Every woman who reaches middle age faces the menopause, but many do so with only the minimal amount of information - as well as a lot of myths. Are we condemned to have the same kind of menopause as our mothers did? Is it always a grim experience? Do we have to put on weight? Will our sex lives be effectively over? In this accessible, clear and straightforward guide, Catherine Francis explains what the menopause is, how it may affect you, and what to do if it does. From diet to exercise, conventional medicine to alternative remedies, First Steps through the Menopause is a short but comprehensive introduction to this important stage in a woman's life.

Discover what happens to your body during the three stages of menopause Understanding the why and how of menopause empowers you to shape your own journey during this important transition. This book is an honest, accurate guide to menopause and how it impacts your body. It's full of information that prepares you for what may lie ahead and helps you handle any health concerns you may have. This menopause book can help you: Know what to expect—Learn about the three stages of menopause, 50 of the most common symptoms, why they occur, and the best ways to support yourself as your body changes. Understand the science—Find research-supported facts and practical advice to help you navigate the ups and downs of perimenopause, early menopause, and late menopause. Find an inclusive approach—Discover concise and practical guidance that gives you the tools to approach menopause in a way that feels right to you and your body. Take control of your menopause journey with help from this practical guide.

Written with an uncompromising intelligence and wit by two award-winning "Newsweek" journalists, this volume is the essential, comprehensive, up-to-the-minute, deeply optimistic book for the millions of women in their 40s-to-60s.

[This] is by far the most wise and thought provoking book on menopause that I have ever read. It is must reading for every woman who dares to meet the challenges of menopause fully and consciously. Christiane Northrup, M.D. This volume presents a holistic, theoretical framework for understanding menopause as a major developmental event in women's lives. Rather than an unpleasant phase to be endured or alleviated, Marian Van Eyk McCain views menopause as an empowering experience that women can use for personal growth. Artfully interweaving her research, years of clinical experience, and her personal perceptions of menopause to create an inspiring new vision of the change of life. She goes well beyond a discussion of hormones and hot flashes to uncover the deep emotional and spiritual significance of this time in women's lives. This book is not only about change on a personal or physical level but in society as well. McCain lays out historical and cross-cultural beliefs about menstruation and menopause and the attitudes surrounding them (from taboos to reverence) and points out that in our modern society women most often either try to ignore or make it through this essential period of womanhood in order to compete in a man's world on male terms. In tune with recent feminist thought, the author says there is a new womanpower emerging, which means that it is time for women to honor their natural cycles. There is no other book that combines the insights, inspiration, and wealth of information contained in this work. It is an important book for the alternative-minded baby-boom generation who are seeking new ways to approach middle age.

"Very readable, comprehensive, up-to-date... an excellent guide." - Isaac Schiff, MD, Harvard Medical School Deeply optimistic, reassuring, and essential, the book the North American Menopause Society called “required reading” is now revised and updated, with over 20 percent new material that incorporates the latest medical findings, cutting-edge research, and best-practices advice. Expertly separating fact from fiction in the latest “breakthrough” medical studies, it shows you what to pay attention to, and what you can ignore. Learn about the role of hormones and the latest advances in hormone therapy. The truth about hot flashes and how to deal with getting one at work. The impact of menopause on sexuality and how to manage an up-and-down libido. There are chapters on heart health (how to protect it), moods (how to ride them out), and exercise (how to stretch without strain). And finally, why this period of life can be a natural springboard to staying healthy, feeling great, and looking beautiful for the next act of your life. Your Questions, Your Answers: Is it possible that I could get another period after more than a year without one? Losing weight at midlife feels like an uphill battle—what’s the healthiest approach? How do I perform a breast self-exam? Is hormone therapy necessary—and if so, which one is right for me? How effective are Kegel exercises, and how do I do them? I’m starting to get adult acne—is this normal?

In the first edition of this important bestselling book, praised by Newsday as “the bible for a whole generation of menopausal women,” renowned physician and pioneering women’s health advocate Dr. Susan Love warned about the potential dangers of the long-term prescription of hormone replacement therapy. Her insightful words of caution have been backed up by the stunning results of the recent studies on hormone replacement. In this revised edition, Dr. Love offers a remarkably clear set of guidelines as to what the studies have shown about the risks regarding heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, and other conditions, and what effect hormone therapy has on osteoporosis. She offers definitive expert advice about whether or not to go on hormone replacement therapy and, if so, for how long, as well as how to taper off hormones; and she introduces the alternative methods for treating the symptoms of menopause. Dr. Love stresses that menopause is not a disease that needs to be cured—it is a natural life stage, and every woman ought to choose her own mix of options for coping with symptoms. A questionnaire about your own health history and life preferences helps you develop a program that will best fit your unique needs. With clarity and compassion, she walks you through every option for both the short and the long term, including: • lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, and stress management) • alternative therapies (including herbs and homeopathic remedies) • available medications other than hormones

This comprehensive reference and text synthesizes a vast body of clinically useful knowledge about women's mental health and health care. Coverage includes women's psychobiology across the life span--sex differences in neurobiology and psychopharmacology and psychiatric aspects of the reproductive cycle--as well as gender-related issues in assessment and treatment of frequently encountered psychiatric disorders. Current findings are presented on sex differences in epidemiology, risk factors, presenting symptoms, treatment options and outcomes, and more. Also addressed are mental health consultation to other medical specialties, developmental and sociocultural considerations in service delivery, and research methodology and health policy concerns.