The M Word

Book excerpt: A handbook for understanding, embracing and (even) enjoying the rite of passage that is peri-menopause and menopause; outlines the experience, the medical science, treatment options and home remedies; written by a practicing GP and media doctor who has just turned 50 herself. Night sweats, hot flushes, anxiety, insomnia, exhaustion, itchy skin, low libido, painful sex … Any of these sound familiar? Ninety per cent of women experience these symptoms some time between the ages of 40 and 60, but shhhhhhh … just suck it up, princess. And nobody mention the M word. Menopause and perimenopause (the hormonal rollercoaster years leading up to a woman's last period) are among our last taboo subjects. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) - once widely prescribed as the magical secret of youth - has been shunned by women and their doctors for two decades. Dr Ginni Mansberg, one of Australia's most trusted health and wellbeing experts, is here to work through the evidence and bust the taboos out of the water. The M Word is all about you and your choices. Are you being offered the best solutions for your menopause issues? Because there are great solutions to help you thrive in this new stage of life. What happens to your body once key hormones begin to diminish? What are the pros and cons of HRT? Which home remedies are worth a shot, and which are snake oil? Plus, how can you shift that menopause weight gain, what's best for your changing skin, how can you exercise your brain (move over, Sudoku) and why are you so bloody itchy all the time? All of this and more is delivered with Dr Ginni's no-nonsense humour and backed up with evidence-based facts and personal anecdotes to help women make informed choices.