DR. CHRISTIANE NORTHRUP ON OPRAH – ARE YOU MENOPAUSAL?
Dr. Northrup Tells Oprah that we can be Menopausal and Not Know It

Is Oprah experiencing the signs of menopause? Oprah got a menopause wake-up call from her body, and called in Dr. Christiane Northrup to help her figure out what it was trying to tell her.

Dr. Northrup was one of the first doctors to read Dr. John Lee’s book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause and “get” it. Her comment was, “John Lee has pioneered work in women’s health that has greatly influenced and enhanced the way I practice medicine.” She has been advocating natural or bioidentical hormones ever since, but also has developed her own unique and engaging way of helping women through the menopausal transition, both physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Last year I watched Dr. Northrup on PBS with her show, Menopause and Beyond: New Wisdom for Women. Telling the truth with humor, she aptly described how the emotional turmoil of menopause can be as much about empty nests, dissolving marriages and wrinkles as hormone imbalance. Her latest book, the Wisdom of Menopause, give us wonderful advice on how to cope emotionally with this new cycle of life.

Now Dr. Northrup is explaining to Oprah how women can be menopausal and not know it, and what the signs and symptoms of menopause may be. This is a welcome departure, as Oprah has skirted around the issue of natural hormones for years, and Dr. Northrup is one of our most articulate and knowledgeable spokespersons on the subject.

Here’s what Publisher’s Weekly had to say about Dr. Northrup’s book, The Wisdom of Menopause, which Oprah features on her show and recommends to her listeners:

Northrup, …offers a celebratory, “psychospiritual”  approach in her comprehensive guide to menopausal health and well-being. Beginning with the premise that, though difficult, the “hormone-driven changes that affect the brain... give a woman a sharper eye for inequity... and a voice that insists on speaking up,” Northrup details hormonal imbalances, mood swings, serious illnesses, treatment options and all the other symptoms, side effects and decisions women face in midlife. Middle-aged herself, Northrup writes from experience and, more important, from her professional expertise as a physician who has treated many women and researched menopause.

And from Bantam, her publisher:

In The Wisdom of Menopause, she [Dr. Northrup] once again challenges convention with this inspiring look at one of the most commonly misunderstood female health issues. The “change” is not simply a collection of physical symptoms to be “fixed,” Dr. Northrup claims, but a mind/body revolution that brings the greatest opportunity for growth since adolescence. The choices a woman makes now–from the quality of her relationships to the quality of her diet–have the power to secure her health and well-being for the rest of her life. Through her personal story and many fascinating case histories, Dr. Northrup shows:

• How menopause jump-starts changes in the brain, issuing a dramatic wake-up call to body, mind, and emotions
• How to ensure the long-term health of breasts, bones, and heart
• How the body adjusts naturally to changing hormones
• Why bestselling drugs like Premarin may not be the best choice
• How to deal with metabolism shifts, weight gain, sexual problems, and appearance issues
• How to negotiate the challenges of “the empty nest” and midlife marriage

In a book destined to be a classic, Dr. Northrup shows women how they can make menopause a time of personal empowerment and positive energy–emerging wiser, healthier, and stronger in both mind and body than ever before.

Now that Oprah is apparently going through menopause herself, and bringing Dr. Northrup back for not one but two shows, perhaps more women will become educated enough to avoid conventional HRT choices such as PremPro and to be able to make an educated decision for themselves about whether to use natural hormones.