"It is estimated that by the year 2008 women between the ages of fifty and sixty-five will be the largest demographic group in the United States. And for the first time in human history, the money we will be using will be money we have earned ourselves...As we flex our economic, mental, and physical muscles and put our money and energy where our ideals are, the world will change in ways that reflect our inherent women's wisdom, wisdom that has the potential to benefit every woman, man, child and living being on the planet." - Dr. Christiane Northrup Dr. Christiane Northrup, a leading pioneer in mind/body health, and one of the most sought-after women's health visionaries in the country, returns to PBS with a new special based on the material that is her signature area of expertise - menopause. "Menopause and Beyond - New Wisdom for Women" is based on the recent updates she made for the newly released version of her classic book, The Wisdom of Menopause. When this book originally came out in 1999, it shot to the top of the New York Times Best-Seller list. It has been read by millions of women all over the world, and is considered a gold standard of mid-life health information for women. The newly updated version was released in October, 2006 by Random House. In her new special, taped in front of a sell-out crowd of 900 women and men, Dr. Northrup presents her latest thinking and the most up-to-date information on four areas of health and wellness that are uppermost in the minds of women 40+: nutrition and exercise, hormone therapy, heart health, and sexuality. Dr. Northrup's provides her distinctive perspective on menopause in which she refutes the stereotypic definition of this transition as a frenzy of hot flashes and hormonal mood swings, and instead proves that it's an illuminating time of rebirth--which has the power to completely transform a woman's life and health for the better! The program is divided into four acts. In Act One, Dr. Northrup invites the audience to consider menopause in a new light, as an opportunity for women to heal all the "unhealed" parts of themselves. She gives the good news which is greeted by thunderous applause: "One-size-fits-all medicine...where you take this pill and you'll be fine, ma'am, is over." She explains why the menopausal transition sets the stage for the rest of woman's life, a period that now can encompass thirty or forty years. She explains the mid-life change in the context of a woman's complete life cycle of ovulation. And then she offers her program to help the midlife heart wake-up, applicable to women and men, which includes information on cholesterol, as well as a lessening of self-sacrifice. In Act Two, Dr. Northrup helps the audience tackle midlife weight gain, and explains that "most menopausal symptoms, including midlife weight gain and all chronic diseases, can be managed with diet and exercise alone. Really! " She enlightens viewers about insulin abuse and glycemic stress, which affect men as well as women, and results in Syndrome X. She offers some easy-to-remember tips for weight management, as well as five guaranteed steps to lose weight. Act Three concentrates on hormone replacement. Dr. Northrup offers a crisp summary of the recent history of hormone replacement therapy, explaining the latest concerns with HRT, but also presents a concise set of alternatives to conventional HRT. "Trust your inner wisdom," she counsels women. "You can't make a mistake." In the final Act Four, Dr. Northrup talks frankly about women's need to understand, and connect. with, their mid-life sensuality. With quotes from Sophia Loren, sex researcher Dr. Gina Ogden, and her own affirmations, she encourages mature women to have the courage to enjoy pleasure, understand the give-and-take in relationships, and celebrate their sexuality. She ends the program with an uplifting quote from Martha Graham. Throughout the program, Dr. Northrup's humor, personal stories, and warm style, combined with carefully researched medical information and factual guidance, create a viewing event that truly educates and inspires.
