Embracing Menopause Naturally: Stories Portraits and Recipes

We are all too familiar with its symptoms: hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness and more. While menopause triggers many physical and emotional changes, it also brings forth spiritual issues that, for many women, mark a redefinition of the feminine self. To address the total impact of menopause, Gabriele Kushi has created a supportive, practical and personal guide to dealing with this time in a woman’s life. The author first provides a clear understanding of the overall process of menopause, from biological changes to emotional and spiritual challenges. She then goes on to offer research-based nutritional guidelines that can help relieve and overcome menopausal symptoms, as well as healthy kitchen-tested recipes based on a natural foods diet. However, it is the stories and portraits of twenty menopausal women that are at the heart and soul of the book. In their own words, these beautiful women share their diverse experiences with the reader. They relate their backgrounds, discuss their children and grandchildren and detail how and when they noticed their first menopausal symptoms, as well as what they did to alleviate them. Some turned to their traditional cultural rituals for affirmation of this phase of life, while others sought alternative or conventional medicine. The reader learns how the passage affected each woman’s quality of life and how she ultimately expressed her new self. Embracing Menopause Naturally is a true companion for any woman who wants to nurture her own spiritual growth, adopt a natural foods diet and enjoy good health throughout the midlife years and beyond.