The everything health guide to menopause : reassuring advice and up-to-date information to keep you healthy and happy / Kate Bracy Kalb ; technical review by Kathryn Arendt.

"Features the latest on HRT and alternative therapies"--Cover.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 303-308) and index.

ch. 12. Alternatives to MHT -- Why some women choose MHT alternatives -- Non hormonal medications -- Choosing natural alternatives wisely -- Herbs and other supplements -- Plant estrogens -- Therapeutic programs -- ch. 13. Health risks after forty -- The health risks you face after forty -- Heart disease -- Cancer risks -- Osteoporosis -- Urinary tract disorders and yeast infections -- Assessing your health history -- ch. 14. Menopause and heart disease -- What is heart disease? -- The symptoms of heart disease -- Women, menopause, and heart disease -- Risk factors you can't change -- Risks you can influence -- Controlling your risks -- ch. 15. Maintaining bone health -- Close-up on osteoporosis -- What to watch for -- Menopause and osteoporosis -- Understanding and controlling your risks -- Eating for strong bones -- Beyond diet : measures to prevent bone loss -- ch. 16. Eating for a healthy menopause -- Your nutritional needs after forty -- Nutritional boosts for women over forty -- Get it from your plate, not a pill -- Eating for weight management -- Sane, simple guidelines for healthy eating -- Your own revolution --

ch. 17. Building exercise into your menopause plan -- Why you need exercise now -- Exercise can save your life -- Managing symptoms of menopause -- What kind of exercise do you need? -- Choosing an exercise program -- Helpful workouts -- Exercise for life -- ch. 18. Keeping your mind sharp -- How your brain changes as you age -- Give your brain the nutrition it needs -- Exercise your body to keep your brain healthy -- New activities and plenty of rest : recipe for a sharp mind -- Methods to enhance your memory -- ch. 19. Taking care of all of you -- Appreciating the woman in the mirror -- Changes in vision -- Protecting your hearing -- Keeping teeth healthy -- Caring for your skin and hair -- Making time for rest and relaxation -- ch. 20. Can being older mean being happier? -- The role of a healthy body and mind -- Stress and loss -- Perspective shifts after fifty -- Contributing to your world -- Living for the rest of your life -- Be creative! --

ch. 4. Perimenopause - adjusting to the changes -- The journey through perimenopause -- Recognizing the symptoms -- Physical changes -- Neurological and cognitive changes -- Emotional and psychological changes -- Other peimenopausal changes you may notice -- ch. 5. Coping with hot flashes -- Hot flash facts -- Techniques for turning down the heat -- Hormonal treatments for hot flash relief -- Non hormonal medications -- Herbs, botanicals, and other alternatives -- Mind-body exercises -- ch. 6. The new you - managing physical changes -- Irregular periods -- Heavy bleeding -- Heart palpitations -- Involuntary urine release -- Weight gain -- Other physical changes associated with menopause -- ch. 7. managing cognitive and neurological changes -- My mind - where did it go? -- Insomnia and its role in menopause -- Understanding and treating sleep problems -- Headaches -- Dizziness -- Other neurological symptoms --

ch. 8. Overcoming mood swings, anxiety, and depression -- Menopause and emotions -- Mood swings -- Looking stress in the eye -- Anxiety -- What is depression? -- Staying "on the level" -- ch. 9. But I'm still a woman, right? Menopause and sexuality -- Myths and fears -- Checking your sexual attitude -- The physical impact of changing hormones -- maintaining your sexual health -- Relationships and menopause -- Suggestions for your sexual self - this could be fun! -- ch. 10 A partner on the path - choosing a health provider -- Do you have the provider you need now? -- Personal qualities of your health care provider -- Professional qualifications -- Finding the right fit -- Talk with your doctor -- Take an active role -- Listen up, speak up, be honest -- ch. 11. Deciding whether hormone therapy is right for you -- The role of hormones in your health -- The facts about MHT -- MHT options -- Designer estrogens -- Weighing risks and benefits -- Part of a healthy menopause plan --

Appendix A : Glossary -- Appendix B : Keeping a menopause journal -- Appendix C : References and resources -- Appendix D : Your after-forty health maintenance plan -- Index.

Introduction -- ch. 1. Menopause, me? - accepting the inevitable -- The facts : what is menopause anyway? -- When will it happen? -- What menopause means for your hormones -- What's new? - - Your body isn't the only thing that's changing -- Your mate may be menopausal, too -- Why attitude matters -- Talking to friends and family -- ch. 2. Menopause, then and now -- This isn't your mother's menopause -- What your mother taught you -- What your mother taught medicine -- Common wisdom : what's it worth? -- Constructing a new common wisdom -- Your chance for a brand new start -- ch. 3. A gateway to the rest of your life -- A brief history of menstruation -- Fast facts about PMS -- What causes menopause? -- Taking a closer look at perimenopause -- Health concerns -- Emotional concerns -- Social and family concerns --