Women's Health Books

I found this book very eye-opening on many topics, from the monthly hormonal cycle to the effects of the pill to menarche rituals and menopause. Lots of the information here will be new to even well-educated women, and can help them improve their lives and sex lives. After reading and rereading this book, I bought copies for my 3 sisters and my mother.

This is truly the best book I have ever read. I not only learned so much about my own body but also that of my mom, and what she is physically and emotionally going through. I learned that other women can relate to some of my experiences and I no longer feel alone. I have learned to honor and respect my body and the monthly changes that I go through, and to appreciate those changes. I am going to teach my daughter that having her period is not something to dread, but something to celebrate. I plan to buy this book for my 18 year old niece and my mom.

In Women's Sexual Passages: Finding Pleasure And Intimacy At Every Stage Of Life, midwife and women's health care provider Elizabeth Davis draws upon her many years of experience and expertise to provide a frank and intimate overview of female sexuality and its evolution over a lifetime. She shows how women's sexuality is connected to (and affected by) childbirth, child rearing, stress, grief, and creativity. Her commentary on such issues as sex during menstruation, after childbirth, after menopause, after rape, after infidelity, and the sexuality of celibacy are both candid and informative. By tracing women's sexual cycles through the course of a lunar month and a developmental lifetime, Women's Sexual Passages is a welcome and recommended contribution to personal and women's studies that is enriched for readers with poetry, invocations of ancient goddesses, traces of ritual and herbal wisdom, along with fully up-to-date presentations on endometriosis and PMS.

I was referred to this book by my midwife (Debra O'Conner) as a book that I had to read as it's content was so "right on" and was she ever right. I know alot about my body. I am a licensed massage therapist and a mother of a 3 year old that I had at home. I spent hours and hours learning about my body during the childbirth process. That was great knowledge to add to the physiology I learned during my massage training. This book though, is something that every woman in our culture today should read. I now understand so much about my life and the directions it has taken! I hope to give this to everyone I know who has a daughter. I hope they will read it for themselves and then pass in on to their daughters when they feel the time is right. Our culture today is so lacking in this kind of positive message. It is women's reality and needs to be shared. Of course it is written by a Midwife! Thank you Elizabeth!

This program really works the thighs. I wish it was available as a video.

I checked this book out of my local library, and used it for the specified time; three times a week for 30 minutes. The exercise directions are clear, and best of all, the exercises themselves do not require much space or equipment; just a chair and a rubber ball. With the help of this program, I was able to fit into my wedding dress!

This program of exercises is definitely not for lazy people.
But if you really follow all the instructions you WILL get perfect results in a couple of weeks. The more you work on it, the more you are inspired by changes in your look.

I'm 26. Now my butts, thighs, legs look better then they looked when I was 15 :) Amazing!
Highly recomended.
(A little secret: You have to be hard on yourself doing the program)
Good luck!

After these exercises my butts, thighs, legs look better then they looked when I was a high school student. Amazing! :)
The more you do the program of exercises the more you are inspired by the changes in your look.

If you want the results you have to follow all the instructions carefully and you have to be hard on yourself. This program does miracles with your legs if you do "work your butts" :)

Good luck!

I've been doing yoga for over 30 years and have read a lot of yoga books. This is the first book I've found that really speaks to me as a woman in her early 60s. The author's voice is warm and inviting, the illustrations are easy to follow, and I feel so relaxed and clear after I do one of the recommended practices. Lorraine Schechter, author of "The Seasons of Yes: Poems and Images"

I recently purchased this book and I absolutely love it! I've been practicing yoga since the seventies, but what "worked" back then has not been working for me for quite a while. As we all know, things change a bit for women after we hit fifty and beyond. This practice is superb -- gentle, calming, relaxing yet invigorating, and I don't have to worry about injuring myself. Pat's voice throughout is encouraging and supportive. It is clear that she speaks with wisdom, knowledge, and caring, as well as many years of experience. The variety of routines is ideal and allows you to rotate them depending on your needs or how you feel on a particular day. There is also wonderful information about breathing, meditation, and yoga philosophy, if that interests you. I must add that the drawings in the book are superb. They are clear, uncluttered, and make the postures easy to follow. The artist did an excellent job. Also, Pat includes photos of a number of beautiful women elders, some even in their seventies and beyond, doing poses. What an inspiration! What a fabulous book!

We all know that we've got to keep moving as we age or we'll freeze in place and crack when we go to stand up. Thanks for writing a book that helps me stay motivated and moving. Pamela D. Blair, Author, The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Midlife and Beyond

As soon as I heard this book was available, I ordered a copy and read it. I loved the writing, the descriptions and explanations. The writer's voice is so clear and calming. Reading the book is like listening to a loving yoga teacher. I showed it to the Yoga for Wise Women class I teach and everyone commented how appealing the book was as well. This is an excellent book to guide women in mid-life and beyond in yoga practices that will support their health and well-being.

For those of us who are not in perfect shape, this book is like the answer to a prayer. It's the first book I've ever read that combines fashion tips with fitness tips. It was written by uber jeans model Paige Adams-Geller and fitness expert Ashley Borden. If you have too much junk in the trunk, Paige tells you how to dress to de-emphasize it, and Ashley helps you get rid of it. This really is a bible of tips. It covers fashion, nutrition and exercise, and all the tips are practical and sensible. I've read books that blithely say "Contact a well known local stylist," or "Find that perfect little Dior in a resale shop and accessorise it." Sadly, I live on planet earth where this is not possible. On the other hand, this book provides basic tips on small ways to alter your eating habits, easy to follow fitness and exercise tips, and some good ideas for dressing to emphasize your assets. It explains how to determine your body type and defines the styles that are best
for you ... and more important, how to find clothes that really fit. Regarding nutrition, I especially liked the tips that show how someone can stick to their food plan while on the road for business or holidays ... or if you are dating or married to Mr. Eats Everything and you have to share a table with pizza and pasta on a regular basis.

The fashion tips provided the biggest eye opener. It's amazing how, after reading the book, my sensibility about fit has improved. And it's true...clothes that fit well feel better and make you look better. Paige Adams-Geller is such a sensible woman for a fashionista, I almost forgive her for that model-perfect rear end. I've seen Ashley Borden on TV a couple of times, so I was familiar with her exercise routines. The book sticks to her basic principles of don't bite off more than you can chew when it comes to exercise. Keep it simple and do-able, and you'll stick with it. It's all about doing things in moderation so we don't walk away, and really, that's just good thinking.

And finally, the book does one other smart thing. It's divided into chapters by body part - so flat-chested among us don't have to read it from A to Z and suffer through tips about disguising an overabundant bust before reaching the section on derrieres. The book helped me understand more about my body shape. Instead of the old fashioned "Pear Shaped" or "Hour Glass" -- which nobody really is, the book uses gemstone cuts to define body types, with serious explanations and real measurements to guide where you fit in. I would recommend this book to anyone who is fed up with those super diet books and the recent crop of "Great Style In Five Minutes" type books that assume we are all size zeros, have secret swiss bank accounts, or magical resale shops where people drop off their worn-once couture. This is a good real-world book with real world solutions for real world women and their body/style issues. The book is worth the investment...I figure I save ten times that amount over and
over again every time I don't buy something that's not cut for my body type.

My mom got me this book for my birthday because I love fashion and even though I'd like to think that I already know a lot about style, this book had some great fashion tips that I never even thought of! So this is a great gift for both those who would like a little fashion help and for those who already know a lot (like me!). And even though I'm not that into fitness, I was really inspired by the fitness portion of the book because it seemed so easy. I've already tried some of the excersizes and so far so good! Great book overall!

I got this book from my aunt for christmas and the cool thing is - it kills 2 birds with 1 stone. you don't need to buy 2 books. And the authors talk simply and directly, I learned about a lot of fashion boo boos I was making because of the shape/size of my body. It helped me look at my closet differently.

I just wanted to suggest this read for anyone who struggles with all the conflicting diet/fitness information out there. Ashley breaks things down in the most simplistic and least intimidating manner. I've been following her lead ever since I read this book -- and the results and ease of her program are so encouraging. The pictures are fun...her program and the language in which she breaks things down are so simple....anyone can make it happen for themselves... Thank you Ashley for all the tips and guidance! I'm hoping you'll make an exercise video for all of your readers soon!

This book's friendly, fluid writing style made it very easy and enjoyable to read. Each time I picked it up, I kept reading much longer than I'd intended to. (The medical documentation gave me confidence in the recommendations but didn't intrude on the wonderful conversational style.)
Although I've read several articles and books on fitness, this book gave me enough new, practical information and "sisterly" encouragement to motivate me to resume my walking program.
AND this is the first source that explained the importance of strength training and flexibility exercises in a way that has motivated me to start doing both. The recommended routines are easy to do and require few "props."
Most important, I think, is the authors' caution not to expect to see weight loss right away and to focus on the many other physical and psychological benefits of fitness.
It's occuring to me as I write this that I should give this book as a gift to my two daughters-in-law and to at least two friends...

I just read The 30-Minute Fitness Solution and was truly impressed. It is the first fitness book that provides realistic steps for health and wellness. Rather than preach an all or nothing approach, the book stresses the small steps we can fit into our days and weeks to boost our bodies and our minds. I am a busy person and if I think anything will be a burden, I run from it. In reading the approaches suggested by Ms. Amend and Dr. Manson, I feel like I actually can fit fitness into my life without much of an effort or sacrifice. That's a big lesson for me. In fact, I was so inspired by the book I joined a fitness club and find it to be highly pleasurable.

The book also speaks to readers in a way that is motivating not condescending or scolding. The authors well understand that sometimes we slip on our exercise regimes, and they don't give us slack about it. Rather they provide steps for how to get back on track on our own schedule.

All in all this is one of the best books I've read on fitness.

As a Fitness Director having overseen hundreds of Personal Trainers who have trained literally thousands of women looking for answers to their fitness questions, I find this book extremely useful in helping my team address the needs of our female clientele. Woman have many needs that are often overlooked and The 30-Minute Fitness Solution hits on all of the vital points a lady must have to plan, implement, and continue a healthy, results oriented fitness program. From setting goals, to planning your steps to meet those goals, this book guides you every step of the way. Every client I have recommended read this book, has experienced successes they never thought possible until they followed the insight found within its pages. The language is casual yet scientifically based which makes for an enjoyable and extremely credible reading experience. I would recommend this book to any woman who is trying to make a committment to a healthier and leaner life and body. The 30-Minute Fitness Solution is a must-read book for the lady who is serious about finding the answers to all of her fitness questions and who is tired of the exhausting misinformation that clouds our judgement today.

Though I didn't read the whole thing, this is a good book. It doesn't merely complain about the problems that we women (sadly) still face. It actually provides us with solutions on how to remedy problems ranging from threats to reproductive freedom to pay inequities to racism against women of color, among other things. The book also provides a list of websites, books, and organizations that readers can contact for additional help. At a time when we as women are still facing injustices because of our sex, this book gives us what we need to fight the good fight and achieve justice, dignity, respect, and freedom for us and our sisters.

50 Ways To Improve Women's Lives: The Essential Women's Guide To Achieving Equality, Health, And Success by the National Council of Women's Organizations (a nonpartisan coalition of 200 women's groups representing more than 10 million woman across the United States) addresses a diversity of subjects of particular interest to women including pay equity, reproductive health, child care, racism, education, social responsibilities, political leadership, and more. Very highly recommended and accessible reading, 50 Ways To Improve Women's Lives provides practical advice that will enable the reader to become actively involved in advancing the quality and independence of her life, and to more effectively pursue her personal and professional agendas.

This book gives a great overview of issues that most effect women by sharing stories and facts to illustrate important areas where change needs to occur, from childcare and family issues to equal pay, and women in sports and science.

I found it quick and easy to read--and I have very little time as a working mom!--with practical and doable actions if I so chose. For example, I was appalled to hear about the state of (very little or misleading!) sex education for high school students. Since I have kids about to enter their teens, this issue spoke to me. And it gave several ways for me to get active: by not supporting funding for harmful abstinence programs; asking my elected officials to fund honest and comprehensive sex ed; and then how to make sure my kids develop their own decision-making and critical thinking skills related to sex (and how to talk to them about it!) And this is just one of the 50 Ways... in the book.

I highly recommend this for people who want to get involved but are not sure how--and who don't have time to read huge volumes of books on politics and public policy.

This book was a great resource for us as first time parents. We were both nervous about the many procedures that are preformed during the course of pre-natal care. This book helped to answer the questions that our OB/GYN left kind of hazy, like the AFP Testing & Sonogram. All the procedures were explained in terms you could understand easily & helped ease our minds at each step. We were able to be more comfortable during the procedures & confident we were making the right choices for our baby.

In our society today educated and well-intentioned people have put forth and encouraged the belief that religion and science are as incompatible as oil and water. This is not so. I have had the unique opportunity to participate actively in both disciplines: religion and science. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Denver and a Master of Arts in Theology from Wartburg Theological Seminary. I read Keith and Laurie Wexler's book while researching prenatal diagnosis issues in preparation for a bio-ethics presentation; and, again, as I wrote my Master's Integrative Project paper. In addition to being designed in an easily accessible manner, I found this book to be a valuable resource for anyone, whether in the healthcare field or not, who wishes to receive the best care afforded by today's changing technology and highly-trained specialists. As a guide for pregnancy testing and issues it was reassuring to have a quick reference for important questions during my wife's pregnancy, ultrasound and amniocentesis. The author was careful to present information in a non-biased perspective to avoid offending the reader's own political and religious sensitivities. This is no small matter as there are many books on this subject which are slanted in one direction or another making their use unpalatable regardless of their pertinence to the subject matter. Most importantly, this book helps dispel one regrettable myth held particularly in the religious community, that prenatal diagnosis and testing are useful only in the eventual termination of the unborn child. As a person of business and a theologian, I recommend The ABC's of Prenatal Diagnosis: A Guide to Pregnancy Testing and Issues to anyone preparing for a pregnancy or seeking answers to important questions during pregnancy.

This authoratative guide to pre-natal diagnostic testing is a must for all expecting mothers (and fathers) who want to better understand the choices presented to them by their doctors when it comes to prenatal testing. Finally, an easy to read book on things like:

a. What is an AFP and is high or low a good thing?

b. What are the risks involved with an "Amnio" (short for Amniocentesis)?

c. What is a CVS?

d. What are my options with ectopic pregancies?

e. What should I expect from my insurance companies?

This very informative book helps provide the context for a more effective discussion of options with any OB/GYN, and helps provide insights into the inner workings of the medical industry. Use this guide to help make the best decisions for you and your child.

Excellent little collection of articles that outlines not only why abortion should be legal and accessible, but also details the history of the fight for this right in both the US and Canada. The interview with Dr. Henry Morgentaler who helped spearhead this fight in Canada is touching and exciting. He explains how he just could no longer face turning women in need away, and then, how no Roman Catholic jury could be found that would convict him of breaking the law! José Pérez' answer to an anti-choice reader convincingly establishes the framework, not of women fighting ignorant men, but of social forces battling each other over very different futures for humanity. And he even includes an answer to the "overpopulation/underpopulation" red herring.

It's 2003 and people like me still have to give up a Saturday a month (or more) to help defend an abortion clinic in the USA. We still have to act as escorts so that women can exercise their right to a safe and legal abortion without running a gauntlet of "pro-lifers" wielding ghastly posters and religious icons. I thought of that as I read the small but powerful pamphlet, "Abortion is a Women's Right"; a collection of essays on this fundamental question.
This pocket-sized booklet is filled with excellent, well-developed arguments in defense of a woman's right to choose. In addition, there is an important interview with Dr. Henry Mogentaler, a pioneer fighter in defense of abortion in Canada in the 1970s. Among other things, the doctor, a Holocaust camp survivor, was imprisoned and beaten for his outspoken commitment to abortion rights. He talks about the way things were for women in the 1950s and why we must never go back. If you are looking for a condensed reading on the topic of abortion and women's rights, you can't go wrong in this purchase.

This great pamphlet was written back during the days of the fight to win what was promised in Roe V. Wade. It is needed now more than ever. There is no shilly shallying, or equivocation, no sensitivity to those who want to throttle women, and don't give a damn about living children here. Abortion is part of the right of women to their own humanity, to control their own bodies, to live their own lives, to free themselves of the idea they are baby making machines for some man, for some God, for some government, for someone else. Restrictions on it are a recent 19th and 20th Century capitalist affliction--before the late 19th century only rich people could afford safe abortions-- aimed at producing cannon fodder, and keeping women in their place.
Read this pamphlet and realize this is not a neutral issue. This right stands as the vanguard in the fight for women's rights against the sexism that is fundamental to society. This book explains how this fight fits into the total resistance of working people to the wars, economic crisis, and growing racism and sexism that characterizes capitalism today.

While this book is not always available on Amazon, it is always available from BooksfromPathfinder, an Amazon Z store that you can get to by clicking on New and Used further up this page!

I really enjoyed this book. It is a definite must for all expectant mothers, especially first timers, and anyone anticipating pregnancy. I also think it would be great for Dads as well. I found this book to be thorough, detailed and very easy to read and understand. It is an excellent source of reference for valuable information and answers any and all questions that I may have had. I couldn't think of a thing that wasn't covered in this book. Knowledge is necessary, beneficial and very comforting. To have a book that is this informative and enlightening at this most important time of our lives is truly strengthening. This book addresses all aspects of pregnancy in a user friendly, fun and lighthearted way. I highly recommend this book!

I wish I'd had a book like this around when I was an expectant parent. I'd have read it cover to cover, many times over (which I did, anyway, even though my youngest is now a teenager). That is simply how good this book is.

What makes it a standout:

1. It has sections on EVERY stage of pregnancy, from the very first days to the final trimester. As soon as that pregnancy test comes back positive, an expectant parent could use the detailed list in the first chapters to find the right doctor and hospital, as well as learn what separates one hospital from another. This helps maximize the chances of a good fit in all areas - parent, doctor and hospital.

2. There are case studies based on actual patients along with lively comments from the co-author, herself a mother of five. The combined medical and parental perspectives are a delight to read.

3. The book was co-authored by both a doctor and a parent. One author is a doctor who has delivered over a thousand babies, the other a publisher who is the mother of five children herself. As a result, there is plenty of medical detail combined with down to earth questions and answers, information that anyone can read and understand.

4. First-time parents will be prepared for the physcial and emotional changes that occur in each trimester of pregnancy, from morning sickness to mood swings . Reading this section made me realize yet again how much I could have benefited from this book (and how I could have saved my obstetrician from many a panicky phone call). There is much reassurance here for the first time expectant parent - and even experienced expectant parents may learn something new (I certainly did).

5. All the practical matters are covered, from finding great maternity clothes to dealing with work.

6. Finally, the glossary at the back of the book will keep you from shaking your head and muttering, "Uh-huh..." with a glassy stare when your doc starts throwing around medical terms like 'Rhogham' or 'Pfannestiel skin incision'.

In short, you can't do better than this one. Highly recommended!

There are many great milestones in a woman's life which are easily and happily expected and accepted. The memorable firsts may include first day of school, first dance, first date, first prom, first love and first pregnancy. Most of these rites of passage are joyful events but some are fraught with fear or dread.
Dr. John Q. Adams' Absolute Beginner's Guide to Pregnancy is written specifically to allay the fears of a woman's first pregnancy. Dr. Adams is a Board Certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist who has provided many years of women's health care. His book is a clear, concise, well written work which deals with all aspects of pregnancy and early motherhood. It is easy to read and deals with a plethora of information which is easily understood by the lay reader. All aspects of pregnancy and delivery are clearly explained. The chapters explaining prepregnancy preparation, hospital and caregiver selection are especially informative. Each of the three trimesters of pregnancy specifically provides information on maternal changes and development of the baby. Concerns such as exercise, circumcision, work, breast or bottle feeding anesthesia during labor are presented in a crisp and unbiased fashion. I especially appreciated the labor, delivery and cesarean section chapters
This book is a must for any woman who is pregnant and especially if it is her first time.
I am certain that this tome will become a classic of pregnancy, labor, delivery, newborn baby and after delivery information.

World limnologists predict that the global water supply will, by 2060, cause greater concern to human existence than a shortage of fossil fuels. The Anandrous Journey is a highly readable adventure about a female protagonist and a zoology professor who managed to triumph over everything from the sexism of the early 1900's to physical dangers encountered on scientific expeditions. Her study of microscopic plankton continues to be a vital ecological factor in determining the projected life of Earth's bodies of water. How Hattie Bell Merrill, a petite five foot tall women, stood up to her male counterparts is described with amusing and revealing imagery of the moral, social and professional mores of her era.

Hattie Bell Merrill stood barely 5 ft. tall from her men's boots to the top of her pompadour. The author describes her delicate 100 pound frame as, "usually encumbered with camera and specimen gathering equipment as she trekked through hazardous, unknown terrain." She traveled by steamship, river boats, cog rail and horseback to areas where few white women ventured. She mingled equally with peasants, wealthy industrialists, natives of the rain forest and men of letters and science. When Merrill ventured out from her sepia-toned academic community in the North to the vivid spectrum of the tropical Amazon and South America she stated,"It was as liberating as loosing the constraints of my corset stays and changing into a shift." This is a biography that will make the reader want to cheer for the heroine who coped with obstacles more of man than of beasts.

M. L. Hartridge writes with accuracy and compassion this turn of the century saga as one who actually lived during the life of her heroine. The vivid descriptions of cultural contrasts in The Anandrous Journey are exiting visions in print!