Books

In her follow-up to the #1 bestseller The Vagina Bible, Dr. Jen Gunter, Canadian OB/GYN and the internet’s most fearless advocate for women’s health, brings us empowerment through knowledge by countering stubborn myths and misunderstandings about menopause with hard facts, real science, fascinating historical perspective, and expert advice.

The only thing predictable about menopause is its unpredictability. Factor in widespread misinformation, a lack of research, and the culture of shame around women’s bodies, and it’s no wonder women are unsure what to expect during the menopause transition and beyond.

Perimenopause and menopause experiences are as unique as all of us who move through them. While there’s no one-size-fits-all, Heather Corinna tells you what can happen and what you can do to take care of yourself, all the while busting pernicious myths, offering real self-care tips—the kind that won’t break the bank or your soul—and running the gamut from hot flashes to hormone therapy. With big-tent, practical, clear information and support, and inclusive of so many who have long been left out of the discussion—people with disabilities; queer, transgender, nonbinary, and other gender-diverse people; BIPOC; working class and other folks—What Fresh Hell Is This? is the cooling pillow and empathetic best friend to help you through the fire.

MOKITA is for women who want to avoid the overwhelming task of sorting through all the myths and misconceptions of perimenopause & menopause in order to be proactive with their midlife health!

Looking for real information, but frustrated by all the conflicting menopause messages online and in the media?
Want to build your own midlife health team but unsure who to consult and when?

This refreshing, easy-to-read guide will be especially helpful if you don’t have time to read 30 different books and scour the internet for hours. Women’s health advocate, Shirley Weir, and 13 women’s health professionals, set the record straight on perimenopause, menopause and what you really need to know. The 21 bite-size chapters are full of up-to-date information, sage advice, relatable case studies, and a promise that YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Menopause got you dazed and confused? You’ve come to the right place. Are You There, God? It’s Me, In Menopause will let you know you’re not alone and you’re definitely not losing it—despite the brain fog. Every page delivers validation, practical information, and you-know-what-I-mean humor for the hormonal journey. Find answers to more than eighty questions you’ve probably asked or silently wondered, including:

• Is almost drowning in my sweat normal?
• What’s the real story on HRT?
• Is panic at the disco, grocery store, and everywhere I go a peri thing?
• Why is every ounce hitting my middle?
• Will my vagina ever return from the desert?
• Why is menopause so exhausting?
• What can I do when menopause collides with my work?
• Is there a happily ever after?

For years, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was the medically approved way to alleviate menopausal symptoms (ranging from hot flushes to brain fog) and reduce the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and osteoporosis. But when a large study by the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) announced, with national fanfare, that women taking HRT had an increased risk of breast cancer, women were scared off, and the treatment was abandoned.

Now, Dr. Bluming, a medical oncologist, and Dr. Tavris, a social psychologist, reveal the true story of the WHI’s efforts to distort their data to exaggerate unsupported claims of estrogen’s harms. Important updates in this edition include:

• Evidence that demolishes the WHI’s claim that HRT causes breast cancer. 
• A list of the WHI’s retractions of their original scare stories. 
• Updated findings on estrogen’s benefits on heart, brain, bones, and longevity. 
• A critical review of the alternative products and medications being marketed to treat symptoms of menopause.

Elinor Cleghorn became an unwell woman ten years ago. She was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease after a long period of being told her symptoms were anything from psychosomatic to a possible pregnancy. As Elinor learned to live with her unpredictable disease she turned to history for answers, and found an enraging legacy of suffering, mystification, and misdiagnosis.

In Unwell Women, Elinor Cleghorn traces the almost unbelievable history of how medicine has failed women by treating their bodies as alien and other, often to perilous effect. The result is an authoritative and groundbreaking exploration of the relationship between women and medical practice, from the “wandering womb” of Ancient Greece to the rise of witch trials across Europe, and from the dawn of hysteria as a catchall for difficult-to-diagnose disorders to the first forays into autoimmunity and the shifting understanding of hormones, menstruation, menopause, and conditions like endometriosis.  

The Menopause Brain is the first book to address the many ways that menopause impacts a woman’s cognitive and mental wellbeing — and to frame brain health as an essential component of Women’s Health.

Menopause and perimenopause are still a black box to most doctors, leaving patients exasperated as they grapple with symptoms ranging from hot flashes to insomnia to brain fog.

As a leading neuroscientist and women’s brain health specialist, Dr. Mosconi, unravels these mysteries by revealing how menopause doesn’t just impact the ovaries—it’s a hormonal show in which the brain takes center stage.

Dr. Mosconi dispels the myth that menopause signifies an end, demonstrating that it’s actually a transition. Contrary to popular belief, if we know how to take care of ourselves during menopause, we can emerge with a renewed, enhanced brain—ushering in a meaningful and vibrant new chapter of life.

Menopause is inevitable, but suffering through it is not! This is the empowering approach to self-advocacy that pioneering women’s health advocate Dr. Mary Claire Haver takes for women in the midst of hormonal change in The New Menopause. A sweeping, authoritative book of science-backed information and lived experience, it covers every woman’s needs:

• From changes in your appearance and sleep patterns to neurological, musculoskeletal, psychological, and sexual issues, a comprehensive A to Z toolkit of science-backed options for coping with symptoms.
• What to do to mediate the risks associated with your body’s natural drop in estrogen production, including for diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and weight gain.
• How to advocate and prepare for annual midlife wellness visits, including questions for your doctor and how to insist on whole life care.
• The very latest research on the benefits and side effects of hormone replacement therapy.