-inflammatory whole-food pattern is the most evidence-backed part of the plan.
Shift your fat-to-carb ratio Start higher in healthy fat with lower refined carbs; Haver's plan eases toward a more balanced ratio over the following weeks
Lowering refined carbohydrate steadies blood sugar; easing back keeps it sustainable.
Keep protein adequate, foods whole Adequate lean protein at meals; focus on quality whole foods rather than counting calories
Protein protects muscle in midlife; whole foods do the heavy lifting.
Adjust the ratios to you over time Loosen the fat/carb ratio as you progress; adapt fasting and foods to your life and how you feel
Sustainability matters more than hitting exact percentages.
Menopause shifts body composition and raises cardiometabolic risk, and Haver's argument is that the same generic diet advice no longer fits.
View sources
The Galveston Diet: the three principles (galvestondiet.com)
The Galveston Diet: fuel refocus, fasting and anti-inflammatory nutrition (book overview)
Galveston Diet review: what it is, and what the evidence does (and doesn't) show (Healthline)
Not medical advice. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a qualified clinician before changing your health routine.
Independent curation. YourProtocol is an independent platform. This protocol is based on the publicly available work of Mary Claire Haver and is not created, reviewed, endorsed by, or affiliated with Mary Claire Haver or OB/GYN / Menopause Specialist.
Is this for you
- Women navigating perimenopause and menopause
- Those frustrated by 'eat less, move more'
- People wanting an anti-inflammatory template
- Anyone reducing ultra-processed food
Cautions
- The individual pieces (time-restricted eating, anti-inflammatory eating) have reasonable support, but the branded Galveston program and its exact macro ratios have not been tested in trials; treat it as a framework, not a proven prescription
- The early high-fat, low-carb phase is keto-like and may raise LDL cholesterol in some people; if you have high cholesterol or heart disease, check with your doctor
- Intermittent fasting is not for everyone: avoid it in pregnancy, with a history of disordered eating, or on glucose-lowering medication without medical guidance, and if any eating pattern starts to feel obsessive, seek support
- Menopause symptoms are also a medical matter; a menopause specialist can discuss the full range of options, including hormone therapy
- Educational only, not medical or nutrition advice
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