Menopause : natural and medical solutions

Menopause is a fun to read yet sensible explanation of the self-care, natural therapies and medical solutions for managing your menopause. Part title......Page 1 Title page......Page 3 Contents......Page 5 About the authors......Page 8 Intro......Page 11 What is menopause, exactly?......Page 13 When to expect it......Page 14 Normal stage or a disease?......Page 16 Positive thinking......Page 17 The hormones......Page 19 Hormone levels......Page 22 Menstrual cycle changes......Page 25 Wrong diagnosis......Page 26 Diagnosis......Page 29 When to see a doctor......Page 32 Erratic periods and the endometrium......Page 33 Hot flushes and sweats......Page 34 Dryness......Page 40 'PMS'-Type symptoms......Page 42 Mood changes......Page 43 Migraines......Page 46 Healthy Bones after Menopause......Page 47 Risk factors for osteoporosis......Page 48 Measuring the problem......Page 51 Building better bones......Page 52 Treating low bone density and osteoporosis......Page 54 Your Heart......Page 56 Risk factors for heart disease......Page 57 How to protect your heart......Page 60 HRT and your heart......Page 61 Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)......Page 62 Types of HRT......Page 63 Undesirable effects of HRT......Page 68 Getting off HRT......Page 69 Other oestrogen-like drugs......Page 70 Cancer, HRT and other oestrogen-like drugs......Page 72 Health Checklist for the Mid-life Woman......Page 75 Choosing and working with your doctor......Page 77 Screening......Page 79 Choosing and working with your natural therapist......Page 86 Self Care......Page 91 Food for health......Page 92 20 diet hints......Page 93 What to aim to eat every day......Page 113 Meal suggestions......Page 115 Food for healing......Page 117 Continuing functional hypoglycaemia diet......Page 118 Continuing diet for irritable bowel syndrome......Page 122 Minerals......Page 124 Plant oestrogens......Page 142 Books......Page 148 Websites......Page 149 Early menopause......Page 151 Support groups......Page 152 Health care centres......Page 158 Index......Page 161 "Covering every aspect of menopause from erratic periods and hot flashes to migraines and the controversial Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), this guide provides women with a clear, accessible reference as they face major health challenges brought on by menopause. Explained are symptoms and specific conditions of menopause as well as the possible self-care, natural therapy, and medical options that are available to treat them. Suggestions are included on how to manage and prevent many of the risks associated with menopause, including osteoporosis, heart disease, and some cancers." This is intended as a "one-stop shop" for everything you need to know about the menopause. It is extracted and updated from women's health book "Women's Trouble", by Kaz Cooke and herbalist Ruth Trickey, with new stuff on how to protect your bones and how to guard against common midlife cancers.