Some readers may be put off at first by Northrup's obviously unconventional ways of thinking. Her medical approach is decidedly feminist, blaming our "addictive" and patriarchal society for many of the health problems plaguing women. She clearly illustrates her ideas, however, by drawing upon two decades of experience from her medical practice and citing dozens of her patients' remarkable personal stories. Northrup also delineates the best way to go about tuning in to one's body and mind in order to start the healing process, a self-induced therapy of sorts. She also includes in the book a copy of the eye-opening health inventory she gives her clients. It includes unusual questions such as: "Are you bored with your life?" and: "Do you have enough friends or neighbours?"

This book will be of special benefit to women who are pregnant or entering menopause. Northrup is an unequivocal believer in natural births and her dialogue on the birthing process will remove the fears of even the most petrified mother-to-be. She criticises episiotomies (she should know; she's given birth without one) and supports midwifery. She also warns against the harmfulness of cesarean births and includes illustrations of acupressure points that help turn around a breech baby.

For women in perimenopause or menopause, Northrup will help turn this life phase into one of peace and personal growth instead of one of suffering. She was one of the first doctors to use natural progesterone to treat menopausal symptoms and this revised edition includes a clear primer on the latest in hormone replacement therapy and how to determine if it's right for you. Northrup also expounds upon the benefits of acupuncture and herbalism--as well as emotional self-analysis--for alleviating hot flashes and mood swings. --Erica Jorgensen, Amazon.com

Synopsis
Dr Christiane Northrup's vision of mind-body wellness has received an extraordinary response from women all over the world. A massive international bestseller, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom powerfully demonstrates that when women change the basic conditions of their lives that lead to health problems, they heal faster, more completely, and with far fewer medical interventions. This groundbreaking book offers the most up-to-date information available on every aspect of women's health. Dr Northrup explains the workings of the female body in an accessible and intimate way and guides you through a comprehensive list of women's conditions and concerns, from fibroids and menstruation to pregnancy, hysterectomy and the menopause. She also shows you how to heal yourself by listening to your body's own wisdom or intuition. Filled with dramatic case histories, it is contemporary medicine at its best, combining new technologies with natural remedies and the body's own miraculous healing powers. This is the guide that women all over the world turn to for a practical and philosophical approach to healing. It's contemporary medicine at its best.