by Claudia Welch

Da Capo Lifelong Books, $18.00, 337 pages

Whether you are dealing with health concerns, or looking to improve your overall health, Dr. Claudia Welch’s book Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life will help restore your body’s natural harmony using a combination of both Western and Eastern medicine. It isn’t necessary to have a background in either field to utilize Welch’s book. She offers a holistic approach to health based on 25 years of experience, focusing specifically on stress hormones (cortisol and DHEA) and sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone) and their effect on women’s bodies. Part One of the book introduces yin and yang and how hormones work. Part Two looks at medical problems women suffer due to hormonal imbalances. Part Three provides basic tools to balance hormones through nutrition and lifestyle changes. Welch succinctly summarizes each chapter in a “What Should I Do?” section that offers additional steps to take. Her writing style is readable and user-friendly. Medical terms are explained. She includes easy recipes for improving diet. Issues concerning menstruation, birth control, breast and heart health, fertility, and aging are answered and Welch addresses how Eastern versus Western medicine deals with each issue. Especially helpful is Welch’s analysis of Eastern spiritual practices and meditation.

Kathryn Franklin