BOO--Gotcha!

I had lunch last week with two dear friends who I have known for ages. The conversation veered toward the subject of middle age and its pitfalls. The name of Dr. Christiane Northrup was mentioned. Her second book, The Wisdom of Menopause, apparently has changed the lives of millions of women in the world.

I became curious so I looked it up and decided to buy a copy for myself for advance reading. I'm a girl scout in this sense, although my kids call it something else--paranoia! I like making use of that heads-up advantage to forearm myself against that much-dreaded period in a woman's life--menopause! I also find that not many women like to talk about it because, yes, I've been asking around for useful information and have gotten the cold shoulder if not utter shock at my straightforwardness.

Anyway, I went to Powerbooks and how does one find a needle in a haystack? I headed straight to customer service where a throng of customers was assembled. When it was my turn, the clerk asked, "Ano pong hanap nyo, ma'am?" And I answered, "The Wisdom of Menopause by Dr. Christiane Northrup." Of course, all heads snapped to my direction. Haaay, only in da Pilipins...

People stared. They always do. It's as if they have found that forbidden window into someone's intimate life, like BOO--gotcha! Try buying birth control pills in Mercury, you'll get the same reaction. Worse, what if it's a pregnancy test kit you need? Even if you were legitimately married, there's that uneasiness of being judged, of somebody else thinking: ooops! you mean you actually have sex? I think about all those poor boys who are scared shitless of crawling with their tails between their legs into Mercury to ask for condoms. Considering that they are being safe and careful and doing themselves and their partners a big service, they'll have to endure the embarrassment of procuring the most basic health implement in the world, which in other countries is considered commendable, not shameful. I wonder if things will get better when my son comes of age.

Anyway, here's some literature on Dr. Northrup's book and a link to her website, in case you're interested.

What would your life be like if you learned how to respect your body as though it were a precious creation—as valuable as a beloved friend? What if you no longer lived in fear of germs or cancer? What would happen if you truly trusted your body’s messages?

Noted author and visionary Dr. Christiane Northrup asks us to ponder these questions because she finds that lasting health and wholeness are only possible when we discover and practice behaviors associated with true health and wholeness. Dr. Northrup believes that the time to listen to our body’s wisdom is now!

“Once you engage your own inner wisdom, you can change or improve your habits of thought, your emotions, and your behaviors . . . and create a more positive and joyful life experience right away,” Dr. Northrup says. “This process, when engaged in regularly, heals both your present and your future.”

Dr. Northrup wrote her second New York Times bestseller, The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change (Bantam). In this breakthrough book, she unearths new revelations about menopause, refutes the stereotypic definition as a frenzy of hot flashes and hormonal mood swings, and instead proves that it is a powerful , hormonally supported opportunity to rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit on all levels. Over 1 million copies of this gutsy work have been translated into 15 languages.