Book review: Shmirshky

Ladies! You have to read the book Shmirshky, by E. And then you have to get your spouse, children, and anyone else who deals with Perimenopausal/Menopausal You to read it.

Warning: do not read this book on the bus. You will laugh out loud many times and risk looking odd.

First, some terms:

shmirshky – vagina; woman; female; babe

As opposed to

erlick – penis; man; male; dude.

So, this book is written by a shmirshky about her shmirshky, for other shmirshkies with shmirshkies. But it is also an excellent book for erlicks to learn about shmirshkies and their shmirshkies.

Confused? Allow me to translate.

This book is written by a woman, about her vagina, for other women with vaginas. But it is also an excellent book for men to learn about women and their vaginas.

Bottom line, it’s a survivors guide to perimenopause and menopause.

Shmirshky is brilliantly funny. And yet, really all E does is take common universal female truths and dare to write about them. Like this annoying female fact:

The only consistent thing about my period was that it always seemed to join my husband and me on our vacations (including our honeymoon!). Of course, everyone wants to take their period with them on vacation, right? … My husband, David, my period, and I have been to many fun places over the past thirty-two years.

Sound familiar, girls?

Yet, Shmirshky is also serious. In reference to our stoic female need to always be the care giver, hiding any need to be the care receiver:

Whole generations of shmirshkies are involved in this cover-up; everyone thinks they have to be “fine” … By the way, the next time a shmirshky you love says that she’s “fine”, ask her how she really feels.

I have read many books on perimenopause and menopause. Most very well written, but none of them just tell it like it is with quite the same boldness. Be it the good, the bad, or the outright bitchface.

All the information you need on symptoms, tests, and treatments is covered in this wonderful little book. But it’s all in layman, sorry layshmirshky terms, and wrapped in humour and love.

Love for ourselves, love for our shmirshkies, and yes, even love for our perimenopause and menopause, or PM&M as E shortens it to. After all, as E discovered:

We don’t go through PM&M, as I had originally thought, but rather, we are PM&M.

I am giving this book to my husband to read. Actually, what I said to him was “I am going to make you read this book.” He’s wonderfully supportive, but I think he’s a tad dazed and confused by what I am going through. This is a fun way for him to gain some insight.

Even if you have read copious amounts of information on perimenopause and menopause, I highly recommend this book, if only for the entertainment value!

I gained some new information, but what was truly wonderful was the feeling I walked away with. That I am not alone.

In her book, E truly promotes the Silver & Grace philosophy of community. It’s all about SoS ….

Sisterhood of Shmirshky – all the ladies near and far.

Important Information!

Copies of Shmirshky will be given away in a contest here at Silver & Grace on March 16.

Silver & Grace is thrilled to offer its own Sisterhood of Shmirshky a 20% discount on all copies purchased through E’s website. Please go to Shmirshky.com and put in promotional code: SILVERGRACE.

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Putting menopause insomnia to rest

I always get up in the middle of the night to go to the washroom. In the past I wouldn’t even really wake up. I would just stumble through the deed on auto-pilot, back asleep as my head hit the pillow.

Not anymore. Now when I get up in the middle of the night, I stay up. Oh, I go back to bed, but I’m done sleeping for a good hour or more.

The alarm goes off shortly after managing to drift back to sleep. So, I haul myself out of bed and head off to work. But, I’m in good company once I get there, because I hear more than one woman my age complain about being awake for a good part of the night.

Menopausal insomnia. Gotta love it.

Most of the literature associates the sleeplessness with night sweats. I’ve never had night sweats, so that’s clearly not my problem. I just find that I’ve become a very light sleeper, and any disruption brings me to a fully awake state. Heading off to the bathroom wakes me up, and returning to a snoring Mr Very Right keeps me up.

And if the bedroom isn’t pitch black, I might as well not even bother going to bed.

Eliminate sleep disruptions

There are ways to help get a good night’s sleep. Obviously eliminating disruptions help. I find not turning on any lights when I go for my middle of the night bathroom visit helps. And ear plugs block out my husband’s symphony. We also have thick shutters that block out all external light sources.

Tryptophan is your friend

Tryptophan is used by our bodies to make serotonin, which controls sleep patterns. Drinking milk before bed helps. Most literature suggests the milk has to be warm, but there isn’t actually any evidence that the tryptophan is more bio-available in warm milk versus cold. Personally, the thought of drinking warm milk makes me queasy, so I drink mine cold.

Other tryptophan sources are:

• bananas
• dates
• figs
• tuna
• grapefruit
• peanut butter
• and the ever famous sleep inducer, turkey

Other sleep inducers

Exercise! When I run during the day, I sleep much better.

Take time to unwind from a busy day. Turn off the electronics and pick up a book. I used to play those fun little computer games just before bedtime, but then I’d lie there staring at the ceiling while my mind blew up little coloured balls.

What not to do before bed

Drinking caffeine and alcohol should be avoided three to four hours before bedtime. If you like a nice cup of tea to wind down with in the evening, make sure its herbal.

Make sure you eat these foods early in the day, as they act as stimulants:

• cheese
• bacon
• sausage
• tomatoes
• spinach

Don’t watch the clock

The absolute worse thing I can do when I can’t get back to sleep is watch the clock. That just makes me anxious and irritable about how long it’s taking me to get back to sleep, and how soon the darn alarm clock is going to go off.

Instead, I just lie there in a relaxed state. I might not be sleeping, but at least my body and mind are resting. Most days, therefore, I am still able to get up feeling somewhat refreshed, and on the days I truly am exhausted I just go to bed a little earlier and hope it all evens out in the wash.

Your thoughts:

• When you find yourself wide awake in the middle of the night, do you stay in bed, or do you get up and do something until you are tired again?
• Are there foods or activities that you absolutely have to avoid at night in order to get a good sleep?

Suggested reading:

How to Beat Insomnia Through Menopause
Menopause Insomnia: Symptoms and Treatments
Eliminate Menopause Insomnia And Sleep Well Again

Your turn

Do you have a personal story to share? Silver & Grace is always looking for stories that turn the theory into reality. To submit your story click here.

Is there a topic related to the spiritual or physical aspect of aging gracefully that you would like to see covered? Please send post ideas to Eliza by using the Silver & Grace contact form.

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Cooling down those hot flashes

Hot flashes are something I thankfully have not experienced yet. I know I won’t be too impressed with them as I would much rather be too cold than too hot. When you are cold you add layers, but when you are hot, once you are down to the buff, there isn’t much more you can do.

Besides, stripping down to the buff tends to be frowned upon in many social settings.

What to expect

I imagine for those of you who have already experienced hot flashes, you know exactly what to expect. But for those of us who haven’t, here’s what we have to look forward to:

• a pressure that indicates a hot flash is on its way
• spread of mild to intense heat on the upper body and face
• red and blotchy skin on the face and upper body
• rapid heartbeat
• perspiration

All of this followed by a chill as the hot flash ends.

Estrogen and the hypothalamus

Remember biology class when we learned all about our brain? There’s a very important section called the hypothalamus, which controls, amongst other things, our body temperature.

When we overheat, the hypothalamus sends an emergency signal to our body: Ditch the heat! Now! As a result, we sweat to cool off and the blood vessels dilate to release heat through our skin.

This is a very good thing on those hot Summer days. However, when our estrogen levels drop the hypothalamus gets confused. It thinks we are overheating when we aren’t. Poof! Hot flashes.

Who experiences hot flashes?

According to the stats, 85% of us will frantically fan our faces for a couple of years as we enter peri-menopause. Some of us will have the not so good fortune to continue for quite a number years longer.

How can we reduce the number of incidences?

There are triggers for hot flashes. The trick is to pay attention and identify what sets yours off and avoid them.

Some triggers are:

• stress
• alcohol
• spicy food
• smoking
• caffeine

And, of course, actually being in already hot situations such as

• hot tubs
• saunas
• stuffy rooms

Making other lifestyle changes

As with all our other menopausal symptoms, developing healthy habits helps:

• increase your exercise
• take time to relax and de-stress
• eat healthfully

Consult your health care practitioner

If your symptoms are severe and disruptive, you can discuss medical options such as:

• blood pressure-lowering medication
• anti-depressants
• bio-identical hormone therapy

Be prepared

Given the inevitability of hot flashes, it’s best to be prepared:

• Dress in layers
• Avoid synthetic clothes; stick to natural fabrics such as cotton
• Drink ice water
• Use cotton sheets
• Keep the bedroom nice and cool

And worse comes to worse, stick your head in the freezer. Seriously!

We have a walk-in fridge. I suspect I’ll be spending some time in there. At least I’ll be well fed.

Your say:

• Any tips to share on how to reduce the number of hot flashes experienced?
• What do you do to find relief while you are in middle of a hot flash?

Suggested Reading:

All About Hot Flashes
Hot flashes
10 Ways to Relieve Menopausal Hot Flashes

Your turn

Do you have a personal story to share? Silver & Grace is always looking for stories that turn the theory into reality. To submit your story click here.

Is there a topic related to the spiritual or physical aspect of aging gracefully that you would like to see covered? Please send post ideas to Eliza by using the Silver & Grace contact form.

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Book give-away contest: Female Brain Gone Insane

Time for another book give-away contest! Normally, I pay-it-forward with the copy of the book I am done reading.

Not this time! TLC Book Tours has graciously offered to arrange a copy of Female Brain Gone Insane to be shipped directly from the publisher to you.

If you haven’t already done so, read my review of Female Brain Gone Insane. Then sign up for the contest!

Rules are simple:

1. 1. Using the Silver & Grace contact form send me an email
2. 2. In the subject line write Female Brain Gone Insane Give-Away
3. 3. Submit email by February 18,2010, midnight, Eastern Standard Time

After the contest close, I will number the submissions in order of receipt and pick a winner using a random number generator.

I will notify the winner by return email, and ask for an address to mail the book to.

Then TLC Book Tours will have the book sent to you.

Simple as that.

Have fun and good luck.

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Book Review: Female Brain Gone Insane

How many times have you asked yourself the following question?

“What is wrong with me?!”

Work is good, home life is good, kids are good. And yet, we feel anxious, weepy, irritable, fatigued … you name the not-so-nice state of mind and we are feeling it. So, when I was asked to review Mia Lundin’s Female Brain Gone Insane, I leaped at the opportunity based on the title alone.

Ms. Lundin is a registered nurse and nurse practitioner. At the age of 34, she suffered severe post-partum depression. She found immediate relief through injections of natural progesterone. This peaked her interest in the connection between hormonal balance and brain chemistry. She went onto become the founder and director of the Center for Hormonal and Nutritional Balance.

I am very big on listening to our own bodies, and that is what this book is all about. Too often I hear stories about women in their forties and fifties being prescribed anti-depressants. But nowhere in the telling of the tale is any talk of being perimenopausal and menopausal. No talk about eating habits. No talk of exercise habits. Just “I felt bad and my doctor gave me Prozac. Now I feel okay.”

Not, now I feel great. Just okay.

The Female Brain Gone Insane is about tuning into the natural rhythms of our bodies, and associating our state of mind to those rhythms.

It is a practical guide which provides an explanation of how our hormone levels fluctuate throughout the month, and throughout our lifetime.

The book first describes our hormones and how their fluctuating levels affect our state of mind. Then the pros and cons of synthetic versus bioidentical hormone replacement therapy are explained. And finally, we get a Four Step Guide to return us to the sane being we know we really are.

I have read several books on the connection between hormonal balance and state of mind. However, Female Brain Gone Insane is the first one that suggests that I, not a doctor, have the wherewithal to figure out what is going on in my own body.

By using the worksheet included in the book, I can track my moods every day of the month, and look for patterns. Based on those patterns, treatments in terms of supplements and bioidentical hormones are proposed.

Fully armed with my mood patterns and suggested treatments, I can then go and partner with my health care professional.

Granted, this is going to take effort on my behalf. I have to develop the habit of recording my daily moods, as well as my menstrual cycle. I have to do the analysis, and I have to take the necessary steps to feel better.

Female Brain Gone Insane has given me all the tools and information to figure out why I am feeling out of sorts.  This will enable me to take control of my body and emotions.

Sounds like a little effort for a lot of gain.

Suggested reading:

You can learn more about the Female Brain Gone Insane at http://www.femalebraingoneinsane.com/

Female Brain Gone Insane is available for purchase through Amazon by clicking the Silver & Grace book recommendations.

To find out what other people are saying about this book, check out the following TLC Book Tour reviews:

January 11: It’s All a Matter of Perspective
January 12: Hope Springs Eternal
January 13: Quest for Balance
January 14: Family in Shape
January 19: Truth 2 Being Fit
January 20: Luxury Reading
January 26: Patricia’s Wisdom
January 28: Happy Lotus

Why is there hair growing on my chin?

The other day, a friend of mine told me she had an excellent post idea for Silver & Grace, and I was free to use her story.

Seems my friend was closely examining her face in the mirror (don’t we all), and discovered a very black hair right above her lip. Very noticeable because she’s blond.

To her dismay it was quite long, which made her wonder how long it had been sitting there for all the world to see.

At this point in the story telling, my friend leaned in close to me and whispered:

“And it was really curly … just like a pubic hair!”

When I stopped howling with laughter, I shared a similar story.

One day, I was closely examining my face in the mirror (don’t we all), and tried to brush off an eye lash from my chin. Only it wouldn’t brush off, because the hair was actually growing out of my chin. It was very long, and I also wondered how long it had been sitting there for all the world to see.

I came to the conclusion that it was not there the night before, and that it simply grew that fast. But now I’m even more diligent about closely examining my face in the mirror, because I don’t want to be caught with long hairs dripping off my chin.

Where is this facial hair coming from?

We all have facial hair, but it is fine and basically invisible. Men, on the other hand, have coarser, darker facial hair. The type of facial hair is determined by a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The higher the DHT, the coarser and darker the hair.

A higher estrogen to testosterone ratio keeps the levels of DHT low. However, as our estrogen levels drop in peri-menopause and menopause the DHT levels increase.

Where are these hairs likely to show up?

Stray hairs show up on the chin, like my example, and the moustache area like my friend. As well, the jaw line is quite common. But, they can also grow on the cheeks and forehead.

Can we prevent facial hair growth?

The trick, as with alleviating all menopausal symptoms, is keeping our hormones balanced:

• limit sugar intake
• eat lots of veggies, fruits and whole grains
• get plenty of exercise
• reduce stress
• keep weight level within a healthy range

How do we get rid of the hair?

I immediately grabbed the tweezers, as I am sure my friend did. However, it was single hair, and it was a single incident.

For more aggressive hair growth you have the following options:

• bleach
• depilatory creams
• wax
• creams formulated to reduce DHT production
• laser treatment
• electrolysis

You can talk to your doctor about options for keeping your estrogen and progesterone balanced, such as using a topical progesterone cream. You also want to make sure the facial hair is not related to some other factor, such as thyroid disease.

Don’t panic. We aren’t turning into the Bearded Lady. While shocking to discover hair growing where it shouldn’t be, if we maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle, they should just pop up on the rare occasion.

And when they do, they seem to make for some pretty funny stories!

Your turn:

• Do you have a funny facial hair story to share?
• What methods do you use to get rid of unwanted facial hair?

Suggested reading:

Why am I getting unwanted facial hair at age 41?
Facial hair – the bare facts
Post-Menopause Facial Hair

Countering reduced libido and getting back that sizzle

I listen to women of my mother’s generation saying they were happy to reach menopause, because they could stop having sex. Trust me, this is a mind set I really can’t wrap my mind around.

I love sex. Plain and simple.

And given the fact that Mr. Very Right is one very hot Frenchman, I plan on enjoying physical intimacy for a very long time.

Lately, however, my body has been betraying me. My mind wants sex as often as I’ve always enjoyed it. But the message isn’t reaching ‘down there’.

It all works out in the end, but it’s just not the same. The fireworks are missing, if you know what I mean.

Turns out, it’s a combination of my current lifestyle and my changing body. But now that I know that, I’m making changes to get the sizzle back in bedroom.

What happened to our desire?

There are physical, mental and emotional reasons for our libido dropping at this stage of our life:

• Our hormones are out of whack. Testosterone is dropping, and our estrogen and progesterone production is all over the map.
• We’re tired. In my case, I am trying to develop a business while still working full time at my 9 to 5-er. Other women are right in the middle of the sandwich generation.
• We’re struggling with changes. Changes in our body, affecting our self-image. Changes in our lifestyles, such as empty nests or mid-life career crisis.

Why is sex such a pain?

 Changes in estrogen and progesterone levels are causing our vaginal lining to thin. We become susceptible to tears, we are less pliant, and our nerve endings are more sensitive.

As well, our blood circulation to our nether regions isn’t what it used to be. This means we are not creating the same level of natural lubrication.

Are we doomed to twin beds?

The good news is that while sexual activity decreases after 55, our desire and enjoyment does not. However, experiencing brief periods of lower libido is normal during perimenopause and menopause.

There are steps we can take to rev up the heat again:

• Slow life down a bit and make sure you take time for yourself. Recharge your batteries
• Engage in foreplay! More of it. And remember, it’s not just your testosterone levels that are dropping. Your partner can benefit from more play as well.
• Use lubricants. Just be careful not to use lubricants that damage condoms. And petroleum-based lubricants can promote infections.
• Change it up in the bedroom. Talk to your partner about positions that work better for you.
• Have lots of sex! This increases the blood circulation to vital parts and increases natural lubrication.
• And of course, lead a healthy lifestyle of proper diet and plenty of exercise, in order to keep your hormones balanced.

You should also avoid the following ‘fire dowsers’:

• Alcohol. One glass of wine to set the romantic mood is okay. But as Shakespeare explains in Macbeth, alcohol ‘provokes the desire and takes away the performance.’
• Heavy meals. All the blood has rushed to your belly to aid in digestion, leaving little for the private parts.
• Prescription drugs. Anti-depressants, blood pressure pills and sleeping pills are known libido quenchers.
• Tobacco. Nicotine and other tobacco ingredients constrict blood vessels, leading to poor blood circulation, leading to lack of natural lubrication.

Are we really supposed to talk about this stuff?

Yes! Especially with your doctor.  He or she has heard it all. And it is important to rule out physical causes for your decreased libido, such as unbalanced hormones or other medical conditions such as diabetes.

This period of our life is a roller coaster ride. And our libido is along for that ride. But just because it’s in a dip, doesn’t mean it’s never going back up again.

At this point in our lives we have the opportunity to really come into our own as sexual and sensual creatures. We just might need to make some changes to keep the fire going in the bedroom. But hey, I for one think those changes are well worth it.

Your turn:

• As we become more open about menopause, do you think we are becoming more open about our sexual desires?
• I know a poor diet really puts out my flame. What’s your biggest fire dowser?

Suggested reading:

Menopause and sexual drive
Sex and menopause
Menopause Symptoms: Loss of Female Libido

Preventing menopausal incontinence; or, how not to wet our pants

I remember the exact moment I peed my pants for the first time as an adult. I was actually walking towards the bathroom, when I sneezed and felt a distinct release of liquid ‘down there’. I stopped in shock and wondered why I was starting my period so early. Imagine my horror discovering it wasn’t my period, but a release of urine.

I had officially experienced incontinence associated with perimenopause.

What is incontinence?

Incontinence is an involuntary loss of urine in the form of some drips, leak or full out gush. It can also be the need to continually go to the bathroom, or the feeling of always having a full bladder.

How is the body supposed to function?

The bladder collects urine produced by the body, and the pelvic muscles and sphincter keep it all in until the bladder is full. The bladder then sends a signal to the brain that it is time to pee. The pelvic muscles remain contracted until you sit down and relax the muscles.

What goes wrong in menopause?

During peri-menopause and menopause our estrogen levels drop. Estrogen is responsible for keeping the urinary tract and bladder lining healthy. It also helps the pelvic muscles stay strong by increasing blood flow to the pelvic region.

When estrogen drops, the pelvic muscles weaken and the opening to the bladder doesn’t stay closed. And out comes the urine.

Are there types of incontinence?

There are four types of incontinence:

• stress – sudden pressure from the abdomen on the bladder due to a sneeze, cough, laugh, or high impact exercise;
• urge – the sudden and unexpected need to go to the bathroom;
• mixed – experiencing both stress and urge types;
• overflow – leakage because the bladder doesn’t empty properly.

Are you doomed to adult diapers?

No, incontinence can be significantly reduced or eliminated by doing the following:

• limit caffeine – it is a diuretic and causes more frequent urination;
• drink lots of water – to flush out any bacteria build up in the bladder;
• eat lots of fruits, veggies and whole grains – to keep your hormones balanced;
• Kegel exercises – to strengthen the pelvic muscles;
• bladder retraining – delaying going to the bathroom so that the bladder holds more urine;
• maintaining a healthy weight – to reduce pressure on bladder and muscles.

You can also consider the following:

• pessary – a device used to hold the pelvis up off of the bladder;
• cones & balls – to train the pelvic muscles to contract properly;
• bladder swings – surgically implanted to support the bladder;
• electrical stimulation – to train the pelvic muscles to contract.

Are there other factors contributing to incontinence?

While wetting our pants certainly seems rather embarrassing at our age, we shouldn’t be afraid to discuss the problem with our doctor. Forty percent of menopausal women experience incontinence, so we certainly aren’t alone. We need to rule out other causes, such as:

• bladder infections;
• constipation;
• medications;
• abnormalities with the urinary tract;
• neurological disorders.

I am trying to incorporate Kegel exercises into my daily routine. Just like any other exercise, it’s hard to make a habit of it. But the impact of not doing these particular exercises is rather obvious, and being able to laugh in public without peeing my pants is a great motivator.

Suggested reading:

Menopause and Bladder Control Problems
Ask an Expert: Menopause and Incontinence
Menopause and Incontinence

Your turn:

• Do you find that Kegel exercises have helped you?
• Has menopausal incontinence been severe enough to prevent you from enjoying life?

Why are we so cranky all of a sudden?

As a younger woman, I was in awe of my older female friends. They never seemed to take any crap from anybody. Now I am that ‘older’ female, and I find myself wondering exactly when and how the entire world turned stupid! I find that everything irritates me, and it’s impossible to keep quiet about it. And it sure doesn’t help having Mr. Very Right calmly explain to me that my indignation is completely illogical.

I now suspect it wasn’t really some epiphany of wisdom that struck my friends, as I thought. Rather, they were gripped by the lovely mood swings associated with perimenopause and menopause. And now I’m there, changing me from my usual go with the flow self to a raging lunatic at the drop of a hat.

How many women are affected by mood swings?

The statistics on how many women are affected seem to fluctuate as wildly as our emotions. Some reports say as little as 8%, while others go as high as 75%. I think it’s safe to say a lot.

There does seem to be agreement that some women are more likely to experience extreme mood swings than others based on:

• the severity of pre-menstrual syndrome symptoms;
• experiencing post-partum depression;
• being emotionally up and down during a pregnancy.

What is causing this roller coaster ride of emotions?

As our estrogen levels drop, in perimenopause and menopause, serotonin levels in our brains drop. Serotonin is our ‘feel good’ chemical. When we have less of it, we start to feel sad and melancholy.

Dropping estrogen levels also cause other menopausal symptoms. We experience insomnia due to night sweats, causing us to be tired and irritable. We are dealing with physical changes to our body that impact our self esteem, such as weight gain.

And chances are, all of this is taking place while we are still raising children. And for those of us in the Sandwich Generation, we are also taking care of aging parents.

Are there other possible causes?

Some other potential causes of our mood swings are:

• past mental illness;
• past trauma;
• relationship issues;
• smoking;
• alcohol;
• poor diet;
• stimulant use;
• heart disease;
• cancer;
• lupus;
• thyroid disease.

How do you calm the raging beast that is living inside you?

I found awareness helped a lot. As soon as I figured out there was a physical reason for my seemingly illogical reactions, I could take better control of my reactions. It also helped to explain to Mr Very Right what was happening, so he could just chuckle and walk away, instead of lecturing me.

Other ways to help control your mood swings include:

• regular exercise to boost serotonin and help with sleeping;
• eat a balanced diet, including complex carbohydrates to boost serotonin;
• switch to decaffeinated teas and coffee;
• drink warm milk before bed which has tryptophan, also a serotonin booster;
• practice yoga, meditation or other relaxation techniques;
• take herbal remedies to naturally balance hormonal levels;
• consider hormone replacement therapy to alleviate symptoms, but work closely with a health care professional to discuss associated risks;
• find support groups through organizations, family and friends.

What if the symptoms are severe?

If you are experiencing prolonged bouts of melancholy, you might be experiencing a more serious condition, such as severe depression. You should consult a health care professional.

Getting to a point in my life where I am not afraid to speak my mind is one thing. However, having my hormones doing the speaking isn’t necessarily the best. So, I will try and keep this in mind the next time I think the entire world took a stupid pill. I will also do what I can to try and keep my serotonin levels up with proper diet and exercise. I am sure my family, friends and co-workers will greatly appreciate that.

Suggested Reading:

Mood Swings
Menopause, Mood Swings and Depression
Menopause and Mood: It’s Not All In Your Head

Your turn:

• Are you going through this stage of life cool as a cucumber, or have your turned into a maniacal fiend?
• What do you do to help keep your emotions on an even keel?

Book review: The Hormone Survival Guide for Perimenopause by Nisha Jackson

The sub-title of this book, by Nisha Jackson, is Balance Your Hormones Naturally. This is what grabbed my attention, as I am all about making lifestyle changes first, before popping any pills. I did find this advice in the book, but should I ever decide that hormone therapy is an option for me, I now have information on natural hormone options.

What will you find in the Hormone Survival Guide?

This book is quite small, at 145 pages, and a quick read. I read it cover to cover in three days’ worth of bus rides. However, it is chock full of information:

• Why Hormonal Chaos? – what perimenopause is, and what exactly is happening to our hormones during this stage of our life;
• Know Your Hormones in and out of Balance – information on how our hormones get out of whack, and an explanation of the roles estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone play in keeping us healthy;
• Have Your Hormones Tested – why we should have our hormone levels tested, and when best to test them;
• Use Hormones to Treat Hormone Problems – the difference between natural and synthetic hormones and how to use them to balance our hormone levels;
• Fix Your Diet: The Most Powerful Way to Create Hormonal Balance – why we gain weight during perimenopause and a plan for keeping our weight in check;
• Eliminate the Stress Hormone – the effect stress has on our hormones and our health, and tips for reducing stress in our life;
• Get a Grip on PMS – a PMS assessment checklist, and ways to reduce PMS symptoms;
• Turn on Your Sex Drive – why our libido may drop, and how to put the spice back into our love lives;
• The Fatigue Factor: Rejuvenate your Thyroid – symptoms, tests and treatment options for low thyroid;
• Other Hazards of Perimenopause – all those other potential complaints such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and hair loss.

Why this book over other books on perimenopause?

It is evident in this book that Doctor Jackson is passionate about the uniqueness of each woman. Therefore, she places an emphasis on hormone level testing, and individualized holistic treatment plans. A lot of the information in this book is an in depth discussion of the tests available, and the actual dosages of each hormone that should be discussed with your health care provider.

To be honest, I skimmed through the paragraphs on dosages, as they are not meaningful to me at this point in my life. However, I recognize that should I consider hormone replacement treatment, this book is an excellent guide for well informed discussions with my doctor.

Does this book push hormone replacement therapy?

At first I was concerned that was the direction the book was taking. The first several chapters incorporated statements such as the following:

The good news is every woman can benefit from in-depth evaluations, testing, lifestyle changes, supplements, and natural hormonal intervention.

However, I soon realized that Doctor Jackson is passionate about living a vibrant, and healthy life, free from debilitating symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause, be it with treatments or not. As she says:

I am passionate about helping women understand their options and realize they do not need to live with symptoms of hormonal imbalance. I know that with careful testing and treatment, just about any woman’s symptoms can be relieved safely and effectively.

And she does advocate lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet, over supplements and hormones. But, if you are still suffering symptoms despite an already healthy lifestyle, this book provides you with excellent information on treatment options.

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