Lara Briden

Nonfiction/women's health from menarche to menopause (and to some extent, the health of other people with uteruses, though this book does not address the specific concerns of trans/NB-people). The audio version is 12+ hours, including ~35min appendices, but note that it is fairly difficult to navigate back to the sections you want to re-read since the audio tracks are not segmented in a useful way (so you'll need to be really diligent with your bookmarking and/or take really good notes, or take everyone's advice and get a print or ebook copy instead, which I ended up doing several months later and it definitely helped enormously).

ALSO RECOMMENDED: Jancee Dunn's Hot and Bothered, a very readable menopause memoir of sorts that includes input from multiple doctors specializing in the field, information that is not in Briden's book but provides important perspective on some of the things that Briden says--particularly what kinds of bioidentical compounds the reader SHOULD be wary of, and avoid. There is also an excellent list of additional resources, including low-cost therapy providers and support groups.
SEE ALSO: ebook Summary of Lara Briden's Period Repair Manual (2022, but not recommended because it's not a real summary).

Unless you know the right questions to ask, most Western-trained doctors aren't likely tell you all you need to know about what is "normal," what symptoms can be treated, and how best to treat them without (harmful) hormonal birth control. Here, naturopathic practictioner with decades of experience Lara Briden has put together this guide, now in its second updated version. Since estrogen/progesterone cycles can affect so many aspects of our health (depression/anxiety, digestion, headaches/migraines, other pains sometimes very severe, hair growth or loss, thyroid health, weight gain, sleep patterns, etc.) it makes sense to approach these topics from an integrative point of view, rather than relying on the "one size fits all" approach of prescription hormonal birth control, which suppresses ovulation as well as the production of beneficial progesterone (not to mention contributes to my migraines).

There's a ton of information covered in here, and definitely best used as a print or ebook reference rather than an audio, since it's nearly impossible to find the section of the book that you want to read or re-read; dividing the audio tracks into smaller tracks (Ch1.1, 1.2, etc., with subheadings) would make it much more accessible. The content covers various conditions (missing periods, painful periods, headaches, heavy periods, etc.) and their causes with recommended treatments and their pros/cons, but is also careful to refer you to your doctor for accurate diagnosis and medical decisions (especially where supplements may interact with other medications and certainly dosage details can be trickier than presented here); also provides a helpful guide to speaking with your doctor about these issues, since certain terms/treatments may be unfamiliar to him/her, but phrasing your questions in a different way can help immensely in this communication. I find this is true in my experience with hard-to-diagnose and often too easily dismissed autoimmune issues.

Briden also provides a helpful reminder why fructose intake should be restricted (for just about everyone, including those at risk for insulin resistance), as well as wheat/gluten (for those who are sensitive like myself), dairy caseins (butter's still fine, as well as goat- and sheep-dairy), alcohol (4-5 glasses/week or less is recommended, ideally less) and cautions against excessive soy (a little is fine) and vegetable oils (I think she's concerned about trans fat mostly but also Omega-3 oils like avocado and olive oil are healthier for everyone anyway, if they can afford them).

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more notes added after re-reading ebook:

causes for ESTROGEN EXCESS (refer to doctor, incomplete list, not all inclusive)
- potential thyroid condition
- digestion or detoxification problems (e.g., autoimmune condition, unhealthy gut biome, liver problems, missing gallbladder, hypersensitivity due to chronic inflammation)
- perimenopause fluctuations
- some combination of above, plus others
- (note that hormonal birth control doesn't help)

symptoms of estrogen excess
- potential thyroid condition (commonly hypothyroid or underactive thyroid, high TSH levels above 3.5mIU/L)
- excessively heavy periods (more than 80mL/cycle), can be caused by a variety of reasons but this is one of them - check with doctor to rule out other potential issues
- migraines, especially when levels drop off steeply
- can exacerbate other related conditions like uterine fibroids or endometriosis (again check with doctor to screen for stuff like this, as well as unrelated conditions like a coagulation disorder)

ways to metabolize that extra estradiol:
- supplements such as B6, calcium d-glucarate, zinc (ask your doctor)
- exercise
- may want to ask doctor about taking "oral micronized progesterone" (natural, bioidentical) during luteal phase to help mediate the negative effects (migraines, insomnia, inflammation, stress).… (más)

My periods are generally regular and not painful, and I am not on hormonal birth control, so I am not the target audience for this book. I am also not interested in giving up sugar and dairy - too much hard work and maybe no benefit!

I liked that Lara Briden gave explanations for all the supplements she recommended, and acknowledged that some are not recognised by other medical professionals. I think the best bit of this book was the "How to talk to your doctor" section. I worry that some readers will just take the supplements and not talk to a doctor.

The author strongly recommends not taking isotretinoin for acne. I have taken it and it made a huge difference. If your doctor recommends it and you and your doctor keep an eye on your mental and physical health, please don’t let this book stop you from taking it!… (más)