The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change, 2nd Edition
by Christiane Northrup
from Bantam
Menopause doesn't have to be a dreaded curse of aging during which we can look forward only to hot flashes and whacked-out hormonal mood swings. According to Christiane Northrup, M.D. (Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom), menopause often marks the beginning of a woman's most sexually passionate, creatively inspired, and professionally productive phase of life.
While this may sound like wishful thinking, Northrup backs up her good news with solid medical expertise. As an obstetrician and gynecologist, Northrup has specialized in using a mind-body approach to women's health for decades, which means she doesn't just write about hormones, but also examines how a woman's lifestyle, emotions, and beliefs are affected by menopause. With the right diet, attitude, and perhaps some supplements along the way, women can actually look forward to a resurgence of energy and a revolutionary opportunity for personal growth--one that rivals the hormonally driven period of adolescence in its scope and urgency, she claims. And yes, at just under 500 pages, The Wisdom of Menopause does explain how to have a positive and healthy menopause in concise detail. Northrup has indeed "written the book" on menopause.
It helps that Northrup has been through menopause herself (she vowed she wouldn't write a book on it until she was on the other side). Readers have the sense that they are gleaning advice from a knowledgeable holistic doctor as well as a sage aunt whose life was radically altered by the "change of life" (Northrup divorced at the onset of menopause). After she shares her personal story of "the change," Northrup delves into a significant discussion on how self-sacrifice catches up with women in midlife. Suddenly, hormones are directing women out of the caregiver role and into an inwardly focused assessment of life and its meaning, she explains. Resentments (not hormones) are what spur the notorious surges of anger, as women reexamine the agreements surrounding their relationships with colleagues, friends, and family members.
From here, Northrup guides readers into a thorough section on menopausal hormone changes--a discussion that is scientifically informative, yet entirely accessible. While acknowledging the need for hormone-replacement therapy and the tremendous relief it can provide (helping to alleviate insomnia, hot flashes, and depression), Northrup encourages women to avoid synthetic hormones and instead consider "bioidentical" hormones (such as estradiol, estrone, and estriol). She also devotes an entire chapter to foods and supplements that support hormonal balance. By the way, she says to skip the wild Mexican yam creams: "they certainly don't provide the documented benefits of progesterone." Be warned: some readers may find the advice in Wisdom of Menopause too alternative for their liking. For example, in her discussion on insomnia, one of Northrup's recommendations is to cover the mirror at night, following the ancient Asian design principles of feng shui. (Skeptics will find Northrup's medical assertions carefully cited and footnoted in the rear of her book.)
Northrup gives a solid and practical diet plan that supports hormonal balance while countering the weight gain that so frequently plagues menopausal women ("focus on portion size, not calories," "eat protein at every meal," and cut down on refined and high-carbohydrate foods). Readers can also expect a thorough mind-body discussion in subsequent chapters that cover breast health, bone loss, and cultivating midlife beauty, along with chapters titled "Sex and Menopause: Myths and Reality" and "Creating Pelvic Health and Power."
She concludes with a list of mail-order and online resources, such as retailers for bioidentical hormones, progesterone cream, Chinese herbs, soy products, weight-loss audiocassettes, lubricants, and Kegel weights. Northrup takes a truly comprehensive approach to all the effective treatments of menopausal symptoms so that women can make their own highly informed and wise choices. --Gail Hudson
Through her bestselling books, groundbreaking PBS specials, and up-to-the-minute clinical knowledge, Dr. Christiane Northrup has earned a place as one of America’s most trusted medical advisors.
In The Wisdom of Menopause, she once again challenges convention with this inspiring look at one of the most commonly misunderstood female health issues. The “change” is not simply a collection of physical symptoms to be “fixed,” Dr. Northrup claims, but a mind/body revolution that brings the greatest opportunity for growth since adolescence. The choices a woman makes now–from the quality of her relationships to the quality of her diet–have the power to secure her health and well-being for the rest of her life. Through her personal story and many fascinating case histories, Dr. Northrup shows:
• How menopause jump-starts changes in the brain, issuing a dramatic wake-up call to body, mind, and emotions
• How to ensure the long-term health of breasts, bones, and heart
• How the body adjusts naturally to changing hormones
• Why bestselling drugs like Premarin may not be the best choice
• How to deal with metabolism shifts, weight gain, sexual problems, and appearance issues
• How to negotiate the challenges of “the empty nest” and midlife marriage
And much more.
In a book destined to be a classic, Dr. Northrup shows women how they can make menopause a time of personal empowerment and positive energy–emerging wiser, healthier, and stronger in both mind and body than ever before.
Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones
by Suzanne Somers
from Three Rivers Press
What if you could really feel better as you get older, or age without illness? What could be better than having your doctor tell you that you have the bones of a twenty-year-old, or the heart of a thirty-year-old? Follow the advice in Ageless, and you’ll discover your own internal fountain of youth! In this #1 New York Times bestseller, Suzanne Somers reveals the secrets to a younger, healthier, and sexier you.
Jam-packed with updated information on bioidentical hormone replacement and antiaging, Ageless will change your life forever. Suzanne talks about:
• Antiaging medicine and how it can help work against the environmental assault that is making us sick
• Menopause, which can become an enjoyable passage once the body is in perfect hormonal sync with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy
• Why so many hysterectomies are unnecessary, how birth control pills may have contributed to the rise of them, and how to restore your body to perfect hormonal balance after having one
• The importance of sleep and the healing work that nature does during this time
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause (TM): The Breakthrough Book on Natural Hormone Balance
by John R. Lee
from Grand Central Publishing
The classic bestseller that has helped nearly a million women discover the answer to menopause is now revised and updated. Hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, low sex drive, hair loss, fibroids, and osteoporosis-most women will experience these or other hormone- related problems at some point as they age. In clear, easy-to-understand language, an internationally recognized expert explains the benefits of using progesterone and other natural hormones to reduce or eliminate menopausal symptoms safely and effectively-without the harmful side effects created by commonly used synthetic hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Dr. Lee explains why conventional HRT drugs can be harmful and offers an easy-to-follow non-prescription 'Hormone Balance' program that tells readers how to stay energized, strong, and sexually vigorous during the menopausal years and beyond.
Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing
by Christiane Northrup
from Bantam
Quite possibly every female over the age of 12 will find this huge book enlightening, pain saving, and perhaps even lifesaving. Think of it as a much more empowering and holistic Our Bodies, Ourselves. Northrup is a gynecologist who acknowledges the power of natural therapies and herbs, but also maintains that allopathic treatments, including surgery, are sometimes best. In Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, she covers the treatment of many physical concerns--among them PMS, menstrual cramps, breast cancer, fibroids, endometriosis, infertility, depression, childbirth, abortion, cystitis, and menopause--explaining how many of these physical problems have roots in emotional upsets. For example, a woman who is unhappy with her marriage may be infertile because deep down, she knows that her husband is not the right man to have children with; a teenager who has cramps may be having problems accepting society's expectations of her as a woman.
Some readers may be put off at first by Northrup's obviously unconventional ways of thinking. Her medical approach is decidedly feminist, blaming our "addictive" and patriarchal society for many of the health problems plaguing women. She clearly illustrates her ideas, however, by drawing upon two decades of experience from her medical practice and citing dozens of her patients' remarkable personal stories. Northrup also delineates the best way to go about tuning in to one's body and mind in order to start the healing process, a self-induced therapy of sorts. She also includes in the book a copy of the eye-opening health inventory she gives her clients. It includes unusual questions such as "Are you bored with your life?" and "Do you have enough friends or neighbors?"
This book will be of special benefit to women who are pregnant or entering menopause. Northrup is an unequivocal believer in natural births and her dialogue on the birthing process will remove the fears of even the most petrified mother-to-be. She criticizes episiotomies (she should know; she's given birth without one) and supports midwifery. She also warns against the harmfulness of cesarean births and includes illustrations of acupressure points that help turn around a breech baby.
For women in perimenopause or menopause, Northrup will help turn this life phase into one of peace and personal growth instead of one of suffering. She was one of the first doctors to use natural progesterone to treat menopausal symptoms, and this revised edition includes a clear primer on the latest in hormone replacement therapy and how to determine if it's right for you. Northrup also expounds upon the benefits of acupuncture and herbalism--as well as emotional self-analysis--for alleviating hot flashes and mood swings. --Erica Jorgensen
A groundbreaking book on women's physical and emotional well-being, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom has become a classic, with more than 270,000 copies in print in the four years since its initial publication. Now it has been completely revised, offering the most up-to-date information available on women's health issues.
Christiane Northrup's vision of mind-body wellness has received an extraordinary response from women all over the world. Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom powerfully demonstrates that when women change the basic conditions of their lives that lead to health problems, they heal faster, more completely, and with far fewer medical interventions.
Now Dr. Northrup brings us vital new information about the best techniques of Western medicine and the best alternative therapies, showing how to incorporate both into a complementary whole. She guides readers through the entire range of women's health problems, and offers strikingly new, positive perspectives on normal processes, such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. This edition includes:
• An all-new nutrition chapter emphasizing individual dietary needs and body chemistry
• New information on improving fertility after age 35—and how to cut the risk of C-section by 50 percent
• A completely updated program for menopause, including how to decide whether natural hormone replacement is right for you
• Holistic ways to prepare and heal faster if surgery is necessary
• Plus dozens of new natural treatments and a wealth of hard-to-find health care resources
Filled with dramatic case histories from the famed Women to Women health care center, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom is contemporary medicine at its best, combining new technologies with natural remedies and the miraculous healing powers within the body itself.
The Secret Pleasures of Menopause
by Christiane Northrup
from Hay House
The Secret Pleasures of Menopause is a groundbreaking book that is long overdue! Christiane Northrup, M.D., delivers a breakthrough message that will help millions and millions of perimenopausal and menopausal women just like you understand that at menopause . . . life has just begun! It is the beginning of a very exciting and fulfilling time, full of pleasure beyond your wildest dreams!
Dr. Northrup believes that it’s time for you to step forward and learn to enjoy the best years of your life! Even though studies show that menopause doesn’t decrease libido, ease of reaching orgasm, or sexual satisfaction, the majority of menopausal women aren’t experiencing the pleasure and sexual satisfaction that is their birthright. It is a long-held misconception that menopause signals “the beginning of the end,” and nothing could be further from the truth.
In this fascinating book, Dr. Northrup candidly guides you toward experiencing life after 50 as the most pleasurable time of your life!
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About(TM): Premenopause: Balance Your Hormones and Your Life from Thirty to Fifty (What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About...)
by John R. Lee
from Grand Central Publishing
Dr. John Lee's Hormone Balance Made Simple: The Essential How-to Guide to Symptoms, Dosage, Timing, and More
by John R. Lee
from Wellness Central
For nearly a decade, millions of women have turned to Dr. John Lees classic bestsellers for groundbreaking advice treating hormone imbalances from PMS to menopause and beyond. Now, this concise, comprehensive guide answers the questions posed by thousands of letters written to Dr. Lee by women seeking specific, simplified advice on what their symptoms mean, how to determine their hormone levels and how to maintain hormone balance. Short on medical jargon and long on solutions, this accessible guide features: A hormone balance testLists of symptoms and causesEasy timing and dosage guidelines A monthly calendar for tracking symptomsAnd much more.
The Schwarzbein Principle II: The "Transition" - A Regeneration Program to Prevent and Reverse Accelerated Aging
by Diana Schwarzbein
from HCI
In her very successful book, The Schwarzbein Principle, renowned endocrinologist Diana Schwarzbein introduced her scientifically proven conclusion that degenerative diseases are not genetic, but acquired.
Many studies have supported this, proving that life expectancy is 75 to 90 percent due to habits and only 10 to 25 percent due to genetics. This means that someone who is genetically destined to die at age 100 may not live past age 60 because of poor habits and lifestyle choices that cause accelerated aging and premature death. Conversely, a person can live to 100 and be functionally healthy.
In this highly anticipated follow-up, Diana Schwarzbein, M.D., goes beyond the diet she introduced in her first book-which literally helped thousands of people lose weight-and offers a personalized anti-aging program for readers to heal their metabolisms and stop advanced aging in its tracks.
Weaving in groundbreaking research and provocative case studies-including her own regeneration and that of her clients-she leads readers through a series of eye-opening questionnaires, which identify where they are on their path to either accelerated or healthy aging.
Based on readers' answers, she leads them to the "how-to" sections, which explain, in easy-to-follow and personalized detail, the steps they need to take to restore healthy functioning. For each unique situation, she covers five areas: Nutrition , Hormone Replacement Therapy (if needed), Tapering Off Toxic Chemicals or Avoiding Them Completely , Cross-Training Exercises and Stress Management.
The Schwarzbein Principle II is sure to follow the success of the first book and will help people live a more healthful lifestyle by embracing a regeneration process to prevent and reverse accelerated aging.
The Wisdom of Menopause Journal: Your Guide to Creating Vibrant Health and Happiness in the Second Half of Your Life
by Christiane Northrup
from Hay House
This journal gives you everything you need to create vibrant health in midlife on all levels—not just in your heart, bones, pelvic organs, breasts, and brain . . . but also in your sex life, your relationships, and even your beauty regimen! It enables you to record your current health and concerns, as well as the steps you want to take to achieve your goals in each area. You’ll also find powerful affirmations, inspiring quotes, and plenty of blank pages for journaling, so you can create a record of your thoughts and feelings during this important time.
Dr. Northrup’s insights enable you to see menopause not as a burden to be endured, but as an empowering opportunity to reinvent yourself right down to the cellular level. The key is learning to tap into the profound wisdom that emerges during this life stage—wisdom you can fully trust to guide you toward enormous happiness, joy, and fulfillment.
The Testosterone Syndrome: The Critical Factor for Energy, Health, and Sexuality--Reversing the Male Menopause
by Eugene Shippen
from M. Evans and Company, Inc.
Testosterone therapy can improve the overall health and feeling of well-being of aging men, improving sex drive, mental functions, and energy levels and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.--Library Journal
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