Age Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz

 

Age Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz is the book I wish I had had when I first needed it. I like how Dr. Pelz shares her own story of changing hormones amidst her information to help with your changes. This is a book that could help you prepare for what is coming if you aren't there yet and it is a book to help make sense of what is happening if you are in the middle and it can still be helpful if you are post menopausal. 

Age Like a Girl is divided into three parts: 

The philosophy behind Aging like a girl

The Art of Aging Like a Girl

The Path to becoming a New You

Age Like A Girl covers the brain changes, the physical changes and the way you are becoming a "new you." This book puts a positive spin on the aging that I think is helpful. 

Along with the meat of this book, there are also some sides at the end of the book that are helpful too:

A  Man's Guide to Supporting the Women you love through menopause

A note to healthcare practitioners

A note to employers--the true cost of losing menopausal talent

Weekly protocols for exercising the menopause way

Age Like a Girl is full of helpful information on the mental and physical changes that take place in menopause. What I most appreciate about this book, is that the author writes the material in such a way that it is easy to read and understand. Dr. Pelz also sites all of her sources too so the reader can see where this information is coming from (there is a big reference section). She also shares what helped her most personally but she does remind readers that we are all on our own journeys too. 

I love Dr. Pelz's encouragement in Age Like a Girl to get a healthcare team that you can relate to and that will be an ally to help you as your body changes. She recommends getting a variety of providers including a good ob/gyn that has a functional medical outlook--a dr. takes time to listen and to offer help that could be something simple to deal with stress or the blues instead of just a pill. She also suggests a therapist of some sort that you can relate to that helps you through the mental changes at this time.

Dr. Pelz also encourages you to find a circle of women you can share with that offer support when you need it as you go through this process. She encourages you to avoid the naysayers and those who aren't supportive and stick with the women who are truly supportive in some way.

I pre-ordered a signed copy of this book from Barnes and Noble. All opinions are my own.