Women have long been taught that their bodies are unruly, weak. We're taught to approach our bodies by shrinking, whittling-and, aided by the traditional beauty industry, constantly "fixing" ourselves. With a fresh voice in troubled times, Physical Disobedience says "stop it"-because mistreating our bodies that way is nothing less than an act of submission to gendered inequality. We need to focus on health, fitness, and strength-as we ourselves define it. Hays Coomer knows that when we strengthen ourselves, we're making our activism personal, by reclaiming our right to a healthy self-image and bodies that function to the best of their ability. And, yes, at the same time we're building stamina for the literal work of activism-the marches and the protests, plus the everyday emotional resilience it takes to face the news. Hays Coomer shows us, step by step, how to reframe our idea of "fitness," reclaiming it and instead associating being fit with being powerful. And as women, now more than ever, we could use that collective fitness and reclaimed power.

Forget 'women's troubles' and get your cycle working for you. For most women, one week (or more) out of every month is sacrificed to having a period or anticipating its arrival. And it is largely experienced as a colossal disruption - from being doubled over in pain and suffering from acne outbreaks to loss of sex drive, exhaustion, insomnia and major moodiness. Yet when women seek medical assistance, they are usually told to accept it or take birth control pills to 'balance' hormones. What's wrong with this picture? Everything! Period problems are not simply to be endured or covered up with pills - they are our body's way of telling us that something is wrong. And ignoring these signs can lead to bigger health issues - including fertility problems - down the line. This is where Fix Your Period comes in. Based on decades of work with women, Nicole Jardim's all-natural approach will help you to see the red flags (no pun intended) that your period (or lack thereof) can alert you to, how to troubleshoot these symptoms to get a better understanding of the problem and, most importantly, what to do about it. It is an empowering approach that will give you the essential tools to take control of your own healing. Whether you are suffering from PMS, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), irregular periods, painful periods, endometriosis, fibroids, Fix Your Period will enable you to regain normal, healthy periods and get your life back on track.

Women are far more likely than men to suffer from anxiety, depression, migraines, brain injuries, strokes and Alzheimer's disease. But, until recently, scientific research has focused on 'bikini medicine,' assuming that women are essentially men with different reproductive organs. The XX Brain presents groundbreaking research showing that women's brains age distinctly from men's, due mostly to the decline of a key brain-protective hormone: estrogen. Taking on all aspects of women's health, including brain fog, memory lapses, depression, stress, insomnia, hormonal imbalances and the increased risk of dementia, Dr. Mosconi introduces cutting-edge, evidence-based methods for protecting the female brain, encompassing diet, stress reduction and sleep. She also examines the effectiveness of hormonal replacement therapy, addresses the perils of environmental toxins and explores the role of our microbiome. Luckily, it is never too late to take care of yourself.

15-minute yoga sequences that can easily be slotted into the busy working day.

Do you struggle to find time for regular yoga practice? Stress no more: these four 15-minute programmes for beginners offer the flexibility and ease of use that busy lifestyles demand. At home, with just a mat and a few household items, ease tension, increase vitality, and get the flexible body you've always wanted by regularly practising these 15-minute routines.

Clear step-by-step photographs paired with easy-to-follow instructions explain exactly what to do in each asana, and at the end of each 15-minute programme there's an at-a-glance summary of the routine.

15 Minute Gentle Yoga will inspire you to make yoga part of your weekly routine, so you soon reap the benefits of enhanced health and wellness.

IVF can seem like a daunting prospect. An often expensive emotional and physical rollercoaster, and one that is filled with new and strange jargon. How do you choose a clinic or decide which treatment options are right for you? And how do you avoid getting sucked into a black hole of late night googling, searching for answers? This fully up to date handbook contains everything you need to know about the ever evolving world of IVF, with professional insights from top level consultants and counsellors. Science journalist Jheni Osman holds your hand through the process, taking you step by step through each stage, and cuts through the confusing terminology and information overload. Find out exactly how IVF and ICSI work, what the different medications involved do, and the costs involved. Learn about why some of us struggle to conceive, how to handle the ups and downs, and what can be done to improve your chances of conception via IVF.

It is estimated that there are about 1000 new cases of postnatal depression in Britain every week. The results can be devastating not only to the mother herself, but also to her partner, family, friends. In its most extreme form it can lead to infanticide or suicide. Depression after Childbirth is THE classic text on postnatal depression, one that countless women have found invaluable in helping them understand and cope with this devastating disorder. Now in print for over 20 years, and in its 4th edition, the text has been extensively updated, and includes many new chapters drawing on the latest scientific findings. Included are new chapters on careers and motherhood, coping with stress, a look at the role the partner can play, and the effects on them of PND, and a chapter examining maternal behaviour in animals. The result is a book that will be essential for many women and those around them in helping them through this difficult period.

'The wellness world's new holy grail is hormone harmony' - ES Magazine 'Angelique has created a beautifully presented and easy to use guide that inspires everyone to look at their food in a new light. I love the recipes, the beautiful illustrations and how lifestyle is a key part of her message. I particularly like her emphasis on women's health and I believe this could be useful for a lot of people.' - Dr Rupy Aujla, author of The Doctor's Kitchen 'I can't function without coffee' 'I need my daily fix of chocolate' 'I look puffy and retain fluid easily 'I'm hungrier than I used to be but never feel satisfied' 'I struggle to lose weight no matter what I try' Sound familiar? These are complaints that nutritionist Angelique Panagos hears every day. Time and time again, they're caused by the same thing - hormonal imbalance. The Balance Plan explains how to tune in to your hormones and make the changes necessary to bring them into balance. Take the six steps, follow the 28-day plan and transform your life! - Sleep better - Enhance digestion - Lose weight - Reduce stress - Elevate energy levels - Feel happier 'The Balance Plan is an inspired book by my friend Angelique Panagos. It effortlessly combines recipes that help support female hormonal health, prefaced by bite-sized chunks of the science and concepts that underpin them. With easy to create personal plans, I would heartily recommend this to any woman who wants to improve her wellbeing through a simple yet creative approach to food as medicine.' - Dr Ayan Panja 'The Balance Plan is a pertinent piece of health literature. In modern medicine, we've treated hormone problems as a black or white issue. Disease or healthy. In reality, hormones are our body's way of sending intricate messages of our environment and helping us to react and be as responsive to what is happening around us. Hormones cycles are happening everyday and your diet, lifestyle, and other habits all influence this. Thank you Angelique for this enlightening journey through our body!' - Dr. Steven Lin 'The Balance Plan is a beautiful approach to improving hormonal health, grounded in the perfect synergy of personal journey, clinical experience and excellent health advice. The understanding that your diet, environment and lifestyle powerfully affects your hormonal balance and reproductive health will empower you with the knowledge and wisdom you need on your own journey to better health and wellness.' - Benjamin I. Brown, ND

2009 Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2009 Association of American University Presses Award for Jacket Design The stories of 70 women living in the aftermath of breast cancer Chemo brain. Fatigue. Chronic pain. Insomnia. Depression. These are just a few of the ongoing, debilitating symptoms that plague some breast-cancer survivors long after their treatments have officially ended. While there are hundreds of books about breast cancer, ranging from practical medical advice to inspirational stories of survivors, what has been missing until now is testimony from the thousands of women who continue to struggle with persistent health problems. After the Cure is a compelling read filled with fascinating portraits of more than seventy women who are living with the aftermath of breast cancer. Emily K. Abel is one of these women. She and her colleague, Saskia K. Subramanian, whose mother died of cancer, interviewed more than seventy breast cancer survivors who have suffered from post-treatment symptoms. Having heard repeatedly that "the problems are all in your head," many don't know where to turn for help. The doctors who now refuse to validate their symptoms are often the very ones they depended on to provide life-saving treatments. Sometimes family members who provided essential support through months of chemotherapy and radiation don't believe them. Their work lives, already disrupted by both cancer and its treatment, are further undermined by the lingering symptoms. And every symptom serves as a constant reminder of the trauma of diagnosis, the ordeal of treatment, and the specter of recurrence. Most narratives about surviving breast cancer end with the conclusion of chemotherapy and radiation, painting stereotypical portraits of triumphantly healthy survivors, women who not only survive but emerge better and stronger than before. Here, at last, survivors step out of the shadows and speak compellingly about their "real" stories, giving voice to the complicated, often painful realities of life after the cure. This book received funding from the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

SpaRitual founder Shel Pink's Slow Beauty is all about carving a few small moments out of each day to practice the kind of mindful self-care and wellness that makes us glow. When practiced over time, these little moments add up to big results--not only in feeling healthier and more joyful, but in achieving true beauty and timeless aging. Slow Beauty will: * Teach readers to understand and embrace what brings them joy. * Provide a series of mindful and meditative daily and seasonal practices to enhance happiness, wholeness, and by extension, beauty. * Deliver recipes for everything from nurturing soups and smoothies to natural DIY body scrubs and lotions. * Walk readers through its unique "mapping" program to create a beauty and self-care regime. Filled with inspirational images and a message that's sustainable for a lifetime, Slow Beauty will harness the power within every woman to physically, mentally, and spiritually nourish their bodies from the inside out.

'McGregor is kickass; a respected crusader. If you're a woman, she's definitely the doctor you'd want to see in an emergency or to install as head of medical education' The Times A clarion call about the dangers of medicine for women, as well as a manual for how women can get the right care for their bodies. Sex Matters tackles one of the most urgent, yet unspoken issues facing women's health care today: all models of medical research and practice are based on male-centric models that ignore the unique biological and emotional differences between men and women - an omission that endangers women's lives. The facts surrounding how male-centric medicine impacts women's health every day are chilling: in the ER, women are more likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis with regard to opioid use, while men are more likely to be referred for detoxification; the more vocal women become about their pain, the more likely their providers are to prescribe either inadequate or inappropriate pain relief medication; women often present with nontraditional symptoms of stroke, which causes delays in recognition by both them and their health professionals; and a government accountability study found that 80% of drugs that are withdrawn from the market are due to side effects that happen to women (a result of testing drugs mostly on men). Leading expert on sex and gender medicine Dr Alyson McGregor focuses on the key areas where these differences are most potentially harmful, addressing: * Cardiac and stroke diagnosis and treatment in women; * Prescription and dosing of pharmaceuticals; * Subjective evaluation of women's symptoms; * Pain and pain management; * Hormones and female biochemistry (including prescribed hormones); * How economic status, race, and gender identity are additional critical factors. Not only does Dr McGregor explore these disparities in depth, she shares clear, practical suggestions for what we can do. A work of riveting expose, revelatory insights into the medical establishment and actionable guidance for putting this information to use, Sex Matters is an empowering roadmap for reinventing modern medicine - and for self-care.

A landmark book on the womb - its history, its present and the possibilities for its future - by the bestselling author of Hard Pushed: A Midwife's Story 'It will change the way you think about bodies forever' Rachel Clarke, author of Dear Life 'A phenomenal book' Elinor Cleghorn, author of Unwell Women 'Sharp and political, learned and wise' Katherine May, author of Wintering The womb is the most miraculous organ in the body - with the power to bring life or cause death; to yield joy or pain - yet most of us know almost nothing about it. In this book, midwife and bestselling author Leah Hazard sets out on a journey to explore the rich past, complex present and dynamic future of the uterus. She speaks to the Californian doctor who believes women deserve a period-free life; walks in the footsteps of the Scottish woman whose Caesarean section changed childbirth forever; uncovers America's long history of forced and coercive sterilisation; observes uterine transplant surgery in Sweden and takes a very personal dive into the world of 'womb wellness'. Written with wisdom, warmth and nuance, and combining the author's years of experience as a midwife with medical history, scientific discovery and journalistic inquiry, Womb is an extraordinary exploration of a woefully under-researched and misunderstood organ. Above all, the book reveals that the uterus is more than the sum of its biological parts: it influences all our lives in the twenty-first century, and how we celebrate, medicate and legislate the womb might yet control where we go from here.

'A jolly quest to make the greying years more colourful' The Times When journalist Jane Gordon was hospitalised and left immobile after a nasty car accident, dependent on others to feed her and help her to the bathroom, she suddenly had to confront what it might be like to one day be old and infirm. Determined to not only regain her strength but find ways to stay physically and mentally fit for as long as possible, Jane decided to road-test different self-help programmes designed to promote longevity. From ballroom dancing to brain training, learning a second language to silent meditation, joining the gym and improving her gut health, Jane seeks advice from top neuroscientists and medical professionals to assess the impact these courses have on her health, and whether they will stop her getting old before her time. Part self-help, part manifesto, How Not To Get Old is about future-proofing your physical and mental wellbeing and taking control of the ageing process, rather than wallowing in it. For what begins as a clever experiment in the art of stopping time becomes a joyous celebration of what we CAN do, not what we can't or shouldn't, and ultimately demonstrates how later life is still very much for living...