Menopause for Dummies

As baby boomers hit their late forties and fifties, women are entering menopause in record numbers. Soon, for the first time in history, there will be more women beyond menopause than have yet to go through it. Yet, amazingly, getting reliable, practical information about menopause isn't easy. Usually the only information you're likely to find is in the glossy brochures from pharmaceutical companies scattered around your gynecologist's waiting room. If you're really persistent, you can hunt down an article or two in medical journals, but it's a safe bet that you'll be sound asleep long before you find straightforward answers even to one of your practical questions. Whether you're going through the change, have already been there, or are about to start off down that road, you'll find the information you need in "Menopause For Dummies". In plain English, it covers all the health issues and therapy choices that confront women during the menopausal years. It helps you: put menopause in perspective; understand how it can affect your body, emotions, and libido; evaluate your risk of disease; know all your therapy options; make sense of the hormone therapy debate; ask intelligent questions and discuss your alternatives with you doctor; make smarter life-style choices; and live a long, healthy life. "Menopause For Dummies" gives you accurate, up-to-date information from the most credible sources, including the latest medical studies, without a lot of technical jargon. You get straightforward advice and guidance on: recognizing the signs of menopause; preventing and treating osteoporosis; cardiovascular disease and menopause; vaginal and urinary changes during menopause; the effects of menopause on your skin, hair, and nasal cavities; menopause and your sex life; hormone therapy and heart disease, breast cancer, and other cancers; alternative therapies; menopause and good nutrition; and the benefits of exercise during menopause. Menopause is not a disease, and it doesn't have to be a harbinger of accelerated aging and declining health. "Menopause For Dummies" gives you the information you need to take charge of your menopause and make this transition as comfortable and healthy as possible.

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This reassuring guide explains the various stages and helps you understand how menopause can affect your body, your emotions, and your libido. It evaluates all your options ? including hormone therapy ? and shows you how to make smarter lifestyle choices to live a long, healthy life.

The Dummies Way

• Explanations in plain English
• "Get in, get out" information
• Icons and other navigational aids
• Tear-out cheat sheet
• Top ten lists
• A dash of humor and fun