Whose Body Is It Anyway?: Smart Alternative and Traditional Health Choices for Your Total Well-Being - Hardcover

Kenley, Joan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 155704354X ISBN 13: 9781557043542

Publisher: William Morrow, 1999

Synopsis

Like a fireside chat with a woman who cares, here's an essential guide to help women organize their thoughts and questions about alternative and traditional treatment choices-from the popular psychologist and women's health and speaking-voice expert. Joan Kenley's own frustrating, almost fatal search for the right medical choice for her "female condition" triggered her passion to help other women more easily understand the medical maze of options thrown at them. With guidance from a distinguished advisory council, Dr. Kenley covers a wide range of concerns, including menopause symptoms, hormone replacement, sexual concerns, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, incontinence, image and weight issues, plastic surgery, nutrition, exercise, and skin care. A unique feature of Whose Body Is It Anyway? is its accessible format: the print is easy to read, and important points are in bold so that readers can zero in on the most pertinent information quickly. The book is filled with charts, diagrams, and simple graphics; a "Just Do It" checkup schedule; a diagnostic questionnaire ("Your Health History Is You") and the author's deeply inspiring "Promise Between Friends Contract"-to encourage a buddy sysem whereby two friends can help each other schedule important regular checkups and, if needed, offer companionship through illness.

About this title

About the Author:

Dr. Joan Kenley is an accomplished psychologist, broadcaster, speaking-voice expert, and author of Voice Power, as well as a seminar leader and lecturer. She has been featured on 20/20, CNN, Oprah, and Good Morning America. She is widely recognized for her compelling advocacy, actively promoting physical, emotional, and spiritual health choices for women, especially in mid- and senior life. She lives in Oakland, California.

Review:

Dr. Kenley describes her book as a guidebook to health discoveries that can ignite hope and provide choices for a vital, joyful life. She has gone to the trouble not only of relating her own personal story but also of assembling an advisory council of experts in many areas that deal with women as they move through midlife changes. She has sought to describe what is the standard practice regarding menopausal issues as well as to provide the alternative or complementary practices that many women are now investigating.

Dr. Kenley had a rather harrowing midlife passage, which ultimately resulted in a hysterectomy with a physician who finally did listen to her. However, as many of us have heard in our own offices, these occurrences are not as rare as we in the medical profession would like to believe. Using her own experience as an introduction, the first chapter in this guide is about alternative treatment choices. I believe that Dr. Kenley does a very good job in briefly summarizing several approaches that have now become utilized by a large segment of our population. She then goes into detail in the next several chapters on surgical alternatives and hormonal practices side by side with naturopathic homeopathy, nutritional, and acupuncture alternatives. In a very conversational style, she relates pertinent information on several of the controversies in HRT prescriptions and management. Her chapter on sensational sex is quite to the point and includes many important observations about hormonal effects on sexual desire, clues about achieving joyful communication with a partner, and a section on sexually transmitted diseases.

Next come several chapters on the more usual topics discussed in any menopausal text: heart disease. breast cancer, and osteoporosis. Once again, in a conversational and easy-to-read style, she conveys accurate and up-to-date information for the reader. Finally the book addresses symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, incontinence, and what Dr. Kenley calls image issues. Here. there are many practical sug- gestions that are not normally found in a menopausal text. Throughout the entire book. I found myself silently nodding. I agreed with many of her observations and even more with the obviously upbeat and positive attitude taken. There is a menopausal/midlife survey contributed to the book by Dr. Arpels, in addition to many of his suggestions throughout the text. The extensive nature of this survey is quite impressive. and I believe pertinent to all of us who are working with menopausal women.

This guide can provide a fresh, easily accessible, and practical approach to many of the questions midlife women are asking.

Finally, the book has an extensive table on symptoms or concerns and various treatment options. Although this could be one of the most useful sections, I found it to be slightly confusing. So many herbal remedies, food supplements, and behavioral suggestions were made for each symptom complex that it was difficult to understand what would be the most beneficial course of action. For example, the list of herbal remedies was often exhaustive but not directive as to which herbs to try first or which would be most likely to alleviate the symptom in question. That said, however, I did find the listing of all of these approaches toward any one symptom complex to be a valuable exercise. Women clearly see they may approach an issue, such as hot flashes, from many different perspectives. This book also has food sources for vitamins. recommendations regarding health maintenance testing, and resources for further information in books. journals, newsletters, and menopausal organizations. On the expanding shelves of books about menopause, I believe this guide can provide a fresh. easily accessible and practical approach to many of the questions midlife women are asking. Clearly, the efforts of Dr. Kenley, with the assistance of Dr. Arpels and the advisory council, have succeeded in her intention to provide choices for a vital, joyful life. -- Lana L. Holstein, M.D., Director, Womens Health, Canyon Ranch Associate Clinical Professor, Dept. of Family Medicine, University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.

Joan Kenley has written Whose Body Is It Anyway? with such a straightforward style that I feel like I'm having a conversation with a friend, a very knowledgeable and caring friend. -- Jill Eikenberry

About this edition

• Publisher: William Morrow
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 155704354X
• ISBN 13: 9781557043542
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336