Menopause is a fact of life for women, as well as for the people in their lives. Author Mary Wright provides recent biological research, Western and Eastern health care philosophies, and her own experience with menopause to give women updated advice and theories for understanding this complicated life phase. With a compassionate voice and easy to grasp explanations, this book reads like the kind of health care conversation women wish they could have with their doctors.
In the introduction, Wright admits there are many books on the subject, but hers is different. How so? She writes, “Because we’re not going to combat menopause. We’re going to learn to live in harmony with it.” Remarking on how it’s inevitable and can disrupt lives, she’s promises to provide “the necessary skills and tools for this new period to create harmony within us.”
She references a Franciscan nun she knows who, while in her 70s, still had a youthful appearance and vibrant energy. How does she keep it up, Wright asked. For Sister Edna, it came down to making wise lifestyle choices, living a life of service, and keeping a positive attitude. These key foundations form the basis of Wright’s specific tips and suggestions.
Meditation: A Game Changer
In the third chapter, readers dive deep into the main player in menopause—hormones. Explanations are clear and referenced with recent research and articles. Written from a woman’s perspective, it’s a great comfort to read that “as we enter menopause, these hormones might start to slow down a bit, leaving us feeling sad or perhaps desperate for excitement.” The author adds that she meditates for an hour daily, and she notices the difference when she misses days.
Wright includes an extensive exploration into Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), its pros and cons, and ways women can make the best choice. There are also natural alternatives to HRT, like Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). She clarifies oft confusing details about it—BHRT is said to be made of hormones identical to those created by the human body, but it’s actually derived from plants. Yet she cautions that several facts cast doubt on these claims: there’s been scant research on the topic, and the FDA doesn’t regulate its production.
Herbal remedies like black cohosh, red clover, and St. John’s Wort are also covered, including information on their pros and cons. While St, John’s Wort can interact with medications, in general herbal treatments are a good first step for most healthy people, she says, “on little or no medications.”
Yin, Yang, and Menopause
In the fourth chapter, “A Natural Approach with Eastern and Western Medicine,” Wright takes readers back 5,000 years to the roots of traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. The core principle of TCM is creating balance in the body, the “yin” which represents coolness, darkness, and rest, and “yang,” which reflects warmth, activity, and stimulation. An imbalance in the yin and yang can reveal itself as an illness.She quotes the President and Founder of the American Institute for Clinical Acupuncture, Jingduan Yang, MD, about the importance of yin and yang balance in relation to the kidneys in menopausal health. “‘There are two kinds of energy in the kidneys: yang and yin energy. Yang is about the function of the kidneys, and yin is about the nourishment of the kidneys.’”
Typical symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, are said to be caused by too much yang heat. Night sweats are connected to a yin deficiency when the body is unable to retain fluids.
Dr. Yang believes that by stimulating the kidneys with acupuncture, balance is restored, and the hot flashes, night sweats and other physical symptoms can be alleviated. The chapter concludes with a section on the Indian tradition of Ayurveda, which consider menopause a “life transition”—like the seasons change, so does the woman’s body.
Try Combinations
The author emphasizes that women should find what works best for them and not be afraid to combine suggestions from each tradition. For that reason, she’s added a cheat sheet with symptoms and solutions from each school of thought. “This,” she writes, “will allow you to quickly search for a symptom you’re struggling with and see the treatment options for that symptom specifically.” Wright includes suggestions on where to purchase the items or how to make them at home.The final chapters cover emotional challenges, diet and exercise, and at how our modern way of life impacts health. “Menopause brings a cascade of hormonal changes” readers discover, “and women in this stage may be more susceptible to the effects of toxins due to their increased chemical sensitivity.” Since everyday products can exacerbate mood swings and hot flashes, Wright adds a list of natural beauty and cleaning product alternatives.
Wright gives health care providers plenty to consider, and for women, plenty of information, support, and encouragement. She wants women to remember their resilience. At this point in their lives, they’ve already weathered many storms. And, they’re not alone. “Millions of women have walked this path before you,” she writes,” and countless others are journeying beside you, including me!”
