Description:
Relax, This Won't Hurt is Today show correspondent Judith Reichman's offering to women of all ages whose knowledge of medical issues unique to their bodies is woefully inadequate. Beginning with the teens and moving forward by decades, she discusses the concerns that women encounter, dread, or may not know anything about, providing in-depth information along the way on how to best maintain health and address issues as they arise. Reichman, a gynecologist who has authored two popular women's health books, I'm Not in the Mood and I'm Too Young to Get Old, chattily responds to questions girls and women often have, such as:- "How do I know if my period is normal?"
- "Why do I get so many bladder infections?"
- "I took fertility drugs. Does this mean I'm at increased risk for ovarian cancer?" and
- "How do I know when I'm in menopause?"
Each chapter focuses on the myriad issues relevant to the woman's stage in life--from hormonal changes and menstruation in the teenage years to sexual activity and STDs, endometriosis, fibroids, infertility, cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and heart disease--outlining the appropriate considerations or steps to take when confronting such issues. In each chapter she gives her recommendation for the frequency and type of health examinations women should have as they age, and throughout she is candid in her disapproval of smoking, excessive alcohol and caffeine intake, poor diet, and lack of exercise. While not as multidimensional and holistic in her evaluation of women's health as Dr. Christiane Northrup is in her classic Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, Reichman nonetheless does a service for all women by illuminating in simple and friendly terms the attributes, the necessary processes, and the weaknesses of the female body. Especially for women between their teens and 30s, this book provides indispensable preparation for what is to come and what is currently under way within their bodies. --Rebecca Wright
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