Mother-Daughter Wisdom: Creating a Legacy of Physical and Emotional Health [Hardcover]

Christiane Northrup (Author)

Book Description

Release date: February 22, 2005

With such groundbreaking bestsellers as Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause, Dr. Christiane Northrup is one of today’s most trusted and visionary medical experts. Now she presents her most profound and revolutionary approach to women’s health. . . .

The mother-daughter relationship sets the stage for our state of health and well-being for our entire lives. Because our mothers are our first and most powerful female role models, our most deeply ingrained beliefs about ourselves as women come from them. And our behavior in relationships—with food, with our children, with our mates, and with ourselves—is a reflection of those beliefs. Once we understand our mother-daughter bonds, we can rebuild our own health, whatever our age, and create a lasting positive legacy for the next generation.

Mother-Daughter Wisdom introduces an entirely new map of female development, exploring the “five facets of feminine power,” which range from the basics of physical self-care to the discovery of passion and purpose in life. This blueprint allows any woman—whether or not she has children—–to repair the gaps in her own upbringing and create a better adult relationship with her mother. If she has her own daughter, it will help her be the mother she has always wanted to be.

Drawing on patient case histories and personal experiences, Dr. Northrup also presents findings at the cutting edge of medicine and psychology. Discover:

•How to lay the nutritional foundation to prevent eating disorders and adult diseases
•The truth about the immunization controversy–and the true meaning of immunity
•How we can change our genetic health legacy
•Why financial literacy is essential to women’s health
•How to foster healthy sexuality and future “love maps” in our daughters
•How to balance independence with caring, and individual growth with family ties

Written with warmth, enthusiasm, and rare intelligence, Mother-Daughter Wisdom is an indispensable book destined to change lives and become essential reading for all women.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It's a rare book that delivers so completely on such a broad promise. Mother-Daughter Wisdom is written to connect the dots between a number of separate parts: logical and emotional morality, physical and mental health, friends and family, and in an overarching sense, the relationship between being a woman's daughter and raising a daughter of your own.

Because of the scope of information presented, it can be tricky to pick up the book and look for quick guidance on a particular topic such as adolescent weight issues or childhood asthma; more use, and more pleasure, will be found if you add it to your permanent reference shelf to look through in stages. Author Dr. Christiane Northup (Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom) seamlessly blends personal stories with clear research in a way that creates a compelling read from start to finish, even if the specific topic isn't necessarily one that concerns you. Information is a welcome mix of old school medical advice and new school nutrition and stress relief. In Northup's world, whole foods and loving communication can play just as important roles as antibiotics.

The book is categorized somewhat loosely by age, beginning with pregnancy and labor, and continuing through infancy, childhood, adolescence and young adulthood. Each section is quite specifically tuned to relating to daughters: Mothers of sons will get some use out of sections on breastfeeding, vaccinations and the like, but emotional concerns and physical recommendations are tailor-made for women and girls, right down to the resource guide that ends the book. By itself, that resource guide is an excellent starting point for further reading, both online and in print. When added to the whole, it is just one more reason you'll reach for the book on a regular basis. Jill Lightner

Amazon.com Exclusive Content

Applying the unique holistic approach that made Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause such transforming forces in the lives of millions of readers, Dr. Northrup has created an uplifting, enlightening, entirely new map of female development. Mother-Daughter Wisdom blends soulful truths with groundbreaking clinical discoveries to help women of all ages thoroughly rebuild their health. Whether coming to terms with a painful memory, letting go of harmful beliefs about themselves, or celebrating the love that is passed down from mother to daughter, generation after generation, readers of this book will come to see this intimate bond in a completely new light. Dr. Northrup has provided Amazon.com customers with exclusive discussion topics and questions, intended to enrich your reading of this important and inspiring book. Download Amazon.com exclusive content now [PDF].

From Publishers Weekly

The author of the bestselling The Wisdom of Menopause and a certified ob/gyn takes a more expansive look at women's health and how the mother-daughter relationship affects it in this opinionated handbook-cum-memoir. Northrup's philosophy that "our bodies and our beliefs about them were formed in the soil of our mother's emotions, beliefs, and behaviors" may turn off some readers, while others may take issue with her comment that "some men fear either they or their wives are inferior if they cannot have a son." These theories aren't backed up as much by scientific evidence (although in the latter example, Northrup does cite a 1975 study) as by anecdotes from her life as a mother of two daughters and her experiences with her patients. The book's opening section ("the Foundation of Mother-Daughter Health," i.e., pregnancy) mixes obvious health tips (e.g., don't drink alcohol while pregnant) with more informative ones (e.g., take prenatal vitamins such as beta carotene and folic acid). Northrup seems more comfortable when she moves on to discussing how a mother can most effectively take care of her daughter's emotional and physical health from the ages of three months to 21 years old, and her best and most heartfelt advice is on dealing with teenage daughters. She suggests moms not become their daughters' social directors, and that they hold daughters accountable. Nuggets like these are certainly valuable; it's unfortunate that they're buried in such a massive and uneven outlay of information.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 752 pages
• Publisher: Bantam; First Edition edition (February 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553105736
• ISBN-13: 978-0553105735
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.8 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #613,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Christiane Northrup, M.D., a board-certified ob/gyn, is a visionary pioneer, beloved authority in women's health and wellness, and the author of the ground breaking New York Times bestsellers Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause. Her third book, Mother-Daughter Wisdom, was voted Amazon's #1 book of 2005 (in two categories). In The Secret Pleasures of Menopause and The Secret Pleasures of Menopause Playbook, Dr. Northrup teaches how to experience joy, pleasure, prosperity, fulfillment, and vibrant health. Her children's book, Beautiful Girl, brings her positive message to the youngest of girls. Her books have been translated into 24 languages.

Following a 25-year career in both academic medicine and private practice, Dr. Northrup now devotes her time to inspiring women worldwide to truly flourish on all levels through tapping into their inner wisdom. She does this through speaking engagements, on Facebook, in e-newsletters, on her weekly Hay House internet radio show Flourish!, in television appearances and specials.

Don't miss Dr. Northrup's cutting-edge information. Follow Dr. Christiane Northrup on Facebook, Twitter, and at www.drnorthrup.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 104 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Awesome Book! Mothers of Daughters: Get This Book! July 9, 2005

By AMom

Format:Hardcover

First off, this book makes a great gift to anyone you know who has a daughter regardless of age. It makes a great baby shower gift, also.

I just want to start by saying, I first saw this book and I skimmed through it, but didn't buy it. I was very skeptical. I am a well read individual and I was thinking: "I don't need another lame self help book by some would be expert that sits on my shelf that I never read. My daughter's five: there is a bunch of birth, pregnancy stuff in the book. I am past those stages and don't need a book that covers stuff I don't need."

However, I ended up going back and getting the book. I am SO glad I did.

Now I am here to say: this book is amazing. Reading the book made me want to read all of her books. I took so many notes and have already started using some of what she wrote.

For those of you who consider yourself Moms who care about being good Moms, this book is a great compass for how to raise your daughters well. It doesn't matter whether your child is young, not born yet, a teenager, or full grown or if you are a Grandmother; you will be glad you read this book. I am so glad Christine Northrup wrote this book: she has fabulous ideas and covers just about every topic imaginable.

She has a great resource section, and incredible reference section (her book is well researched) and honestly, there are not any books like this one on the market.

I love how she weaves spiritual ideas with psychological ideas and how she covers all possible topics on how to raise your daughter with a well rounded well being....

Moreover, this book gets you thinking about how you were raised, gets you thinking about how you parent yourself and makes you think hard about how the woman you are is the role model for the woman your daughter is going to become.

This book is one of the *best* parenting books I have read. I can not recommend it highly enough. It's brilliant. I loved the seven areas of self esteem, how to handle sexuality in the media, how to handle sexuality,and the section on teaching your daughter inner wisdom is unequalled and something every daughter should learn at an early age as soon as possible.

This book also validated choices I have made regarding her upbringing. This book helps any mother lay down a foundation for a great mother-daughter lifetime relationship as well as helps a mother improve her relationship with her self.

I know I am going to refer back to this book over and over as my daughter grows. Read more ›

98 of 106 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Like having a wise friend who's been down the road before March 4, 2005

By Sunny Hersh Author of Midlife Mamas on the Moon

Format:Hardcover

Dr. Northrup has combined her clinical experience with research, insight, and personal experience in her other books. I feel like a friend of hers who has been privileged to share in her professional life, her menopause, her divorce, and her new singlehood. In Mother-Daughter Wisdom, she continues this process by examining this special relationship from birth to adulthood, from nutrition to sexuality to self image. That's a big topic and there's lots of practical stuff you can use, but I think the most important aspect is the way she gets you to think about your relationships. She can actually save you a lot of time by helping you look at your relationship with your mother through her analysis of her own mother. Her take on Mother Bear behavior, developing a love map, the meaning of your daughter's idol worship, and defining how to feel safe will give you many AHA moments. She is that really smart, accomplished friend you wish you could hang out with, and reading this book is the next best thing. Raise your emotional intelligence quotient in one fell swoop with this book!

47 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars phenominal book March 20, 2005

By spellingwitch

Format:Hardcover

I am new to Dr. Northrup having caught the accompanying TV special to this book on cable. She is a fantastic speaker, and the book is equally compelling. I find myself treating it like a textbook and underlining/starring things I want to return to and never forget, the insights are so amazing. There is a slight new-agey-ness to it (she talks about Chinese medicine, chakras, etc.) which bothered me a little at first, but I trusted her credibility as an M.D. as well. The more I read the more I realize, why do we discredit the wisdom of other cultures with thousands of years more experience than ours (China, India, Native Americans)? there is probably something of value in them as well so I trust Dr. Northrup's judgment. She and her daughters seem very happy and well-adjusted so that's a good sign. This book is definitely a must-read for all women, and I'm considering buying copies for my sisters and mother.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A new approach to female relationships January 12, 2006

By archaeoamy

Format:Hardcover

I asked for this book because I thought it would give advice on how to raise daughters--it does--and more. Dr. Northrup begins by explaining how mothers and daughters are connected through the generations, and how we can only create a healthy relationship with our daughter when we heal our relationship with our mother. As we heal ourselves, we heal all the women who have gone on before us. This is only a sample of some of the insight she offers into our relationships as women. I'll admit I was surprised by the holistic approach she takes, but am glad she offers that insight, as I'm only vaguely familiar with some of the ideas/theories and believe I have more to grow in that area.

Rather than a book geared towards raising children (I've read my share--and I thought that's what this book would be) I would categorize this book as a self-help book geared toward strengthening and creating a healthy relationship with your mother and daughter. Very pleased with everything I've read.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An awesome lesson for all women to learn October 23, 2005

By Valeria Lea Davenport

Format:Hardcover

I couldn't wait to get the book after seeing Dr. Northrup and her talk on PBS. I read the book twice to get as much info as i could and I am sure that I'll be reading it a few more times. As an expectant mother I am eager to learn as much as possible about the role and responsibility of motherhood, especially things that I didn't learn as a daughter. I don't fault my mother but we have both grown through the simple changes of thought that come from this book. I also highly recommend the PBS talk to take time to grow individually as both mother and daughter. A great read and a wise approach to motherhoood and daughterhood.