In this courageous and radical book, renowned yoga therapist and mother-of-three Uma Dinsmore-Tuli explores the sexual politics of yoga from the perspective that women's spiritual transformation is the most potent revolutionary force. It includes: a comprehensive history section covering women's contribution to (and exclusion from) traditional hatha yoga a Goddess-inspired section guiding a woman from her first period to postmenopause illuminating personal life stories and experiences from hundreds of women specially conceived, guided yoga nidra practices instructions for womb-friendly asana and pranayama practices, including restorative yoga, for every part of a woman's life and menstrual cycle Intimate and scholarly, irreverent and inspiring, Yoni Shakti brings womb yoga, tantra and feminism together in an astonishingly powerful combination. This revised and updated edition includes a lengthy new preface with previously censored material. It includes recently uncovered information about abusive yoga teachers and organisations, and an updated decolonising bibliography. The chapter on Yoga Nidra and the 'Note to Men, Transgender and Non-binary readers' have been substantially edited to reflect developments since first publication.

An exceedingly honest examination of the reality of infertility and the emotionally traumatic experiences involved. In what is said and left unsaid in Hopewell 's memoir, a clear picture emerges of the emotional effects that infertility has on a couple trying to conceive, as well as how it affects their lives in ways they hadn t imagined. From descriptions of treatments and procedures to an insightful look at the community within the world of in vitro fertilization patients, a reader looking to learn about IVF or the process of using a donor egg will find many answers here. Hopewell takes the reader through the ordeal chronologically with chapter titles that humorously depict the stages of a harrowing experience. Her honesty illuminates the stark reality of infertility and the many unappealing procedures required to verify it, as well as unglamorous other means to become pregnant, if the woman so chooses. Parallel to the medical aspects is Hopewell 's personal experience: the upsetting conversations with her children about the specifics of adding a new family member and the difficulties she faced in making the decision to use a donor egg. The emotional implications of any pregnancy can be far-reaching the ostensibly joyous occasion can be colored by any number of complications, as Hopewell frankly describes. Well-written and thoughtful, Hopewell 's memoir sheds a sometimes unflattering light on her life en route to an unconventional pregnancy; her bluntness is to be commended because it may be just what some women in similar circumstances need.Readers will gain a new understanding of how infertility affects one 's family, social circle, career and self-perception. A candid, valuable look at infertility.Kirkus Indie, Kirkus Media LLC, 6411 Burleson Rd., Austin, TX [email protected]

Period. is everything you need to know about periods. PERIOD. Period. is a book for everyone; for children and adults, mums and dads, womb-owners and ex-womb-owners. There is no beating around the bush in this funny and informative book written and illustrated by Natalie Byrne, full of practical tips and advice from what a period actually is, to who and who doesn't have them. This book is a myth-busting must-read. For each book sold we will donate menstrual supplies to asylum seekers, refugees and those who can't afford them through Bloody Good Period.

The Fall In Love Process: Body Program (Book One in The Fall In Love Process Series) helps you identify and let go of the current body paradigm that keeps you feeling anxious and insecure about your body. It provides the missing link as to why diet and exercise programs tend to fail in the long-term. The Body Program is a unique process that provides a real foundation for change. Everything you want in your life is because you believe in the having of it you will feel good. The Fall In Love Process helps you learn how to feel good. Isn't that the real prize you are seeking? The Fall In Love Process includes 3 core programs that show you how to manage and feel great in the following areas: Loving Your Body (Body Program) Loving Yourself/Loving Relationships (Relationship Program) Loving Separation: A Window Of Opportunity for Personal Transformation (Break-Up Program) No program or process will make your life perfect. Think about The Fall In Love Process like this: If you can feel significantly better about your body, yourself, and your love relationships, isn't that a ride worth taking? Welcome to The Body Program and The Fall In Love Process. After finishing reading your amazing book, I feel so enriched by your program. It's such a sensible, holistic approach which is generating more self-love and spilling out to my loved ones too. Reading your book opened doors for me, even though I've read shelves of "self-help" books in my time. When the student is ready, the master appears. With so many thanks. -Lisa Marie, MA Your program has changed not only how I feel about my body. My whole life has improved. I have a whole new perspective and feel better about myself. I have fallen in love with my body - and my life. Your program is awesome -Mary, CA The Fall In Love Series consists of programs Dr. Thomas has developed as a result of personal life experiences. Dr. Thomas is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years experience in the arena of personal growth and transformation. Dr. Thomas provides workshops, trainings, and speaking engagements throughout the United States.

Integrating interdisciplinary and cross-cultural analysis, this volume advances our understanding of sexual violence in intimacy through the development of more nuanced and evidence-based conceptual frameworks. Sexual violence in intimacy is a global pandemic that causes individual physical and emotional harm as well as wider social suffering. It is also legal and culturally condoned in much of the world. Bringing together international and interdisciplinary research, the book explores marital rape as individual suffering that is best understood in cultural and institutional context. Gendered narratives and large-scale surveys from India, Ghana and Africa Diasporas, Pacific Islands, Denmark, New Zealand, the United States, and beyond illuminate cross-cultural differences and commonalities. Methodological debates concerning etic and emic approaches and de-colonial challenges are addressed. Finally, a range of policy and intervention approaches-including art, state rhetoric, health care, and criminal justice-are explored. This book provides much needed scholarship to guide policymakers, practitioners, and activists as well as for researchers studying gender-based violence, marriage, and kinship, and the legal and public health concerns of women globally. It will be relevant for upper-level students and scholars in anthropology, sociology, psychology, women's studies, social work and public and global health.

Significant scientific advances have been made in understanding psychological aspects of women's health, and knowledge gained will be of relevance not only to women's health but to the promotion of health and illness prevention and treatment for all individuals. The current cutting-edge research detailed in this volume is intended to stimulate new thinking and research in women's health from biopsychosocial perspectives. Drawing on research from internationally respected experts, topics covered include ageing, stress, heart disease, cancer, drugs, weight regulation and body image, pain, menstruation, sexuality and infertility, and AIDS.

This book studies welfare systems in Europe and beyond from the standpoint of women in vulnerable positions in society. These systems are under major transformations with new models of service delivery and management, austerity measures, requirements for cost-effectiveness, marketization, and the prioritization of services. Divided into three parts: Welfare service systems (not) responding to vulnerable situations of women Women's encounters with the welfare service system Contradictions of informal support this book considers the experiences and encounters with the service system of women in poverty, homeless women, women with substance use problems, women sentenced of crime, girls and young women in care, and refugees and asylum-seeking women. Drawing upon research and critical discussions from Finland, Canada, Israel, Slovenia, Spain and the UK, this book provides new empirical findings and critical insights, and a valuable resource for the academics and students in social work, social policy, sociology and gender studies, but also for policy makers and professionals in social and health care.

This classic book, first published in 1992 and again in 2003, has inspired three generations of childbearing people, birth activists and researchers, and birth practitioners-midwives, doulas, nurses, and obstetricians-to take a fresh look at the "standard procedures" that are routinely used to "manage" American childbirth. It was the first book to identify these non-evidence-based obstetric interventions as rituals that enact and transmit the core values of the American technocracy, thereby answering the pressing question of why these interventions continue to be performed despite all evidence to the contrary. This third edition brings together Davis-Floyd's insights into the intense ritualization of labor and birth and the technocratic, humanistic, and holistic models of birth with new data collected in recent years.

Pregnancy is an amazing time, full of wonder and excitement. But it can be worrying too. You know it's down to you to eat and drink in a way that will keep your baby safe and provide the ideal fuel for growth and development. But for most of us it's far from clear exactly what that means. So what should you eat - and what should you avoid? What's healthy - and what's not? And if there is a risk involved with certain foods, what exactly is the risk and how big is it? What are the nutrients that a growing baby needs and what can you eat to provide them? Do you need to take supplements, and if so, which ones? This handy, compact book is your saviour. It's the definitive healthy eating guide for pregnancy and provides an instant checklist as to what foods are safe and what you should steer clear of. This new edition has been fully revised and includes: * A unique, updated A-Z of food and drink - the ultimate handy, quick reference * Guidelines on alcohol and caffeine, with full explanation * Advice for vegetarian mothers-to-be and those on special diets * Tips on how to handle morning sickness * How to achieve a healthy weight gain and how to lose it sensibly afterwards * Latest research findings on what foods affect a baby's development, including the most up-todate advice on allergy proofing your baby * What you should and shouldn't eat while breastfeeding Expert nutritionist and pregnancy specialist Dr Rana Conway provides all the facts and everything you need to know to give your baby the very best start in life.

A psychologist and a nurse, Stephanie Bender and medical journalist, Treacy Colbert, sort through all the latest medical literature and science on menopause to offer women simple, straightforward advice about their health. With this plan readers will discover how to renew their energy, lift their mood and feel better in just 10 days.

The mission of When I Die, Take my Panties is a much needed wake-up call for women over 40 to start listening to their bodies and catch ovarian cancer early on. But it isn't just about cancer. It is a reminder of the personal transformation that comes from tragedy and what can be learned along the way. Death forces us to face a harsh reality: So often we want to control life - and the truth is we can't. We must come to terms with people and situations as they are, not as we wish they were. When I Die, Take My Panties takes the reader through a journey of discovering the gifts in their own life as they learn how to appreciate what is right in front of them.

Helps women break through the tired and hurtful stereotypes of aging to better reflect who they are, how they live, and what they want as they age. Who hasn't heard the stereotypes about women of a "certain age?" That's the age when women become invisible, irrelevant, undesirable, asexual, unhinged, dried-up, hormonal messes. It's when women quickly slide into fragility and become forgetful, passive, weak, feeble, debilitated, disabled, dependent, and depressed. Or so the story goes. Not only are those outdated narratives sexist and ageist, they are also damaging to women's physical, emotional, financial, romantic, and sexual health. It's time to change them. In Not Too Old for That, Vicki Larson helps change the narrative about being a woman at midlife and older. She questions what we've been told aging would be like and encourages us to instead ask ourselves, what do we want it to be like, and how can we get there? The key is to be curious, open-minded, and intentional about the ways we are becoming our future selves.We have an opportunity to create new narratives of aging as a woman, ones that value women at all stages of life, not just youth, and it starts with us. Once the stereotypes that have held women back are broken down, women can move past them and rather than feel helpless as the years add up, they can discover and tap into just how much agency they have. Not only will this book help to create a less-ageist, less-sexist, more-inclusive future, it will release our daughters and all young women from a similar future.

It is unique in that it is designed and intended to be used to facilitate discussion and to disseminate awareness within real life settings - for example, in a staff room for Inset Days, or for social workers in their team meetings. This workbook has been written for anyone to be able to facilitate a session with colleagues, which takes between 1-3 hours depending on the facilitator and group's needs. The introduction details how to use the book and how to facilitate a training session using the material, including being aware of how people could be triggered by looking at this difficult subject. Will be of interest to all professionals who have a mandatory responsibility to report FGM cases such as qualified teachers, social workers, and health care professionals (nurses, midwives and health visitors particularly).

Pelvic Organ Prolapse, or POP, is a little talked about female health issue that half of all childbearing women will experience late in life. There are more than 300,000 surgeries for POP annually. Due to various causes such as menopause, estrogen loss, genetics, childbirth or heavy lifting, a woman's pelvic organs can shift or drop. This can lead to POP symptoms, including some painful and embarrassing ones, as well as impacting a woman's sexuality. The condition has probably always existed, but has received little press or public acknowledgement so women could learn about the condition and treatment options. This book on POP fills an unfortunate void in women's health awareness. Sherrie Palm writes about her own personal experiences in Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic. She had never heard about the condition until she needed surgery for it. Palm explores the subject from all angles, providing the information women need to recognize the symptoms of POP and to become advocates for their own health. Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic named the winner for Women's Health in the USA Book News National "BEST BOOKS 2009" Awards. http://www.usabooknews.com/2009bestbooksawards. html More information about Sherrie Palm, and how she is creating awareness for this women's health issue can be found on her website: http://sherriepalm.com/home About the Author: First-time author Sherrie Palm is a retired business owner. She lives in Wisconsin with her significant other; she has four children and seven grandchildren. Palm plans to conduct educational seminars on POP. She is also actively involved with the local Special Olympics and will donate a portion of the book's proceeds to the group.

5K training plans tailored just for busy moms! Whether you're looking for a convenient way to lose lingering baby weight or just want to get in shape to keep up with your kids, See Mom Run will help you achieve all of your fitness goals. Running strengthens your physical body and empowers the mind, a one-two punch to get you through the overloaded days of motherhood. Run Like a Mother 5K founder (and busy mother of three) Megan Searfoss shows you how to take those first steps toward the healthy habit of running, with the goal of completing a 5K race. She teaches you running basics, plus how to eat healthy, strength train, and choose your gear-all in a time-saving, cost-effective way. She will help you assess your fitness level and choose a realistic, week-by-week training plan that you can squeeze in before daycare or school, during lunch dates, or after dinner when the rest of the family is settled in for the night. As your fitness progresses, her programs safely challenge you to move from walking to intervals of walking and running to running continuously. At any speed, See Mom Run will help you cross the finish line and continue running for life!

Helen Saul Case authored The Vitamin Cure for Women's Health Problems, but she confesses she was not prepared for the many new, unexpected, indeed challenging experiences she encountered with pregnancy. Because she found most books about pregnancy barely mentioned the importance of taking vitamins―let alone orthomolecular-strength vitamins―for optimal health of both mother and baby, she began writing Vitamins and Pregnancy: The Real Story when she was pregnant with her second child.

Noting that fresh, high-quality food does not begin to supply all the nutrients needed for good health, Case stresses that pregnancy demands even higher levels of nutrients for both mother and developing child. After all, the health of the baby starts with what the mother consumes. If fetal nutrition is inadequate, research has shown that can lead to increased risk of metabolic, endocrine and cardiovascular diseases in adult life. Since half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, it’s imperative that women know about optimal nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding―and ideally before.

Citing many studies on efficacy and safety, Case goes into rich detail about the virtues of vitamins C, E, A, D, and the Bs, as well as minerals, during pregnancy and breastfeeding. One value of Case’s hands-on research is that she relates her own experiences and how she solved them. For instance, when she found it hard to think clearly―a condition she calls “pregnancy brain”―she solved it by upping her intake of choline, a B vitamin needed for brain function and memory. But, she cautions, “My list of vitamins and minerals is not intended to be a complete or prescriptive list . . . I wouldn’t believe me unless I looked into it for myself. You should always do your own research, always talk to your doctor, and learn your own body and your own nutritional needs, and do what’s best for your situation―always.” Then, Case addresses thirty-five pregnancy issues, from acid reflux to yeast infections, as well as postpartum issues, particularly coping with depression and losing weight.

Based on the author’s extensive knowledge of orthomolecular medicine and her personal experience, Vitamins and Pregnancy is a comprehensive nutritional guide to optimal health for you and your baby.

In her newest book, Mary Shomon takes readers on a quest to understand the profound influence the thyroid has on a woman's hormonal health in the perimenopause and menopause years, and discusses how undiagnosed thyroid problems may be the real culprit behind what many assume are peri/menopausal symptoms. Many women assume they're suffering from perimenopause or menopause and embark on a wild goose chase of hormone replacement, go soy crazy, start smearing themselves with yam and progesterone creams, or end up taking all sorts of herbs, from black cohosh to chasteberry. But, when the real culprit is a thyroid problem, these approaches simply don't work. And by age 60, it's estimated that as many as half of women have an underactive thyroid. A drop in reproductive hormones frequently triggers a thyroid slowdown - a 'thyropause' - that causes misleading symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and depression. "The Menopause Thyroid Solution" helps readers: know whether they are at extra risk of developing a thyroid condition; recognize the common - and not so common - symptoms of a thyroid problem; learn how to get thyroid and hormonal imbalance problems properly diagnosed; explore how best to treat a thyroid condition, through traditional and non-traditional means; understand how to balance the thyroid with reproductive/sex hormones and adrenal hormones; find out what and how to eat, what medications to consider, what supplements to take, and the mind-body-approaches to practice, in order to balance your hormones; and, improve the metabolism, for more effective weight management and weight loss.

In the House of the Moon interweaves traditional values with insights from ancient and contemporary thinkers. Acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner Jason Elias joins with Katherine Ketcham to help women access the feminine (yin) energy that has been overlooked by conventional medical science. Examining the major phases of a woman's life from puberty through menopause and into "the wisdom gathering years", Ellas and Ketcham offer gentle, natural remedies that can be used to complement conventional treatments to promote health, emotional well-being, and spiritual enrichment. In this life-affirming book, you will discover the traditional Chinese interpretations of PMS, fibroids, and menstrual irregularities; time-honored acupuncture and herbal treatments for menopausal symptoms, pregnancy problems, and postpartum care; life-enhancing exercises for older women; and many other therapies. Combining practical information with a wealth of myths, parables, and metaphors from many wisdom traditions, In the House of the Moon will help you reconnect with your own potential for healing and wholeness.

National Book Award finalist
A "New York Times" notable book
"One knows early on one is reading a classic--a text so necessary and abundant and true that all efforts of its kind, for decades before and after it, will be measured by it."--Thomas Lynch, "Los Angeles Times"
After fifteen years in print, "Woman "remains an essential guide to everything from organs to orgasms and hormones to hysterectomies. With her characteristic clarity, insight, and sheer exuberance of language, bestselling author Natalie Angier cuts through the still prevalent myths and misinformation surrounding the female body, that most enigmatic of evolutionary masterpieces. "Woman "is a witty and assured narrative tour de force with a reliable grasp of science.
Updated throughout and with a new introduction bringing readers up to date on the latest science in evolutionary psychology and hormone replacement therapy, this new edition of Woman reinvigorates Angier's joyful vision of womanhood.
"Ultimately, this grand tour of the female body provides a new vision of the role of women in the history of our species."--"Washington Post"

Are you feeling emotionally exhausted? Do you worry about being likable (at all cost)? Are you trying to do it all and be it all--all the time? This radically different self-care guide will help you find the courage needed to express your deepest needs, nurture self-awareness, and be yourself in a world that expects you to be everything to everyone. If you're like countless other women today, you probably feel overwhelmed, emotionally exhausted, anxious, stressed, frustrated, or unsatisfied. Or all of the above! In addition to managing your own career and running a household, you may be taking on an abundance of emotional labor--tending to others' needs at the expense of your own. If you've spent your whole life trying to please and manage other peoples' experience, it's time to speak your truth out loud, stand in your own shoes, and live an authentic life--rather than just behave. Written by therapist and spiritual teacher Nancy Colier, The Emotionally Exhausted Woman offers the validation, emotional support, and empowering skills you've been craving. You'll discover insights grounded in self-respect and awareness, to help you be on your own side and uncover your deepest psychological, spiritual, and emotional needs without feeling guilt, shame, or judgment. You'll learn why you are feeling depleted, why you take care of others at the expense of taking care of yourself, and how to develop a deeper form of self-care beyond the temporary respite of a spa retreat, bubble bath, or manicure. Finally, you'll nurture greater awareness of what you truly need to achieve lasting vitality and fulfillment. As women, we are culturally conditioned to believe that we should be able to do it all and should be all things to all people--all while smiling, looking perfect, and needing nothing for ourselves. At the end of the day, these pressures can leave us feeling depleted--in body, mind, and spirit. So, how can you start taking care of you in a deeper way? This empowering guide will help you gain a newfound awareness of your own needs, and find the courage to live a life that both nourishes and inspires you.

How women can improve their productivity, happiness, and physical well-being by keeping their natural cycles in mind and working with them (rather than ignoring them). In the Flo teaches women how to use their 28-day cycle to optimize their life by letting their internal clock and natural rhythms guide time management, diet, fitness, etc. (This is so simple and yet under-utilized it is shocking. It makes perfect sense when you think about it: You have different energy levels at different times of the month, different libido levels, etc. so why not use foresight to plan projects for when you are at your most effective, and understand when you need more emotional connection with others?) There are specific tips on what to eat and how to exercise depending on what phase you are in-and it works. Women are getting promotions, losing weight, and in one case thus far, literally clearing their endometriosis by using the cycle syncing method.