Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause: A Guide to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Health at Midlife and Beyond (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Woman's lives are deeply affected by the ebb and flow of their hormones-those mysterious and miraculous molecules that deliver vital messages via the bloodstream from..." (more)
Key Phrases: two folded blankets, yoga research, wall ropes, Deep Relaxation Pose, Downward-Facing Dog Pose, Supported Legs Up the Wall Pose (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Among the key volumes for women seeking help from yoga in negotiating crucial life passages." -- Yoga Journal, Sept/Oct. 2003

This latest work from Suza Francina -- registered yoga therapist, certified Iyengar teacher, and author of The New Yoga for People Over 50 (Health Communications, 1997) -- is poised to join the auspicious ranks of The Woman's Book of Yoga, by Linda Sparrowe and Patricia Walden (Shambala, 2002), among the key volumes for women seeking help from yoga in negotiating crucial life passages. Francina provides both how-to practice guidance and encouragement in plentiful portions. "Yoga can help us move joyfully into the second half of our lives," she writes, and her enthusiasm invites the reader to partake in the wisdom that follows.

Francina devotes most of the book to examining the role yoga can play in promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being in the face of dramatic hormonal changes, the potential for and onset of osteoporosis, and even the experience (and possible avoidance) of cancer and heart disease. She thoughtfully presents scientific research and her own experiences as a yoga teacher -- and a woman -- alongside the testimony of more than a dozen radiant "women of a certain age" who embody the vitality that yoga can help cultivate. The rest of the book (about 50 pages) outlines a compact but well-rounded practice that even a newcomer can readily begin exploring.

This practice is divided into several section: restorative poses for "crossing the menopausal bridge," supported weight bearing poses, supported standing poses, simple seated poses and relaxing lying down poses, hanging and backbending poses that require props, and poses "to learn under the guidance of an experienced teacher." Helpful appendixes, including an extensive list of resources and an exhaustive bibilography, are included. Taken together, the many elements of Francina's book constitute a highly readable and extremely helpful guide for women approaching, navigating, or reflecting on menopause, and those who love them.

(Yoga Journal )

This latest work from Suza Francina -- registered yoga therapist, certified Iyengar teacher, and author of The New Yoga for ... -- Review

This latest work from Suza Francina -- registered yoga therapist, certified Iyengar teacher, and author of The New Yoga for People Over 50 (Health Communications, 1997) -- is poised to join the auspicious ranks of The Woman's Book of Yoga, by Linda Sparrowe and Patricia Walden (Shambala, 2002), among the key volumes for women seeking help from yoga in negotiating crucial life passages. Francina provides both how-to practice guidance and encouragement in plentiful portions. Yoga can help us move joyfully into the second half of our lives, she writes, and her enthusiasm invites the reader to partake in the wisdom that follows. Francina devotes most of the book to examining the role yoga can play in promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being in the face of dramatic hormonal changes, the potential for and onset of osteoporosis, and even the experience (and possible avoidance) of cancer and heart disease. She thoughtfully presents scientific research and her own experiences as a yoga teacher -- and a woman -- alongside the testimony of more than a dozen radiant women of a certain age who embody the vitality that yoga can help cultivate. The rest of the book (about 50 pages) outlines a compact but well-rounded practice that even a newcomer can readily begin exploring. This practice is divided into several section: restorative poses for crossing the menopausal bridge, supported weight bearing poses, supported standing poses, simple seated poses and relaxing lying down poses, hanging and backbending poses that require props, and poses to learn under the guidance of an experienced teacher. Helpful appendixes, including an extensive list of resources and an exhaustive bibilography, are included. Taken together, the many elements of Francina's book constitute a highly readable and extremely helpful guide for women approaching, navigating, or reflecting on menopause, and those who love them. (Yoga Journal )

Product Description

Yoga expert Suza Francina offers women a natural solution for becoming physically, emotionally and spiritually stronger.

"Hormone Treatment Is Called Harmful"-Washington Post, 7/10/02 "Estrogen Use Linked to Higher Cancer Risk"-Boston Globe, 7/17/02

31.2 million women facing menopause in America are concerned by these headlines. Most women today will live over one-third of their lives post-menopausal, but what about the age-old solution of hormone replacement therapy? In 2002 the U.S. government halted a major study of hormone therapy because it increased the risk of invasive breast cancer. Now, millions of women are left wondering whether they should approach menopause without hormones, suffering from hot flashes and low sex drive or take hormones and live in fear of being another statistic. Suza Francina has a simpler solution: Yoga.

In this practical book, Francina, a leading yogi and author of The New Yoga for People Over 50, shows how yoga can be a powerful tool to help women turn menopause into a positive and empowering experience, both physically and spiritually. Included are easy-to-follow indexed photos of yoga poses that alleviate key menopausal problems including: hormonal changes; hot flashes; irregular bleeding; fibroids; stress and anxiety; mood swings; depression and fatigue; bone loss; heart disease and cancer.

Francina delivers a timely and truly heartening message to women: you don't have to get weaker or depressed when facing menopause, it can truly be an empowering, restorative time.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: HCI (April 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0757300650
• ISBN-13: 978-0757300653
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #138,895 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause, July 18, 2003

By	"beehive332" - See all my reviews

I read Suza Francina's book, "Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause" because I am a yoga student and a menopausal women. I am also a nurse working in women's healthcare. I was pleasantly suprised to find that this book helped me on a personal level as well as a professional level.
The book is a wealth of information that can answer many questions regarding menopause and what our bodies might endure.
The book explains how yoga can support one's health during the menopause transition. Topic's discussed are hormonal balance, fatique, hot flahes, pelvic health, osteoporosis, cancer, and heart disease. The book shows how yoga can help women with any of these health concerns. The yoga poses suggested to relieve side effects of menopause are clearly described and illustrated with photographs.
This book is very inspiring and I highly recommend it to my associates, clients and friends.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource, June 17, 2003

By	Carin A. Seebold (Beaumont, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Whether you are premenopausal, menopausal or post menopausal, Suza Francina's newest book has something for you. "Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause" offers advice and specific yoga poses to practice for hormonal changes, mood swings, fatigue, hot flashes, osteoporosis, stress and heart health among others. I was adamantly opposed to HRT and feel practicing yoga during my premenopausal years made my transition so much easier. I loved Suza's first book, "The New Yoga for People Over 50", and this new one is filled to the brim with her research on menopause and how yoga can be used as a tool to balance the effects of the natural hormonal and glandular changes of menopause. I consider it an excellent resource and highly recommend it for women seeking alternative methods of dealing with this natural mid-life transition.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Soulful Namaste' to Suza for sharing her Wisdom!, September 13, 2003

By	"mpatriceyoga" (Ojai, CA Ojai, CA.) - See all my reviews

It is an honor to write a review for Suza Francina's new book Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause. I began my yoga practice with Suza over 20 years ago. Her inspiration led me to train as an Iyengar yoga instructor. After practicing with her through our pregnancies,we even gave birth on the same day! Now at the threshold of our menopausal years,I find her newest tome to be an invaluable resource for myself as well as many of my students.Her experience,along with many of her students personal stories invite the reader to feel less isolated and at ease as we make this transitional journey together. The technical aspect of the book is superb with clearly defined directions and the use of supportive props,thereby encouraging the deep restorative effect while remaining in the pose for a longer period of time. Suza has also chosen a variety of models who represent all body types. This dispells an old myth of the "perfect yoga body."Again, this illustrates her inclusivity as she celebrates and invites all women from every walk of life to nurture and balance themselves emotionally, physically and spiritually. I have watched her over the years experiment, resarch and gather her material to write this enlightening book. She has come back up from the depths of her study with an extraordinary pearl.