TO WELCOME
Books suggested by members of alt.support.menopause
(originally compiled by [email protected].)

If you don't have access to local book stores/ libraries, click here for alternative ideas

Note: Blue titles are linked to reviews at the "A Friend Indeed" website. Use browser "back" button to return here.

Menopause and Hormones in General
Dr. Susan Love's Hormone Book
  Making Informed Choices About Menopause
What I would call the "bible" of menopause. Covers as many aspects of menopause as there is reserach to back up any information on this subject. Explores both traditional and "alternative" aspects of menopause.Excellent for chapters on understanding study methodology, history and economics of "treatment" of menopause. Lists of products, resources andlist of signs of menopause for those who do not have the List of 34. (Joan)
Love, Dr. Susan  0-679-44970-1
The Hormone of Desire 
 The Truth AboutSexuality, Menopause, and Testosterone
...highly recommend it, especially to those women who are using Estratest. For the first 30 pages or so, I thought she was talking about me, personally. 
Susan Rako, MD  0517703424 
Menopausal Years, the Wise Woman Way
Katie said: "Up to now I have found it a helpful book, with a reassuring and empowering attitude to all I have encountered in 6 years of(peri)menopause up to now. (I.m 49) It restored my confidence in myself, even before I thought of trying any of the remedies." ) 
Weed, Susun S. 0-9614620-4-3 
A Seven-step Program for getting Through Menopause (and enjoying a healthier longer life) Without Drugs (1998)
A down to earth and practical description of how to deal with menopause and its issues. No attempt is made to sell you on anything.
published by Health Issues
POBox 64, Station A, Toronto ON, M4T 2L 
price $US 16.95, C$22.95 including taxes and shipping from above address. 
Catherine D.Lowes 7

ISBN 0-9681492-1-9
 

60 Second Menopause Management
The Quickest Ways to Handle Problems and Discomfort
"Hundreds of less than a minute tips for ending menopause
distress" Practical and realistic - no hype, no selling. (Tishy)
New Horizon Press 1996 Price 14.95
Carol R. Schultz with medical input by Mary Jenkins M.D. 0-88282-137-7
The Estrogen Alternative  Martin, Raquel  0-89281-645-7
Perimenopause:  Changes in Women's Health After 35.  (1997) 
It covers the entire perimenopausal period from 35-60 and has loads of information about HRT, diet, coping, sex, changes to expect, etc.  The book talks about menopause as a process your body goes through, rather than an event that happens at a certain age, so the information is not really age-specific. I was able to use most of the information in the book.  They also cover surgically-induced menopause, ovarian failure after hysterectomy, and they address the problems with early menopause, such as increased risk of osteoporosis, psychological impact of losing fertility early, and other problems.  There is also a bibliography and some information on skin care and beauty, as well as information on alternative medicine. After reading this book I feel I have a handle on what is happening to me. 
James E. Huston, MD; and L. Darlene Lanka, MD 1572240857
Health, Happiness & Hormones
One Woman's Journey Towards Health After a Hysterectomy,"  1996
The personal experience of one woman whose ovaries were removed but who was not given HRT.  Her suffering was immense, and she nearly committed suicide. (Lianne)
Arlene Swaney 0-914984-72-1.
Smart Medicine for Menopause:HRT & its Natural Alternatives Cabot, MD, Sandra  0-89529-628-4 
The Menopause Industry 
Had I read this book first I may have given serious thought to my having a mental illness rather than having suffered from classic perimenopausal symptoms. (Mirla)

It remains one of the best books in existence about menopause. It is fair, even-handed andintelligent. It does not "scare" or appeal only to the emotions. It is balanced and full of well-cited information and valuable, commonsense critiques of the primary myths currently out there passing for "fact" on the issue of hormones and the medical "treatment" of the menopausal woman. (Joan)

Doctors must be encouraged to read this book. They might realize how they have been used as accomplices to convince midlife women that they are deficient. They might then exercise a bit more skepticism about the medication they are urged to prescribe. Bravo, Sandra Coney -- for a book that is clear,comprehensive, easy-to-read and persuasive.
(Extract from review at:http://www.pangea.ca/~afi/reviews/reviewsac.htm#coney)

Sandra Coney  0-89793-160-2 
Estrogen and Breast Cancer -A warning to women
Investigation and analysis of multitude of studies finding an association of breast cancer with use of hormones in birth control pills and HRT (Joan) I already was wary of estrogen, but some of the things I learned shocked even me! (Lianne)
Carol Ann Rinzler 0-89793-198-X
What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Menopause 
Terri said: "Since ovulation produces the corpus luteum which is the source of all the progesterone _produced_ in the female body (a very tiny amount of conversion also takes place), someone who is not ovulating and who is still in her reproductive years will be progesterone deficient - not estrogen dominant as Lee claims. "( Extract from longer review
John Lee, MD  
Red Moon Passage  Bonnie J. Horrigan  0-517-70386-6 
Women of the 14th Moon
It's an anthology of pieces by women writers in or beyond menopause, about their experiences. Comprises autobiographical essays, short fiction and some really stunning poems

I thought "Women of the 14th Moon" was wonderful!!  There is something for virtually every menopausal woman.  I took more comfort and more of a feeling of hope from that book than anything else I've read.

Edited Taylor & Sumrall  0-89594-477-4 
The Change for review go to http://www.desaction.org/desaft.html Germaine Greer  0-449-90853-4 
Menopause, A Guide For Women & Those Who Love Them  Cutler & Garcia  0-393-30995-9 
Transformation Through Menopause
One woman's personal journey through menopause without drug intervention. (Joan)
Marian McCain 0-897-89269-0
Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom  Christine Northrup  0-553-08120-9
Estrogen: The Natural Way (a cookbook)  Nina Shandler   679-45585-X 
Natural Woman, Natural Menopause  Marcus Laux & Christine Conrad  0-06-017341-6
The Herbal Menopause Book Amanda McQuade Cawford 0-89594-799-4
Natural Hormone Replacement for Women over 45 Dr Jonathan Wright  0-9627418-0-9 
Menopause Without Medicine Linda Ojeda  
Understanding Menopause Janine O'Leary Cobb  
Eat Well for a Healthy Menopause Elaine Moquette-Magee  
Menopause and Emotions Lafern Page 0-9697874-0-5
The Pause Lonnie Barbach  
The Woman Doctors Guide to  Hormone Therapy - How To Choose Whats Right for You
"Highly recommended, not biased , helps a woman calculate risk of heart disease,  breast cancer and osteo with or without HRT."
Dr Nananda Col
Menopause and the years ahead
General book on meno that doesn't seem to have an axe to grind over anything.  It explains what's happening to your body and whatcould happen to your body.  It also covers hormones and physical conditionsmany older women suffer from.  A lot of it is Q & A type, ... but it's easy to read & I enjoyed it.  Also many excellent drawing to help you understand the text.  It was well worth the $13.00 I paid for it. (fishhead)
Mary Beard MD & Lindsey Curtis MD
Screaming to be Heard Elizabeth Lee Vliet  0-87131-748-2

 Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy: Before & After 
It is packed with worthwhile info. Some of it, I did not find addressed in any other source.  She addresses choosing a doc. (Victoria)
  Cutler, PhD, Winnifred  0-06-091629-X 
The Woman's Guide to Hysterectomy  Adelaide Haas, Susan Puretz   0-89087-743-2

Osteoporosis
Better Bones, Better Body 
A sensible guide to understanding what exactly osteoporosis is along with commone sense advice on diet and exercise (Joan) Disputes the current medical wisdom that osteoporosis is a postmenopausal woman's disease.Discusses(with cites) other cultures in which it is a male disease or adisease of both men and women of all ages. (Terri)
Dr Susan Brown PhD  0-87983-700-4
Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis Dr. Alan R. Gaby  0-7615-0022-7pb
Strong Women Stay Young 
An easy to follow free weights program which can be done at home in ordinary clothes - "you don't even have to sweat". Well documented with research cites and statistics. Pat
Miriam Nelson  

Other Women's Stuff
 Woman - An Intimate Geography>
A wonderful funny and wide ranging look at the physiology of women.
Natalie Angier  
The New Our Bodies Ourselves, Updated  90's Boston Women's Health Book
Taking Charge of Your Fertility Toni Weschler  
Goddesses in Every Woman:  A New Psychology of Women
It is a serious (not dull!) book on the psychology of women, based on the typology of 7 major goddesses of Greek mythology. Though Bolen is a Jungian analyst, she says that her typology "challenges the general applicability of Jung's animus-anima theory"  Pat
Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen  006091291X
Crossing to Avalon:   A Woman's Midlife Pilgrimage Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen 0062502727
Ourselves Growing Older Boston Collective  
The Fountain of Age Betty Friedan  
A Woman's Book of Life
This book has a very positive vision for what's possible for women in the elder years.  Linda
Joan Borysenko, PhD
Succulent Wild Woman 
This one's just flat out fun, and encourages a positive attitude about being a woman no matter what you are experiencing. Linda
Sark
Healing/Health in General
Heal Your Body 
Introduction to a metaphysical approach to healh and wellness. (Joan)
Louise Hay  
Feminine Healing A Woman's Guide to a Healthy Body, Mind, and Spirit (Previously titled, "In the House of the Moon.") 
Grey said:
The author is a practitioner of Chinese medicine and the book deals quite a bit with that.  It's based a lot of a discussion of the five energies and what to do if they are out of balance.  He also goes through the Maiden/Mother/Crone phases of life and discusses various problems and inbalances that can occur during those times.  There is a lot of discussion of food and herbs as remedies, though not in the sense of a "prescription."  Rather, these are given as a suggestion for lifestyle changes.  Behavioral changes are discussed as well and the author does a fairly intensive discussion of acupunture. He even gives the points for various problems so that you can try acupressure on yourself if you want.  I found the book to be very holistic in approach and to be a very good resource.  It's very uplifting and instead of talking about the phases of a woman's life as diseases to be treated, the author talks about how each of us can balance our own energies and make empowering changes that will help us with problems.  The tone of it might be a little too Pagan for some, though that was partly why I bought the book; there is a heavy influence from Earth and Eastern traditions.  Those who have difficulty with Earth religions (Native American, Wicca) or Eastern religions (Taoism, Buddhism) won't like this  book.
Jason Elias and Katherine Ketcham Warner Books, 1995 ISBN 0-446-67271-8
The 22 {Non-Negotiable} Laws of Wellness  Greg Anderson  0-06-251238-2
The Power is Within You Louise Hay  1-56170-023-1
Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer  Kenneth R. Pelletier   0-385-30700-4
Close to the Bone
    Life-Threatening Illness and the Search for meaning 
(Joan said: "Jungian based book that explores chronic disease and the potential spiritual messages that theysometimes can provide). 
Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen   0-684-82237-7
When Sleeping Beauty Wakes Up 
(Joan said:"a book about her recovery from a mid-life total breakdown and chronic fatigue syndrome that reinforces the psycho-social-spiritual nature of some of these chronic, troubling conditions".)
Patt Lind Kyle  
Women with Attention Deficit Disorder Sari Solden  
Reclaiming Our Health John Robbins 0-915811-69-3

Heart Health
Heart Disease
Investigative books on FDA drug approval process: first on cholesterol and second on heart arrythmia drugs. (Joan) (refers to next book too)
Dr. Thomas J. Moore   
Deadly Medicine see above Dr. Thomas J. Moore  
Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease Dr Dean Ornish 0-8041-1038-7

Other
Dictionary for Dreamers
Introduction to Jungian dream symbology (Joan)
Thomas Chetwyn  
Birth as an American Rite of Passage Robbie E. Davis-Floyd  
More book lists at http://www.howdyneighbor.com/one-in-ten/MENObooks.html
                      http://www.desaction.org/desaft.html       ( this is the DES action site)
                      http://www.menopause.org/educat.htm#Reading
                      http://www.pangea.ca/~afi/reviews/booklist.htm
Link to amazon.com  (online bookstore)                   TO WELCOME
 

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1