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Summary and Reviews of The Wisdom of Menopause by Christiane Northrup

The Wisdom of Menopause by Christiane Northrup

The Wisdom of Menopause

Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change

by Christiane Northrup
  • Readers' Rating (2):
  • First Published:
  • Mar 1, 2001, 464 pages
  • Paperback:
  • Mar 2002, 608 pages
  • Rate this book

About This Book

Book Summary

Instead of dreading menopause as a time of loss, women will hear the real message their bodies are sending--that this is a time of personal empowerment and positive energy . . . and a time for women to break free and thrive.

Dr. Christiane Northrup has become one of American women's most trusted medical advisers. In Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, she broke entirely new ground by demonstrating that women's most common medical problems are often rooted in the basic conditions of their lives--and that they can return to health by learning to listen to their bodies. She also integrated advanced medical techniques with the best natural remedies, offering readers specific guidance on choosing the right approach for themselves.

Now, in The Wisdom of Menopause, Dr. Northrup once again challenges convention. "The change" is not simply a collection of physical problems to be "fixed"--whether with hormones or herbs--but a mind-body revolution that brings the greatest opportunity for growth since adolescence. This vitally important new book examines the connection between menopause and a woman's emotional and spiritual life. And it stresses how the choices a woman makes now--from the quality of her relationships to the quality of her diet--either secure her health and well-being for the rest of her life, or put her future at risk.

Dr. Northrup draws on her own life-changing experiences--as well as on many intimate case histories--to explore the transformative power of these years. Readers will learn:

  • how menopause literally rewires the brain, triggering a shift of priorities from nesting and caretaking to personal growth and equality how to listen for the wake-up calls inherent in women's cyclic nature, from PMS to SAD to menopausal symptoms
  • how the body adjusts naturally to changing hormones, and how to make personalized decisions about HRT and alternative supplements
  • how to rebalance metabolism shifts and prevent middle-age spread
  • how to deal with the myths and realities of sexual changes and appearance issues
  • how to prevent long-term health problems such as heart disease, hormone-related cancers, and memory loss


Candid and reassuring, The Wisdom of Menopause elucidates the changes women should expect from ages 40 to 55, and shows how these changes can be wonderfully life-affirming. Instead of dreading menopause as a time of loss, women will hear the real message their bodies are sending--that this is a time of personal empowerment and positive energy . . . and a time for women to break free and thrive.

Excerpt
The Wisdom of Menopause

In the year or two before I actually started to skip periods, I began to experience an increasingly common feeling of irritability whenever my work was interrupted or I had to contend with a co-worker or an employee who was not as committed to accomplishing the job as I was. Looking back, I recall that when I was in my thirties and my children were younger, their interruptions when I was in the middle of writing an article or talking on the phone were only mildly irritating to me. My love and concern for their welfare usually overrode any anger or frustration I might have felt.

But as I approached menopause, I found myself unable to tolerate distractions like my eighteen year old daughter asking me, "When is dinner?" when she could clearly see I was busy. Why, I wondered, was it always my responsibility to turn on the stove and begin to think about my family's food needs, even when I wasn't hungry and was deeply engrossed in a project? Why couldn't...

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Reviews

Media Reviews

Author Blurb Caroline Myss, Ph.D., author of Anatomy of the Spirit
A masterpiece for every woman who has an interest in her body, her mind and her soul. about Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom by Christiane Northrup.

Reader Reviews

Carrie

Nancy, I loved this book as well. My mom is going through menopause right now and I bought the book for her for a Christmas present and it really helped. She read it and then we discussed her feelings on the subject. Now we have a better ...   Read More
Nancy Custodio

Wow! What a book. All of my symptoms were not only validated but explained in detail. Many options were given and now my time this summer will be to go to my primary doctor and have him help me to decide. I am so thankful for this book- I felt ...   Read More

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Read-Alikes

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If you liked The Wisdom of Menopause, try these:

  • The Change Before The Change jacket

    The Change Before The Change

    by Laura E. Corio, Linda G. Kahn

    Published 2001

    About this book

    You're in the prime of life. As far as you know, menopause could be years away. So why is your body sending you such weird messages? You could be in perimenopause--the change that precedes the change by as many as ten years.


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