Natural Woman, Natural Menopause
Those desiring alternatives to standard hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause will find useful information in each of these books. All focus on menopause as a natural process and on the alleviation of menopausal discomfort through healthy living, especially diet. All explain menopausal symptoms, current HRT treatment and side effects, the importance of particular hormones, and the use of plant hormones instead of synthesized drugs. And all discuss in varying detail hormones and their relationship to breast cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Laux, a naturopathic doctor, and Conrad, his former patient and founder of the Natural Woman Institute, espouse the Natural Woman plan in their book. They include an interesting historical overview of both the medicinal use of plants and the pharmaceutical industry, also detailing what the "naturals" are and how to get them. The MEND Clinic Guide usefully covers a variety of alternative therapies for menopause, including herbal therapy, aromatherapy, homeopathy, mind-body therapies, massage, acupressure, and relaxation techniques. Maas is an M.D., Paula Brown an anthropologist, and Susan E. Bruning a health writer (Healing Homeopathic Remedies, Dell, 1996). An A-Z of menopausal symptoms and alternative remedies provides quick reference, and one chapter discusses diseases, including diabetes. Cookbook author Shandler concentrates on obtaining estrogen from plants. Each of her 250 recipes, ranging from yellow cauliflower curry to chocolate snack bars, incorporates either tofu, soy products, or flax seed and estimates the estrogen content per portion. While many of the recipes look tempting, only the determined are likely to follow this diet. While these three books are recommended for alternative-medicine collections, Dr. Susan Love's Hormone Book (LJ 3/1/97) is likely to become the menopause book of choice.?Kate Kelly, Treadwell Lib., Massachusetts General Hosp., BostonCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.