Menopause Before 40

Book excerpt: Every woman will eventually make the journey through menopause. For most, menopause occurs around around age 50. Those women are lucky, because they can access the plethora of books that will help guide them through every phase of menopause. But for at least 1 in 100 women, menopause can occur as early as age 35, sometimes younger. And thousands more women will experience premature ovarian failure due to other medical conditions and treatments, such as cancer treatment. Whatever the cause of early menopause, women going through it are left in a vacuum, where finding a healthcare practitioner experienced enough to treat them is difficult, let alone finding suitable information. Until now. With Menopause Before 40: Coping with Premature Ovarian Failure, Karin Banerd adds an important voice to menopause literature, addressing the distinct needs of the woman in premature menopause, as they are quite different from those of natural menopause. Banerd's personal experience and knowledge of premature menopause offers a unique perspective, as she shares her intimate, treacherous and painful journey that started at age 35. In the book, Banerd describes the warning signs of hormonal decline and the havoc these unexpected changes wreaked on her life. She also highlights the unique context of premature menopause, how it necessitates a different set of responses from doctors, and what she feels those responses should be. She goes on to explain exactly what premature menopause is and how it differs from natural menopause. And finally, she details various strategies for maintaining optimum health during the menopausal years. The last section, in particular, demonstrates how premature menopause can be a wake-up call for making nutritional and lifestyle choices that have far-reaching effects into the senior years.