Customer Reviews

Taking Back the Month: A Personalized Solution for Managing PMS and Enhancing Your Health

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I am a menopausal mother with a pubescent daughter. Both of us are free of hormonal troubles, thanks largely to the advice of this terrific book. It is so full of facts and figures, from both regular and alternative medicine. It covers every possible scenario. I can't imagine anyone that couldn't find a solution for their specific needs. This book is easy to use because each chapter relates to your specific interest, or you can read it cover to cover, which I suggest, since it has great advice on living a successful, healthful, stress free life. I particularly like how, at the end of a chapter, you're given ways to assess your condition and "to do" lists that help solve specific problems. It's written in an easy to understand conversational style. I've given it to both my sisters and many of my friends.

Taylor and Colino have written an excellent research-based guide to managing PMS. I have used the examples and guides found in the book to teach women in the clinical setting, and I have used it to teach nurse practitioner students about options for PMS management. I particularly like the straight forward suggestions that target healthy lifestyle choices. Women who follow the diet, exercise, and stress management guidelines that effectively manage symptoms of PMS have the added benefit of knowing they are contributing to their overall health. Thank you for this wonderful contribution to women's health.

Not only does Taking Back the Month dispel the mysteries and wives tales surrounding the subject of PMS, but more importantly it delivers the tools to take control, rather than to surrender control, over your body and well being.

I bought Dr. Taylor's book as soon as it came out and it's been an immensely helpful guide in helping me (along with the help of my therapist and ob/gyn) realize how powerful hormones can be - it's been a huge relief to realize that it's not "all in my head"! I found the exercises, especially the PMS tracking chart, to be very insightful. If PMS or PMDD is an issue for you and you like self-help books, I highly recommend Taking Back the Month.

I'm one of those women who have the super painful cramps and PMS that makes you think there isn't such thing as a "happy period." My OB-GYN harped on me for two years to buy this book before I finally gave it. And it was a good investment.

This isn't always an easy read, but it contains a lot of good information on the science and phyiology of the menstrual cycle and the issues that came come from it. Some of it seems to be common sense, but where this book stands out is that it offers charts for tracking symptoms, suggestions for making sense of what you are feeling, and information on what to do with all of it. It also addresses the mental and emotional aspects and fallout.

I recommend this book for women who are in that "in between" zone where the diagnosis is vague and managing symptoms seems to be the key.

After spending years going to multiple doctors seeking relief for multiple problems associated with my cycle this book actually helped me take charge and change my life. I purchased it a year ago, tried several of the recommended vitamin supplements and drastically saw improvement. Granted it takes some time and the most important part of the book is "Charting". If you read this section first and begin keeping up with everything as you continue to read the book it will reduce the amount of time it takes to reach your goal. Also, with recommendations of supplements you may find that some don't work for you. It will take some tweaking, but overall this book helped me where my doctors couldn't or wouldn't. Getting the hormone saliva test may get you some much needed information that can help you to feeling ~normal all month long~. Good luck!