Table of Contents
Preface: A Couple of Notes xiii
1 The Stress Epidemic 1
How Did We Get into This Situation? 2
Are We Talking About You? 4
How to Change Course 5
The Theory Behind the Stress Epidemic and This Book 7
How This Book Works 8
Take-Home Messages from This Chapter 9
Part I Duality: Yin, Yang, and Hormones
2 Hormones: Ambassadors of Yin and Yang 13
Yin and Yang 14
3 Sex Hormones: The Ambassadors of Yin 18
Estrogen: Yin Within Yin 18
Progesterone: Yang Within Yin 21
4 Stress Hormones: The Ambassadors of Yang 23
Cortisol: Yang Within Yang 24
DHEA: Yin Within Yang 27
Oxytocin and Prolactin: Bonus Buffers 27
5 Understanding How Yin and Yang Hormones Interact 29
Survival Always Comes First 30
Nature's Good Intentions for Us 31
6 Why Not Just Take HBT/Synthetic or Bioidentical Hormones? 34
Synthetic Hormones 34
Bioidentical Hormones 36
Take-Home Messages from Part I 38
Part II Women's Health Concerns
7 Women's Health Concerns: An Overview 41
8 Feeling Crummy: Our Best Early-Warning System 43
What Does Eastern Medicine Do About "Feeling Crummy"? 44
What Should I Do? 45
9 Menstruation 53
Why We Have Cycles 53
Eliminating Cycles 55
What Does Eastern Medicine Do About Menstruation? 58
What Should I Do? 59
10 Menstrual Difficulties 60
Scanty or Absent Periods 60
What Does Eastern Medicine Do About Scanty or Absent Periods? 61
What Should I Do? 62
Heavy or Painful Periods 64
What Does Eastern Medicine Do About Heavy Bleeding or Painful Periods? 67
What Should I Do? 69
Irregular or Missed Cycles 69
What Does Eastern Medicine Do About Irregular or Missed Cycles? 71
What Should I Do? 71
11 Birth Control 72
Historical and Current Practices 72
What Does Eastern Medicine Do About Birth Control? 78
What Should I Do? 79
12 Fertility and Conception: The Four Crucial Element 80
The Egg 80
The Sperm 86
The Reproductive System 87
Timing of Conception 90
What Does Eastern Medicine Do About Conception? 92
What Should I Do? 97
13 Breast Health 98
Considering the Known Risk Factors 98
Synthetic Hormones and Breast Health 105
What Does Eastern Medicine Do for Breast Health? 107
What Should I Do? 110
14 Perimenopause and Menopause 113
Perimenopause and Menopause: From Brawn to Brains 114
Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy 117
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy 122
What Does Eastern Medicine Do for Perimenopause and Menopause? 123
What Should I Do? 125
15 Heart Health 128
Womens Heart Health vs. Men's Heart Health 129
Inflammation and Heart Health 132
Diet, Walking, Stretching, and Heart Health 134
Smoking and Heart Health 136
Emotions and Heart Health 137
Synthetic Hormones and Heart Health 138
Alcohol and Heart Health 138
What Does Eastern Medicine Do for Heart Health? 140
What Should I Do? 141
16 Osteoporosis 142
Bone Quantity and Quality 142
Hormones and Bone Loss 143
Calcium, Diet, and Exercise 145
Breastfeeding 146
Antidepressants 146
Osteoporosis Drugs 147
What Does Eastern Medicine Do About Osteoporosis? 149
What Should I Do? 150
17 Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia 151
What Does Eastern Medicine Do for Alzheimer's and Dementia? 153
What Should I Do? 155
Part III Using the Three Pillars of Health to Restore Hormonal Balance
18 The Importance of Diet and Lifestyle: An Overview 159
Disease Care vs. Disease Prevention 159
Awareness 162
Three Steps to Get Started 163
19 Quality and Quantity of Food 164
Quality 164
Quantity 169
20 Food, Medicine, and Poison 171
Ama, or Toxic Sludge 172
Eat in a Calm Mood and Environment 174
How to Reduce Food Intolerance 175
Cravings and Choices 176
21 What to Eat: General Guidelines 178
Whole Foods 178
What to Eat in Times of Stress 191
22 Meat: To Eat or Not to Eat 193
Building Blood and Strength 193
Belief Systems 195
Other Considerations 196
23 What Not to Eat 198
Fast or Highly Processed Food 198
Alcohol 201
Cola 203
Foods Treated with Pesticides and Chemicals 203
24 The Pros and Cons of Soy 206
The "Bad Soy" Camp 206
The "Good Soy" Camp 207
Soy: Meeting in the Middle 208
What Does Eastern Medicine Say About Soy? 209
Some Conclusions About Phytoestrogens 210
25 Essential Elements of a Healthy Lifestyle 211
Trapped on (the Modern Treadmill 211
The Good News (Yes, There Is Some!) 213
Relaxing into a Routine 214
Exercise 216
Sleep 222
Relationships 223
Environment 224
26 Stress Management Techniques 235
Stress and Its Causes 236
First Things First 237
Spiritual Practices and Meditation 239
Abhyanga: Warm Oil Self-Massage 242
Pranayama and Alternate-Nostril Breathing 243
Laughter 246
27 Changing Lifestyles, Changing Lives 247
Hope 247
Take Away Everything That Isn't Horse 250
Sacrifice Ambition at the Altar of Reality 251
Surrender to the Pace of Your Body 252
Making Choices 258
Self-Blame vs. Self-Responsibility 260
Nature Throws Us Curve Balls 261
How Long Does It Take to See Change? 261
The Three-Tier Treatment Strategy Revisited 262
Take-Home Messages from Part III 264
Appendix A Resources 271
Online Information on Ayurveda and Dr. Claudia Welch 271
Courses 271
Products 273
Practitioners and Counselors 274
Recommended Reading 278
Appendix B An Introduction to Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) 283
History and Modern Practice of Ayurveda and TCM 283
What to Expect from an Ayurvedic or TCM Consultation 283
The Five Elements 285
The Three Doshas, Constitutional Types, and Current Imbalances 286
Prana or Qi: The Life Force 287
Meridians, Channels, and Points 287
Gunas (Qualities): Like Increases Like and You Can Treat with Opposites 288
The Relationship of Duality: Yin and Yang 288
Diagnosis and Treatment 289
Appendix C Abhyango, or Ayurvedic Warm-Oil Massage 291
How to Perform Abhyanga 291
When or How Not to Do Abhyanga 292
Laundry, Cleaning, and Plumbing Tips 292
Appendix D How to Make Kitcheri and Ghee 295
Kitcheri 295
Ghee 296
Appendix E Castor Oil Packs for Uterine Health 297
General Directions 297
How Often to Use It 297
Warning and Important Note 297
Appendix F Food Glossary 299
Acknowledgments 301
Notes 305
Index 323
