Among many publications on menopause this book is
unique since this book is a preferred book to read by women
who are going to face menopause in the recent future. It
may also be worthwhile keeping this book on the desk of the menopause practitioners for management of menopause
and counseling of the perimenopausal women visiting their
clinic.
This Book titled” Finding Your Balance, Your 360° Guide to Perimenopause and Beyond” authored by Dr. Nozer Sheriar and Shonali Sabherwal was released on November 7, 2022.
The book has a foreword by famous actor and member of parliament, Hema Malini who shares her views about menopause and this book.
It is interesting to read praise of this book by many celebrities and menopause practitioners. Book outline makes it easier for the readers to navigate through this book. Introduction is very neatly written guiding women for their journey through menopause. Shonali Sabherwal shares her own experiences, whereas Dr. Nozer Sheriar narrates the stories of his patients.
There are 4 parts of this book spread across 428 pages each part focusing on a specific area about menopause. The first part deals with preparing oneself to Navigate the Perimenopause. The first four chapters cover the basics about midlife hormones and their impact on the body, preparing to tackle midlife barriers. Last chapter of part 1 gives the symptomatology and understanding the rating of menopause symptoms on a scale of 1–4 (menopause rating scale). It also outlines the knowledge about menstrual irregularities and other relevant disorders. Important tips on how to handle these issues are useful for the readers.
Part 2 is titled Deconstructing Clinical Situations and Understanding Treatment Options. It describes symptomatology in detail, physiology of menopause and, its impact on various parts of the body. The physiology is explained in the simple language that women will comprehend easily. It covers information on vasomotor disturbances, skin health, bone health, urogenital issues, sexual health, cardiac problems and cancers in menopause. The fertility options and contraception choices are also discussed in detail. The menopausal obstetrics and the associated risks and benefits are discussed which will benefit women wanting to explore options of assisted reproduction. Risks of Premature ovarian insufficiency are explained well in this section. The last chapter of part two deals with the very controversial and complex issue of Menopausal hormone therapy.
Part three deals with diet and exercise and overall tips on how to handle weight issues. Main target audience being midlife women, all the three chapters are very relevant to these women. The hormone transformation diet and exercise are described in an exhaustive manner along with illustrations and line diagrams. To make it more user friendly, the authors have provided recipes which would be ideal for the midlife women.
Part Four is titled as Guidance from Experts in which Dr. Kiran Kaur Sethi advises about how to take care of Skin. Leeza Mangaldas gives insights about preserving sexuality She shares her own experiences and those of her friends too! Chapter wise bibliography helps for further reading. Authors have referred to all the online resources including Indian menopause society guidelines. [1] Global consensus statements [2, 3] are important references which could have been added.
There are many online and offline risk assessment models for midlife women which will help them make an informed decision for or against menopausal hormone therapy which may be included in the next edition of the book. Overall, it makes a good read and complete source/guide for menopausal women.
