The Estrogen Decision: Self Help Book (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Our body produces three hormones that support the normal functioning of the reproductive tract and menstrual cycle..." (more)
Key Phrases: active reproductive years, stressful picture, bladder atrophy, United States, New England Journal of Medicine, British Medical (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Women have been relying on Susan Lark's self-help books on women's health issues for years. Now she addresses the major concern of women in menopause: whether or not to go on estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). "This decision has no 'one right answer,'" says Lark, because every woman is different in her symptoms, health needs, risks, and tolerance of ERT. Lark presents not just ERT, but also alternative therapies and treatment options, so each woman can make an informed decision.

Lark's style is personal, direct, and clear as she unravels the facts about hormone replacement (she's basically in favor of it), benefits and drawbacks of various treatments, menopausal symptoms and their causes, physical changes, and heart disease risk. She also discusses dietary changes that lessen menopausal symptoms--not just the usual "eat right," but specific foods that ease symptoms and others that worsen symptoms, with meal plans and a few recipes. Nutritional supplements, herbs, stress reduction, exercise advice, yoga postures, acupressure--it's all here. You'll come away feeling like you've had a personal consultation with this renowned doctor, an introduction to several alternatives, and a clearer picture of the course you want to follow. --Joan Price

Product Description

Millions of women in America are making the estrogen decision every day. But recent conflicting data has made the choices more complicated. Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, has been hurled into the eye of a controversial medical and media hurricane. Dr. Susan Lark has unraveled fact from fiction and presents the confused reader with clear information, weighing the obvious benefits against both the immediate and long-term side effects. Because each woman is physiologically unique, there is no right or wrong choice. But by presenting all the options, Dr. Lark can help the reader make an informed health care decision.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Celestial Arts; Rev Upd edition (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890877769
• ISBN-13: 978-0890877760
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,326,363 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent discussion of menopausal "management" options., July 1, 1999

By A Customer

Well written and to the point, this book ably explains what women need to know about available options for dealing with menopause-related symptoms and conditions. I particularly liked the meal-planning and recipe section. I normally don't even read this part of a book, but this one is different. The recipes are very creative in the way they incorporate healthful ingredients such as flax meal and tofu. The one area in which I found the book lacking--and the reason I didn't rate it as 5 stars--was its failure to even mention Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy (as espoused by Jonathan Wright, M.D.).

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good info but weak in alternatives, August 26, 2000

By A Customer

I have found most of Dr. Lark's books to be professionally thorough and have turned to them numerous times. This time, however, I was a bit disappointed. She is too tentative in her exploration/explanation of alternative or natural nutritional supplements to see us through menopause. I am in the perimenopausal stage and have referred to my favorite site, iHerb, for alternatives. Based on iHerb's information, I have started on a Black Cohosh blend and a wild yam cream that is helping. Stay away from DHEA, but go with the other, natural phytoestregers that iHerb offers and check out other books that are a bit braver in their endorsement of these alternatives.