Introduction 1
Part 1: The Facts of Life at Perimenopause 5
Chapter 1: Welcome to Perimenopause 7
Chapter 2: Getting Acquainted with Your Midlife Body 19
Chapter 3: Special Circumstances That Can Impact Perimenopause 37
Chapter 4: Examining Genetic and Environmental Influences 49
Part 2: Hormone Fluctuations and Their Impact in Perimenopause 61
Chapter 5: Bleeding Is Such a Bother: Too Little, Too Much, Too Random 63
Chapter 6: Hormonal Changes: Understanding the Swings of Perimenopause 73
Chapter 7: Holding onto Your Libido and Keeping It Comfortable “Down There” 95
Part 3: Prioritizing Mental Health and Wellbeing 117
Chapter 8: Brain Changes: What to Expect and What to Do When the Fog Rolls In 119
Chapter 9: Mental Health Changes: You’re Not Imagining It 129
Chapter 10: Looking After You: Practicing Self-Care 143
Chapter 11: The Elusive Full Night of Sleep 155
Part 4: Maintaining a Healthy Body 171
Chapter 12: Managing a Bladder That Won’t Behave 173
Chapter 13: Maintaining a Healthy Diet Before Menopause 187
Chapter 14: Getting into an Exercise Plan Before Menopause 203
Chapter 15: Understanding and Preventing Bone Loss 223
Chapter 16: Monitoring Your Health with Tests and Screenings 235
Part 5: The Part of Tens 243
Chapter 17: Ten Perimenopause Myths Exposed 245
Chapter 18: Ten Things to Ignore During Perimenopause 251
Chapter 19: Ten Things You Really Need During Perimenopause 257
Chapter 20: Ten Perimenopause Stories from My Practice 261
Part 6: Appendixes 269
Appendix A: Glossary 271
Appendix B: Perimenopause Resources 279
Index 283
