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by both them and their health professionals; and a government accountability study found that 80% of drugs that are withdrawn from the market are due to side effects that happen to women (a result of testing drugs mostly on men).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. (P)2020 Hachette Audio

This empowering book provides the prescription by which women afflicted with endometriosis can reclaim their lives. Written by a surgeon and physical therapist who have treated women of all ages and helped them reclaim their lives. Endometriosisis an inflammatory response that results when tissue is found outside the uterus, thereby initiating a disease process and an array of maladies accrue. Dr Iris Orbuch. is a surgeon and Amy Stein,a physical therapist, have seen endo's harm and agony up close and personal and they have created this self-care guide for women about how to deal with their endometriosis in order to: 1) Avoid surgery (if at all possible), 2) What to do before surgery (should they absolutely need it); and how 3) To live and what to do post-surgery - so that the women afflicted by this disease, can reclaim their lives. Dr. Orbuch and Amy Stein have called upon those they call the endometriosis "warriors" - specialists in a range of practices with whom they routinely share knowledge and insights into what works for the women they care for. This is a multi-disciplinary holistic plan full of practices women can use to repair their bodies and lives.

Everything you need to understand your body and treat your symptoms during the perimenopause – backed up with the latest research.

As we understand more each day about what hormone changes mean for women's long-term health, there is an urgent need for an evidence-based book that helps us understand what is happening to us, so that we can make informed decisions. Should you take HRT? How common is early menopause? What causes brain fog? Can herbal supplements help?

Menopause is not just about hot flushes, and it isn't something to "sail through" or pretend it isn't happening. Featuring the latest research and backed up by informative infographics and illustrations, The Science of Menopause tells you everything you need to know about menopause is, the symptoms to watch out for, and the treatments that may be able to help.

The bestselling authors of the First Forty Days encourage mothers-to-be to care for themselves-and not just their babies-during pregnancyThere is so much noise surrounding pregnancy and birth. There are countless books teeming with information-what test does what, the "rights" and "wrongs" of eating, and "safe" or "risky" lifestyle choices-but few that hold a woman through the experience, acting as an elder sister, a matriarch, or a circle of women might hold her-with compassion, nonjudgment, and, most of all, wisdom. To the authors of Nine Golden Months, this is exactly what's needed now, in an era of high-speed living, endless demands, and more than a little anxiety and fear. A woman needs to feel connected to others, rooted in the knowledge that many have done this before her, and calmed and fortified by time-honored practices that nourish her body, soothe her mind, and hold up her spirit. The (still-growing) success of The First Forty Days showed that women are longing to experience the deeper aspects of becoming a mother. Nine Golden Months shares timeless guidance from the authors' extraordinary circle of practitioners, guides, and wisdom-keepers specializing in prenatal care; it draws from Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, and features rituals and self-sourced wisdom, so that it addresses all aspects of a woman's pregnancy experience: emotional, mental, physiological, and spiritual.

Allen Carr's Easyway is the most successful self-help stop-smoking method of all time. It has helped millions of smokers all over the world to quit, and has since been used to treat other addictions such as drinking and gambling. Allen Carr's Easyway method works by unravelling the brainwashing that leads us to desire the very thing that is harming us, meaning that we are freed from the addiction rather than merely restricting our behavior.

The Easyway method has now been applied to the problem of emotional eating. With Allen Carr's Easyway method, you can eat as much of your favorite foods as you want, whenever you want, as often as you want, and be the exact weight you want to be, without dieting, special exercise, using willpower or feeling deprived.

Do you find that difficult to believe? Read this book.

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.

While postpartum depression has become a recognizable condition, this is the first book to treat root causes of mommy brain, baby blues, and other symptoms that leave mothers feeling exhausted.

Any woman who has read What to Expect When You're Expecting needs a copy of The Postnatal Depletion Cure. Filled with trustworthy advice, protocols for successful recovery, and written by a compassionate expert in women's health, this book is a guide to help any mother restore her energy, replenish her body, and reclaim her sense of self.

Most mothers have experienced pain, forgetfulness, indecision, low energy levels, moodiness, or some form of baby brain. And it's no wonder: The process of growing a baby depletes a mother's body in substantial ways--on average, a mother's brain shrinks 5% during pregnancy, and the placenta saps her of essential nutrients that she needs to be healthy and contented. But with postnatal care ending after 6 weeks, most women never learn how to rebuild their strength and care for their bodies after childbirth. As a result, they can suffer from the effects of depletion for many years, without knowing what's wrong as well as getting the support and treatments that they need.

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.

LONGLISTED FOR A PEN/FAULKNER AWARD, 2020 A dazzling tribute to the resilience and determination of a remarkable community of women In the sprawling Bangalore slum of Heaven, five girls - Muslim, Christian and Hindu; gay and straight - form an unbreakable bond. These are girls who refuse to be silenced, no matter how much their city would like to forget they exist. But now Heaven is threatened by government bulldozers, and the friends must come together to protect the close-knit, vibrant community they call home. Sparkling with passion and courage and laced with humour, this is the story of five unforgettable young women and their fierce determination, not only to survive, but to triumph.

In the early 1980s the subject of violence in marriage was in danger of being overlooked once again, as new social problems dominated the political scene, and the Government pursued policies of retrenchment that were likely to deprive refuges of the necessary central government support. Yet improvements in the services for victims of marital violence were still urgently needed, as this study shows. Originally published in 1983, this book is based on research into the way practitioners in the medical, legal, and social services viewed marriage and violence at the time. It examines marital violence from a number of perspectives. Taking samples from groups of doctors, solicitors, social workers, health visitors, and women's aid refuges, the authors have investigated the ways in which different agencies and practitioners respond to the problem of marital violence. They use a combination of statistical evidence and interviews with practitioners and the victims themselves to build up a picture of the extent of the problem - how it is defined, how much comes to the attention of the public services - and of the ways in which the attitudes and professional status of the practitioners form a response that is in varying degrees adequate or otherwise to deal with the problems that exist. The authors produce evidence to show that marital violence is still widespread, though largely hidden because of the way privacy determines family relationships. They show how present provisions are inadequate to deal with the problem, and make recommendations about ways of improving the services available to help battered women.

Our Bodies, Ourselves is the resource that women of all ages turn to for information about their bodies, sexuality, and reproductive health. Completely revised and updated, these pages provide women with the information and tools they need to make key health decisions -- accurate, evidence-based information, input from leading experts, and personal stories from women who share their experiences. This new edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves includes the latest vital information on: * CHANGES IN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM -- especially how health care reform affects women and how to get the care you need. * SAFER SEX -- how to engage in pleasurable, satisfying sexual experiences while protecting your health and the health of your partner. * ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKS -- including minimizing exposure to everyday pollutants that endanger reproductive health. * BODY IMAGE -- resisting negative media stereotypes and embracing healthier approaches to looking and feeling good. * LOCAL AND GLOBAL ACTIVISM -- using social media and organizing tactics to build community and advocate for policies that improve women's lives. * As well as crucial information about gender identity, sexual orientation, birth control, abortion, pregnancy and birth, perimenopause, and sexuality and sexual health as we age. Together with its companion website, ourbodiesourselves.org, Our Bodies, Ourselves is a one-stop resource for women of all generations.

When Cathy and Noah first got together neither saw children in their future. Eight years later, they're happily married - and Cathy isn't so sure. With Noah's patience for his wife's ambivalence waning, her widowed mother in a world of her own and her best friend yearning for a second baby, Cathy feels increasingly adrift. Escaping into her work in the conservation studios of the National Gallery, she chips away at the layers of overpaint on a canvas from the collection. Will the discovery of an unexpected truth help her find the clarity she craves? SECOND SELF is a novel about confronting expectations, and learning to cope with the nagging, complex questions that shape a life. It's about minds and bodies at the mercy of natural forces and social pressure. Above all, it's an ode to big decisions, small, tender moments, and how we choose to be. This absorbing second novel from the author of WET PAINT is perfect for fans of EXPECTATION and SORROW AND BLISS.

The Women's Circle is your practical guide to hosting women's circles with intention, purpose and meaning, making them a healing and empowering experience of gathering community. A women's circle is a gathering of women in order to share, experience and relish in each other's company. They are the ultimate 'safe space', a place where women can commune, open up and feel seen and heard. Sacred Space Holder Anoushka Florence invites you to reclaim the women's circle by exploring and remembering the true power of your feminine. Beautifully illustrated with full-colour photography, The Women's Circle is a practical and inspiring guide to hosting circles of your own. Including the history of circles, the importance of gathering, and steps for hosting 35 different rituals with the women in your life - a bridal blessing, mamahood blessing, memorial circle, new love circle, grief circle, sun circles, moon circles and circles to honour the change of season. Seeking to revive, reclaim and remember the tradition of the women's circle, The Women's Circle will bring back to life this ancient feminine practice illustrating the benefits, healing, and magik that occurs when women gather. This is an opportunity for the reader to call in their community, gather and connect. Never has there been a more important time to rediscover the power of women's circles.

TRACK YOUR CYCLE and become aware of how you experience your Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn GET TO KNOW YOUR HORMONES and find out and how you can use them to improve your career, relationships and health MANAGE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH and improve your body literacy by checking in on yourself and identifying what you need From feeling introspective in the first week of your cycle to decisive in the last, learn to recognise the effects of your hormones and harness their powers for good. Best-selling author and women's health practitioner Maisie Hill breaks down her cycle strategy into 48 cards to help us make sense of the experiences and emotions that come with our cycles. Each card reveals how to access that season's superpowers, sidestep the dangers and choose the ultimate self-care strategy to get your cycle working for you. The menstrual cycle is under-appreciated but, with the help of these cards, you'll see that it is the most unused and underrated tool for improving our lives.

Trying to get pregnant is enough to make any woman impatient. "The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant "is a complete guide to the medical, psychological, social, and sexual aspects of getting pregnant, told in a funny, compassionate way, like talking to a good friend who's been through it all. And in fact, Dr. Jean Twenge "has "been through it all--the mother of three young children, she started researching fertility when trying to conceive for the first time. A renowned sociologist and professor at San Diego State University, Dr. Twenge brought her research background to the huge amount of information--sometimes contradictory, frequently alarmist, and often discouraging-- that she encountered online, from family and friends, and in books, and decided to go into the latest studies to find out the real story.
The good news is: There is a lot "less "to worry about than you've been led to believe. Dr. Twenge gets to the heart of the emotional issues around getting pregnant, including how to prepare mentally and physically when thinking about conceiving; how to talk about it with family, friends, and your partner; and how to handle the great sadness of a miscarriage. Also covered is how to know when you're ovulating, when to have sex, timing your pregnancy, maximizing your chances of getting pregnant, how to tilt the odds toward having a boy or a girl, and the best prenatal diet.
Trying to conceive often involves an enormous amount of emotion, from anxiety and disappointment to hope and joy. With comfort, humor, and straightforward advice, "The Impatient Woman's Guide to Getting Pregnant "is the bedside companion to help you through it.

Provocative, ground-breaking and entertaining, the world’s leading expert on sexuality and the ovulation cycle reveals the hidden intelligence of hormones.

Did you know that at certain times of the month, women are inclined to dance more? Flirt more? Or that PMS may have evolved to remove boyfriends with unfit sperm? Why? Hormones.

Hormones help women choose mates, produce healthy offspring, raise them successfully, and, ultimately, make better decisions.

In this paradigm-shifting book, Martie Haselton explains how hormonal intelligence works – both its strengths and its weaknesses – and how women can track and understand their desires, fears and perceptions. By exploring the biological processes that profoundly influence our behaviour, Hormonal sets forth a radical, new understanding of women's bodies, one that sees hormonal cycles as adaptive solutions to genuine biological challenges.

This book will empower women everywhere to embrace their biology.

'The world's most famous and outspoken gynaecologist' (The Guardian) fights myths and fearmongering with real science, inclusive facts, and shame-free advice on the topic that impacts more than 1.8 billion people worldwide: menstruation. Women can expect to have between 350 and 450 periods in a lifetime. So why is real information so hard to find? Despite its significance, most education about menstruation focuses either on increasing the chances of pregnancy or preventing it. And while both are crucial, women deserve to know more about their bodies than just what happens in service to reproduction. Not knowing how your body works makes it challenging to advocate for yourself. Consequently, many people suffer in silence thinking their bodies are uniquely broken or they turn to disreputable sources. Blood is a practical, empowering guide to what's typical, what's concerning and when to seek care - recounted with the no-nonsense expertise and frank, fearless wit that have made Dr Jen today's most trusted voice in women's health. Dr Jen answers all your period-related questions, including: What exactly happens during menstruation? How heavy is too heavy? How much should periods hurt? And provides essential information about topics such as: * The impact of stress and health on the menstrual cycle * Menstrual migraines, PMS and period diarrhea (yes, it's totally normal) * Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and fibroids * Endometriosis and the latest treatments * The endometrium's (the uterine lining's) fascinating connection to the immune system * Different cultural perceptions of menstruation and how they affect girls and women * Menstruation and the trans and non-binary experience * Legitimate menstrual products and the facts behind toxic shock syndrome * The risks and benefits of hysterectomies Blood is about much more than biology. It's an all-in-one, revolutionary guide that will change the way we think about, talk about - and don't talk about - our bodies and our well-being.