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."

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?

"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?

Thorough, accessible, nonthreatening, The Complete Book of Menopause will serve as the reader's guide to an exciting and full time of life. This is a book of the women, by the women, and for the women. It belongs on every shelf.

The menopause, and the time around menopause, can be a stage of life when many women experience symptoms ranging from mild to debilitating. Much can be done to help, including lifestyle changes, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and treatments for individual symptoms. Written by specialists, reviewed by patients, and packed with practical tips, this second edition of 'Fast Facts: Menopause for Patients' provides the information you need to have an informed discussion with your healthcare professional and to help you choose how you want to manage your menopause transition. Spaces have been provided to help you keep notes on your menopause journey and record any questions you may have. With detailed sections on the biology of menopause, how it can affect your life and work, and HRT, you can be sure to find answers to your most pressing questions. Tips for partners, useful resources, and a glossary complete this understandable and comprehensive guide. Table of Contents: • What is the menopause • What’s happening with my hormones? • Other reasons for menopause • How will the menopause transition affect me? • Managing the common symptoms • Sex and the menopause • Lifestyle changes to help manage symptoms • Long-term consequences of the menopause • Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) • Weighing up the benefits and risks of HRT • The long-term benefits of HRT • HRT and breast cancer • FAQs about HRT • Tips for partners • Menopause and the workplace • Breaking the taboo and getting support