Every woman experiences the menopause in different ways, so you need to know what to expect in order to help yourself. This book explains the various stages of the menopause, including the perimenopause, and helps you understand how it can affect your body and your emotions. It evaluates all the options available—including HRT and explains what treatment and lifestyle changes will help you stay healthy and happy. With in-depth coverage of HRT, covering new developments and weighing up the risks and benefits, advice on adopting an holistic approach to managing the symptoms and side effects including conventional medicine, and alternatives, diet and lifestyle changes, Menopause For Dummies will help you make the right decisions and stay in control.

A comprehensive and practical guide for women of all ages to gain a clear view of the physical, mental, and emotional changes related to menopause Although menopause is a natural and inevitable stage in every woman's life, its physical, mental, and emotional manifestations can vary greatly from one person to the next. Add the conflicting "expert" information about the benefits, risks, and side effects to which women are exposed on a daily basis, and it's easy to see many women find it difficult to make informed choices about how to deal with their menopausal symptoms. Authored by a team of acknowledged experts in treating menopausal symptoms, Menopause For Dummies provides you with all the information you need to stay in control every step of the way. In plain English, it explains the role menopause plays in a variety of common health problems, such as osteoporosis, stroke, and heart disease. It walks you through proven measures for minimizing your risk of developing complications, including diet and exercise, stress management, hormone replacement, and other techniques. And this no-nonsense guide gives you authoritative, up-to-the-minute coverage of: How to identify pre-menopause (perimenopause) and what it means The stages of menopause How menopause can affect your body, emotions, and libido The latest facts about hormone replacement therapy The pros and cons of various alternative treatments The best ways of handling hot flashes Easing symptoms with diet and exercise Preventing bone loss Helpful lifestyle changes This book has four top ten lists to provide even more ways of navigating the changes you'll experience throughout menopause—exposing common myths about menopause, giving you the scoop on medical tests you might need, kicking around ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate your exercise routine, and tempting you with fabulous healthy foods (because eating healthy doesn't have to be boring). Additionally, the book has a glossary and a list of resources to find more information about menopause, hormones, and related conditions. With Menopause For Dummies in your corner, you’ll have a kinder, gentler "change of life."

Get to know perimenopause and manage troublesome symptoms Perimenopause For Dummies is a practical and comprehensive guide to the emotional, mental, and physical changes that begin to happen as you approach menopause. Demystify the connection between hormones and aging and make informed choices about how to deal with symptoms like weight gain, hot flashes, depression, mood swings, and insomnia. You’ll learn about natural remedies and medical interventions that can ease the transition between fertility and menopause. Most importantly, you’ll know what to expect, so the changes happening in your body won’t take you by surprise. This Dummies guide is like a trusted friend who can guide you through your life’s next chapter. Learn what perimenopause is and identify the most common symptoms Understand how perimenopause can affect your body, emotions, and libido Ease symptoms with hormonal solutions, diet, and exercise Discover ways of supporting yourself or your loved ones through perimenopause Perimenopause For Dummies offers clear, compassionate answers for anyone who is currently experiencing perimenopause or who is ready to learn more about it.

Take Charge of Your Menopause! This groundbreaking book—the first to reveal 12 distinct menopause types and how best to treat each—gives you the information you need to take charge of this challenging and sensitive life stage. Inside, Dr. Joseph Collins demolishes the "one size fits all" philosophy of menopause treatment, revealing that there is no magic hormone or combination of hormones that can be in descriminately prescribed to all women. Inside, you'll discover: ·Natural & Coventional treatments that are best for you ·Necessary nutrients for a healthy menopause ·How to weigh the risks and benefits of Hormone-replacement therapy ·And much, much more "At last, a well-referenced resource on the advantages of natural versus synthetic hormone-replacement therapy." —Dana Reed-Kane, Pharm.D., F.A.C.A., F.I.A.C.P. "Finally, a book that teaches the importance of balance and actually shows everyone what many women have suspected all along: There is more than one type of menopause." —Luana Stone, menopause patient

The Complete Guide for Women 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?

"One smart book. It's brimming with up-to-date information that women can use to take better charge of their own health." — Madge Kaplan, Health Desk Editor for public radio's nightly business show Marketplace A useful guide to everything from depression to nutrition and pregnancy to breast cancer, this book helps the reader take charge of her health and her health care. — Lori Andrews, professor of health law at Chicago-Kent College of Law and the author of The Clone Age: Adventures in the New World of Reproductive Technologies Includes the Recipe for Healthy Living — Exercise, Diet, and Stress Relief Women's Health For Dummies® is your complete guide to total wellness. Writing with warmth and humor, author Pamela Maraldo, Ph.D., R.N., gives you all the information you need to feel great and live longer, including detailed coverage of pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, breast cancer, and other women's health issues. Packed with up-to-the-minute information on staying fit, preventing disease, selecting a doctor, understanding common medical problems, and ensuring state-of-the-art care, Women's Health For Dummies® will help you take charge of your health — and set off on the road to lifelong well-being. Let These Icons Guide You! Points out helpful information that can help you take better care of yourself Tells you the difference between fact and fiction Alerts you to information about care you must receive from your doctor Inside, you'll find life-enhancing advice on how to: Maintain a healthy diet and exercise regimen to lower your chances of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes Identify the causes and effects of bulimia and anorexia Reduce the risk of breast and cervical cancers with preventive medicine Choose a medical plan and gynecologist suited to your specific needs Avoid sexually transmitted diseases and urinary tract infections Create an action plan for getting medical and legal help in cases of sexual assault, abuse, and domestic violence Understand medical tests, from mammograms and Pap tests to self-exams Overcome addictions to alcohol, drugs, and tobacco Locate the top ten medical Web sites on the Internet