Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause: A Guide to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Health at Midlife and Beyond

As the Walking Editor for Prevention Magazine, I was priveledged to invite Suza Francina to teach yoga at our annual Walkers Rally several times. A welcoming and understanding teacher, Suza had classes attended twice a day by many of my participants, most over the age of 50, many 60 and 70 year olds. Her easy going style and attention to the way older bodies "work" (or don't) opened the door for many men and women to this wonderful body science. This book, as well as The New Yoga for People Over 50 are invaluable guides for folks who are experiencing the effects of aging that can slowly erode range of motion and the pleasure and freedom of uninhibited movement. Thank you Suza! Maggie Spilner Author Walk Your Way Through Menopause Prevention's Complete Book of Walking Prevention's Encyclopedia of Walking for Health

It is an honor to write a review for Suza Francina's new book Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause. I began my yoga practice with Suza over 20 years ago. Her inspiration led me to train as an Iyengar yoga instructor. After practicing with her through our pregnancies,we even gave birth on the same day! Now at the threshold of our menopausal years,I find her newest tome to be an invaluable resource for myself as well as many of my students.Her experience,along with many of her students personal stories invite the reader to feel less isolated and at ease as we make this transitional journey together. The technical aspect of the book is superb with clearly defined directions and the use of supportive props,thereby encouraging the deep restorative effect while remaining in the pose for a longer period of time. Suza has also chosen a variety of models who represent all body types. This dispells an old myth of the "perfect yoga body."Again, this illustrates her inclusivity as she celebrates and invites all women from every walk of life to nurture and balance themselves emotionally, physically and spiritually. I have watched her over the years experiment, resarch and gather her material to write this enlightening book. She has come back up from the depths of her study with an extraordinary pearl.

I read Suza Francina's book, "Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause" because I am a yoga student and a menopausal women. I am also a nurse working in women's healthcare. I was pleasantly suprised to find that this book helped me on a personal level as well as a professional level.The book is a wealth of information that can answer many questions regarding menopause and what our bodies might endure.The book explains how yoga can support one's health during the menopause transition. Topic's discussed are hormonal balance, fatique, hot flahes, pelvic health, osteoporosis, cancer, and heart disease. The book shows how yoga can help women with any of these health concerns. The yoga poses suggested to relieve side effects of menopause are clearly described and illustrated with photographs.This book is very inspiring and I highly recommend it to my associates, clients and friends.

Whether you are premenopausal, menopausal or post menopausal, Suza Francina's newest book has something for you. "Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause" offers advice and specific yoga poses to practice for hormonal changes, mood swings, fatigue, hot flashes, osteoporosis, stress and heart health among others. I was adamantly opposed to HRT and feel practicing yoga during my premenopausal years made my transition so much easier. I loved Suza's first book, "The New Yoga for People Over 50", and this new one is filled to the brim with her research on menopause and how yoga can be used as a tool to balance the effects of the natural hormonal and glandular changes of menopause. I consider it an excellent resource and highly recommend it for women seeking alternative methods of dealing with this natural mid-life transition.

As a woman entering menopause, I have found this book to be packed with valuable information. Francina does not merely make claims for yoga postures -- she backs up those claims with scientific explanations, and goes into great detail describing the effect menopause has on the on the different glands of the body, then recommends postures to help deal with different situations (hot flashes, insomnia, etc.). I recently had comprehensive bloodwork done by my M.D., which indicated poorly functioning adrenals. My M.D. had no advice to give to correct the situation -- but lo and behold, Francina's book addresses the specific problem, saying that it's a common occurrence during/before menopause. She prescribes specific asanas (postures), which I have been doing regularly. I find them to be energizing and enormously helpful in reducing stress.