With a preface by Vivian Pinn, M.D., former director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health at the National Institutes of Health, “Our Bodies, Ourselves: Menopause” includes definitive information from the latest research and personal stories from a diverse group of women.

Topics include:

• Female sexual “dysfunction” at midlife — myth or reality?
• How do commercial interests affect treatments for menopause?
• Is hormone treatment safe? And who should take it?
• What do women need to know about heart disease and osteoporosis?
• Are “natural” or bioidentical hormones better than synthetic hormones?
• Can herbs help with hot flashes or insomnia?

Also included:

• Self-help and prevention strategies for managing the menopause transition.
• Complementary health practices and conventional medical treatments.
• The challenges for women who experience early or sudden menopause.
• How ageism, sexism and the medicalization of menopause affect women’s experiences.

What makes this book different:

• Reflects the expertise of dozens of women, including health care professionals and activists.
• Based on the best, most up-to-date scientific evidence.
• Independent of commercial pressures; OBOS does not take any money from pharmaceutical companies.
• Provides social, political and economic context for individual women’s experiences.

Paperback. 350 pages.