Two very different books on Menopause

This week I had a look through my bookcase to check what I have dealing with menopause. Let’s face it, books go out of date very quickly. Menopause certainly doesn’t change, but new studies on subjects such as HRT, black cohosh and soya are coming in all the time.

One former favourite hasn’t lasted the time test (or perhaps I’ve changed?), but one book is still the very best for me. I’ll deal with the one that I found disappointing first.

The Menopause Survival Guide: Surviving the Change of Life

I liked this book in 2003 but now I find much of it annoying. It’s a good basic book in simple language written by Donna Rogers who describes herself as a survivor of menopause. If you haven’t come across the medical terminology before it’s very useful and a good book to keep on your shelf. It outlines some very sensible ways to deal with the hot flash – hot flush and the glossary is a good touch.

Rogers also includes chapters for the families of menopausal women in “Surviving the Change of Wife” (for husbands) and “Meno Moms” (for kids). These are fine, but there’s another chapter on ‘male menopause’ which I would have preferred Rogers to have left out completely.

Still the best

New Menopausal Years, The Wise Woman Way: Alternative Approaches for Women 30-90

Susun Weed considers the whole woman, not just your physical symptoms and she’s truly uplifting to read. She approaches menopause as another step in our life path, gives a whole new way to look at change, and inspires you to become a better and more fulfilled woman.

Perhaps it’s because I feel that Weed understands the pain that hits many of us when we realise we have actually reached this stage, that our fertile years have passed. I know I experienced a real grief when this simple fact hit me. I felt somehow useless.

But, as Weed explains, menopause is a new opportunity for personal growth!

I’ve mentioned Susun Weed and her alternative healing approach before, but it was a long time back. A background to Susan Weed, her philosophy and work.

The book which I totally recommend is Our Bodies, Ourselves: A New Edition for a New Era. It’s over there in the column to your right.