Book Review:
Change Your Menopause: Why One Size Does Not Fit All
 | Wulf Utian, MD, PhD, DSc(Med), FRCOG, FACOG, FICS
Beachwood, Ohio: Utian Press, 2016
244 pages
A Google search of the word menopause produces more than 24 million results. This reflects both the great interest in the topic and the enormous volume of inaccurate, biased, confusing, and indeed, dangerous information to be found. In addition, the medical community has embraced wildly opposing views of the subject over the past few decades. Women are understandably bewildered. |
Change Your Menopause: Why One Size Does Not Fit All by Dr. Wulf Utian comes to the rescue. In this revised edition of his 2011 book, Dr Utian, renowned world expert and women’s health advocate, provides an informative, clear, comprehensive, and very up-to-date resource for readers seeking answers. The beginning chapters provide a helpful and interesting context of menopause as a cultural, demographic, and policy phenomenon. The following chapters are a necessary primer in basic female reproductive anatomy and physiology. Next, Dr. Utian separates the true effects of menopause, system by system, from the hype, which leads into the aspect of the book that explains why one size does not fit all. Women’s biological and sociocultural diversity can thus be addressed, and his suggestions do support the valuable concept of personalized medicine.
Dr. Utian’s enthusiastic and encouraging style is named the Get Up and Go Lifestyle. As in the 2011 edition, there are four components set forth:
- Self-education
- 12 Basic principles
- 8 Essential tools
- 8 Critical activities
Using his approach, what follows are detailed suggestions for enhancing midlife and older health in many specific and practical ways.
The remaining chapters encourage adopting noninvasive modalities, followed by proven complementary medications or finally proven effective prescription medications if necessary. Dr. Utian does not limit his discussion to the classic menopause syndrome but covers a wide variety of midlife ailments. The Hormone Dilemma is of course addressed with great clarity and objectivity. The newest medications are described. The section on CAM is very up-to-date and offers the best resources for women seeking those options. Sex is broadly covered, and the chapter “Controlling the Clinician Visit” is excellent. As a clinician, it opened my eyes a bit. The glossary is a great asset. The multiple links to online resources is invaluable.
Change Your Menopause offers an unbiased, current, and positive approach that women can embrace. The information is conveyed with authority, some humor, and always with an uplifting purpose. It is a great find for women.
Reviewed by
Deborah Morgan Davenport, MD, FACOG, NCMP
NAMS Founding Member
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine
Stony Brook Medicine
Setauket, NY