Change can be unwelcome, but it usually brings new opportunities and the possibility of a fresh start. When the great change of the menopause begins to make itself felt in the life of a woman, the subsequent loss of fertility and the signs that one is getting older can trigger a life and identity crisis. In this essential guide, written from the holistic perspective of anthroposophical medicine, Eveline Daub-Amend shows how this turning point in a woman's biography can be a positive time of transformation: of entering a new phase of life with a fit and healthy body, mind and spirit. She discusses how symptoms can be treated using natural methods, and addresses emotional and psychological processes and changes.

As a medical doctor and former gynaecologist, Daub-Amend gives authoritative guidance on many issues: the role played by hormones, changes in the menstrual cycle and hormonal balance, loss of fertility, contraception and the affects on sexuality and partnership. She gives advice on dealing with hot flushes, sleep disorders, irregular bleeding, pain in the joints, skin and hair care and weight and figure, as well as specific health problems such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and depression. She also considers complementary methods of treatment, the pros and cons of HRT and the significance of diet and exercise.

EVELINE DAUB-AMEND, MD, born in Lower Saxony in 1948, studied languages, psychology and medicine at Marburg and Muenster Universities. From 1981 to 1988 she was a gynaecologist at Herdecke Community Hospital, during which time she also worked in the USA and Canada. From 1988 to 1990 she set up women's clinics in Nigeria, West Africa. She has been running her own practice in Witten, Germany, since 1993.