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Excerpts

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. WHAT MAKES SISTERS UNIQUE?

Health Concerns
Distrust of Health Care Professionals
Poverty and Lack of Insurance
Lack of Knowledge
Family Traditions
The Health Care System Itself
It's Time for a Change
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

2. UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY AND SOUL
A Brief Overview of the Female Reproductive System
The Brain/Body Connection
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

3. TAKE TIME TO TAKE STOCK
Get in Touch with You -- A Health Inventory
Assessing Your Answers
Checkups and Tests
Age-by-Age Test Guide
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

4. THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE
Are All Doctors Alike?
Finding the Right Doctor
Getting the Most from Doctor Visits
Understanding Insurance
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

5. COMMON ILLNESSES, SIMPLE CURES
Vaginitis
Bladder Infections
Other Minor Conditions
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

6. A WOMAN'S BODY -- DEALING WITH SERIOUS ILLNESS
Fibroids
Endometriosis
Adenomyosis
Pelvic Congestion Syndrome
Adnexal Mass
Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP)
Pelvic Relaxation
Menstrual Disorders
Uterine Anomalies
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
HIV and AIDS
Cancer
Rare Gynecologic Cancers
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

7. IF YOU NEED SURGERY
Knowledge Is Power
Common Surgeries
Before You Consent -- Seven Important Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Do You Really Need a Second Opinion?
Caring for the Incision
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

8. BACK TO BASICS -- NUTRITION AND EXERCISE
Work That Body
Walking the Walk
Pump It Up
You Are What You Eat
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

9. CARING FOR YOUR BREASTS
The ABCs of Breasts
From Buds to Breasts
A Little TLC
Breast Basics
Could It Be Cancer?
The Facts About Cosmetic Surgery
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

10. THE ABCs OF PREGNANCY
A Good Start -- Preparing for Pregnancy
The Expectant Mother
The Anatomy of Pregnancy
Testing, Testing
How Your Body Changes
Staying Fit
Complications of Pregnancy
Labor and Delivery
Pregnancy after Age 35
Infertility
Preventing Pregnancy
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

11. MANAGING MENOPAUSE
Demystifying Menopause
Signs of Menopause
Raising the Stakes -- The More Serious Effects of Menopause
Osteoporosis -- The Brittle Bone Disease
The Menopause/Heart Disease Connection
Managing Menopause -- Is Estrogen the Solution?
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

12. NOT FOR MEN ONLY -- DISEASES THAT STRIKE SISTERS, TOO
Cardiovascular Disease
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Coronary Artery Disease
Stroke
Diabetes
Lung Cancer
Colon Cancer
Rx: A Prescription for Your Soul

Appendix A: The Prescription Center
Appendix B: Glossary
Appendix C: Resources
Appendix D: Sources
Index