The Menopause Book

by Wingert, Pat; Kantrowitz, Barbara; Healy, Bernadine

• ISBN13: 9780761155980
• ISBN10: 0761155988
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-09-15
• Publisher: Workman Pub Co

Summary

The critics raved: "Dr. Spock for aging women'¦extremely well researched and presents cutting-edge science in a readable and comprehensive way. An excellent reference."'”The North American Menopause Society. 'œSympathetic, very readable, comprehensive...I highly recommend this excellent guide."'”Isaac Schiff, M.D., Harvard Medical School. 'œRequired reading for women wanting to maximize the second halves of their lives."'”Wulf H. Utian, M.D., Ph.D., founder and executive director, The North American Menopause Society. "Bravo! This book should be a birthday gift for every 40-year-old (actually, probably earlier)."'” Barb Malat, CPNP, PA-C, co-chair, Menopause and Hormone Therapy Committee, Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. Originally published in 2007 as Is It Hot in Here? Or Is It Me?, The Menopause Book is the all-in-one bible for women approaching or experiencing menopause. Completely revised and updated with a compelling, authoritative new look, the latest medical findings and advice, and a straightforward new title, The Menopause Book incorporates the most cutting-edge research on hormones and hormone therapy; hot flashes; heart disease and stroke; breast cancer in older women; and the subtle symptoms of ovarian cancer. It also discusses new findings on why it's hard for menopausal women to lose weight; osteoporosis and estrogen; the interplay between migraines and hormones; panic attacks; and more. Of all the books on the market, this is the soundest'”based on science, the material is vetted by top authorities in the field, the facts are up to date, the writing engaging, the tone upbeat. It's the essential guide for every woman who wants to take charge of her health.

Author Biography

Pat Wingert is an award-winning journalist and correspondent for Newsweek, with a focus on health and medicine. Barbara Kantrowitz is a former Newsweek senior editor who writes about health and women's issues. Together, the authors write Newsweek.com's popular "Her Body" column on women's health and have coauthored dozens of cover stories. They are the 2009 winners of the Endocrine Society's Award for Excellence in Science and Medical Journalism.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. iii
Why We Wrote This Book	p. ix
Why We Revised This Book	p. xi
The Basics	p. 1
What's Happening?	p. 3
Mirror images: the beginning and end of menstruation
When does the menopause transition begin?
The stages of menopause
The different kinds of menopause (natural, induced, early)
Menopause in the animal world
How long does it take? Can it be temporary?
Hormones and your reproductive life
Are you out of eggs?
What's normal and what's not
Do menopause tests work?
Can menopause be reversed?
The pill and perimenopause
Late pregnancies
Estrogen in your body after menopause
An ending and a beginning
The Hormone Question	p. 24
All about estrogen
A primer: pills, creams, patches, shots, bioidenticals
A history of hormone therapy and how it came to be part of every doctor's arsenal
The importance of the Women's Health Initiative
The dilemma of contradicting studies
How to understand news about medical research
Why you might still want to try hormones and what you need to know to make your decision
When is the best time to start hormones?
Hormone therapy and cancer: What are the risks?
Does estrogen cause weight gain or make you look younger?
The truth about bioidenticals
Alternative treatments that might help and some that don't
Plus: Case studies of five women who made the decision
What You're Feeling Now	p. 57
Hot Flashes	p. 59
How and why you get them
Anatomy of a flash
Why some women are frequent flashers and others never break a sweat
How to feel better with and without drugs
Hot flash fashions
Do fat women flash more than skinny ones?
What if it's not menopause?
How long will a hot flash last?
How hot is a hot flash?
Why do you shiver afterwards?
The "emergency" kit every working menopausal woman should keep in her desk drawer
Tracking triggers
Does exercise help or hurt?
Can antidepressants work?
Relief without an Rx
Sleep	p. 75
Why insomnia often strikes now
The role of estrogen
Snoring: a sign of trouble?
Common sleep disorders
How to finally get the rest you need
Setting the mood for sleep
Why a glass of wine before bed won't do the trick
Foods that can keep you up and ones that make you sleepy
Is it depression?
Sex before bed (or not)
Why you're beating a path to the bathroom
Keeping a sleep diary
Physical problems that rob you of sleep
Hot and cold couples
The role of exercise
Sleeping pills and natural remedies
Sex	p. 97
The rise and fall of libido
How to improve your sex life
Body changes that can make sex more painful
Getting expert help
Sex toys and where to buy them
Hormone therapy and libido
Why orgasm can be elusive
New thinking on women and sexual dysfunction
What you need to know about testosterone
Could Viagra be the answer?
Better-than-ever orgasms
The thrill is gone, and that's fine with me
How to fix lubrication problems
The connection between allergies and vaginal dryness
Vaginal estrogen cream and your partner
Alternative treatments
Yeast infections and how to fight them
Starting to date again
Why contraception and safe sex still matter
The right way to Kegel
Bleeding during sex
The depression-sex connection
Hysterectomy and sex drive
Chemo and libido
Sex after radiation
What's in the medicine chest?
What if it's his problem, not yours?
What you need to know about sexually transmitted diseases
Bleeding	p. 138
Irregular bleeding and how you know when you need to go to the doctor
What does heavy bleeding really mean?
Causes of irregular bleeding
Could it be cancer?
Fibroids and how to treat them
What you can expect at the doctor's office
How to talk to your doctor about bleeding problems
What you should know about the newest procedures and medications
Should you worry about anemia?
Is the pill the answer?
Nonhormonal treatments that may work
Sex and bleeding
The pros and cons of hysterectomies
Should you try and keep your ovaries?
Why your uterus may be falling and what to do about it
Postmenopausal bleeding: a primer
Aches and Pains	p. 163
A top-to-bottom compendium
Menstrual migraines and morning headaches: What they mean and new treatments for both
Burning mouth syndrome
What your gums reveal about your hormone levels
Thyroid problems: too much and too little
Can low thyroid make you fat?
To treat or not to treat: the debate over thyroid therapy
Torn rotator cuff
Frozen shoulder
Breast tenderness
Morning stiffness
Joints 101
Beating arthritis
Talking to your doctor about incontinence
Foot problems and buying shoes that fit
Moods and Emotions	p. 194
Singing the menopause blues?
The hormone/mood connection
The depression spectrum
Lowering your risk for mood disorders
PMS, perimenopause, and depression: Are they linked?
Hot flashes, sleep, and mood
The role of stress and how to manage it
Toxic marriages
Cultural influences on mood at menopause
Thyroid disease and depression
The science of happiness
Evaluating different treatments
Can you Botox your troubles away?
Rx: a new job?
Help! Antidepressants are killing my libido
Can hormone therapy help?
Could progesterone be the problem?
Bipolar disorder and hormone therapy
Anxiety disorders at midlife
Why you may be more vulnerable to panic attacks
Could it be more than depression?
Late-onset schizophrenia
Will schizophrenia worsen?
Thinking and Memory	p. 227
The anatomy of your brain at midlife
Types of memory problems
Feeling out-to-lunch during the menopause transition
What is Alzheimer's?
Depression and memory
Common causes of memory loss
Hot flashes and concentration
ADD in adults
Chemo brain
Losing your car keys: a sign of Alzheimer's?
The role of stress
Hormones and dementia: what we've learned from the Women's Health Initiative
Reading problems
Surgical menopause and memory
Maintain your brain
Strategies for improving memory
How exercise helps your body and your mind
What's diet got to do with it?
The importance of being social
Mind games
Staying Healthy Forever	p. 251
Bones	p. 253
Estrogen loss and weak bones
Getting your daughter to build bone mass now
Getting tested
Who's at greatest risk for osteoporosis?
Calcium: from food or supplements?
Why vitamin D matters
You can be too thin
The role of race and ethnicity
Teeth and bones
Inside your medicine chest: medications for bone health
Do statins and cancer drugs protect bones?
Concern about radiation
Alternative treatments
Is heredity destiny?
Exercises to strengthen your bones and improve flexibility and balance
Eyes and Ears	p. 293
When did the menu print get so small, and why is everybody mumbling?
Dry eyes
Estrogen, testosterone, and your eyes
Buying reading glasses that don't look frumpy: a guide
Behind your specs: makeup tips
Do you need bifocals?
Why nighttime driving has gotten harder
Sun exposure and eye health
Preserving your vision as you get older
Hormone therapy and hearing loss
How loud is too loud?
Alternatives to visible hearing aids
Turn down your iPod!
Heart	p. 315
The #1 killer of women
Why your symptoms may be different from his
Cholesterol 101
Risk factors for heart disease
Estimating your risk and how to lower it
The controversial role of hormone therapy
Using the new food labels
Antioxidants and free radicals
Exercise, exercise, exercise
How heart disease affects your whole body
Cancer	p. 335
What you need to know about breast, ovarian, endomentrial, cervical, lung, colorectal, bladder, vulvar, vaginal cancer
Keeping an eye out for symptoms
Hormones and cancer: where they meet
Cancer detectives: maximizing the benefits of mammograms, Pap tests, colonoscopies
The effect of menopause and age on your risk profile
Why pregnancy and breast feeding protect against breast cancer
Does the pill make a difference?
Is hormone therapy an option after cancer?
Hormone therapy and cancer: a mixed bag
What you should know about breast self-examinations
When is it a tumor and when is it just a cyst?
What you can do to improve your odds
Lowering your risk by losing weight
The pros and cons of progesterone
The search for an effective ovarian cancer screen
The cervical cancer vaccine and what it means for you
Dealing with menopause and cancer at the same time
Diet and Exercise	p. 376
Does BMI matter?
Good fats and bad fats
Can supplements keep you healthy?
Why your belly is suddenly bigger
Battling bloated portions
Dairy and dieting
Vegetarians and menopause
The myths and realities: from blueberries to chocolate
How to lose weight at midlife
Exercises and recipes to keep you fit and strong into your 80s and beyond
Looking Good	p. 422
Aging skin
Looking younger longer
Assessing sun damage
Smoking and premature aging
Are high-priced skin creams worth the extra money?
Adult acne
Hormone therapy and wrinkles
Makeup tips
Nail health
Fixing varicose veins
Bust boosters
Buying a bra that really fits
Less hair on your head, more on your chin: what to do
Endnote	p. 445
	p. 449
	p. 477
Acknowledgments	p. 490
Index	p. 499
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