This illustrated guide to the powerful Fertility Awareness Method--the exciting natural alternative to present methods of birth control--teaches women to take greater control of their own menstrual and sexual health care and, in the process, reap benefits well beyond their fertility.

Celebrating 10 years of helping hundreds of thousands of women achieve pregnancy, avoid pregnancy naturally, and gain better control of their health and lives, the 10th Anniversary Edition of the classic bestseller will include: •New 'Preface to the 10th Anniversary Edition" •Updates on new fertility technologies •Natural approaches to conception •Updated Resources and Books For any woman unhappy with her current method of birth control; demoralized by her quest to have a baby; or experiencing confusing symptoms in her cycle, this book provides answers to all these questions, plus amazing insights into a woman's body. Weschler thoroughly explains the empowering Fertility Awareness Method, which in only a couple minutes a day allows a woman to: •Enjoy highly effective, scientifically proven birth control without chemicals or devices •Maximize her chances of conception or expedite fertility treatment by identifying impediments to conception •Increase the likelihood of choosing the gender of her baby •Gain control of her sexual and gynecological health

This new edition for the twentieth anniversary of the groundbreaking national bestseller provides all the information you need to monitor your menstrual cycle—along with updated information on the latest reproductive technologies Are you unhappy with your current method of birth control? Or demoralized by your quest to have a baby? Do you experience confusing signs and symptoms at various times in your cycle? This invaluable resource provides the answers to your questions while giving you amazing insights into your body. Taking Charge of Your Fertility has helped literally hundreds of thousands of women avoid pregnancy naturally, maximize their chances of getting pregnant, or simply gain better control of their gynecological and sexual health. Toni Weschler thoroughly explains the empowering Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), which in only a couple of minutes a day allows you to: Enjoy highly effective and scientifically proven birth control without chemicals or devices Maximize your chances of conception before you see a doctor or resort to invasive high-tech options Expedite your fertility treatment by quickly identifying impediments to pregnancy achievement Gain control and a true understanding of your gynecological and sexual health This new edition includes: A fully revised and intuitive charting system A selection of personalized master charts for birth control, pregnancy achievement, breastfeeding, and menopause An expanded sixteen-page color insert that reflects the book’s most important concepts Six brand-new chapters on topics including balancing hormones naturally, preserving your future fertility, and three medical conditions all women should be aware of

The US best-selling guide to natural birth control, pregnancy achievement and women's ongoing reproductive health. From fertility expert Toni Weschler, this is a must-read for any woman thinking of becoming pregnant. 'Straightforward and unbiased information on achieving pregnancy and tips for an effective, chemical-free method of contraception.' -- Pride 'This book allowed me to take a little control of a situation I was finding myself feeling increasingly helpless with' -- ***** Reader review 'A life-changer' -- ***** Reader review 'A brilliant book - all women should read this' -- ***** Reader review 'Empowering' -- ***** Reader review 'Great for any woman seeking deeper knowledge of their body' -- ***** Reader review ***************************************************************************************** Are you unhappy with your current method of birth control? Or are you demoralized by your quest to have a baby? Do you also experience confusing signs and symptoms at various times in your menstrual cycle, but are frustrated by a lack of simple explanations? This invaluable resource will provide the answers to these questions while giving amazing insights into your own body. Taking Charge of Your Fertility has helped hundreds of thousands of women to get pregnant, avoid pregnancy naturally, or simply gain better control of their health and their lives. This book thoroughly explains the empowering Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), which, in only a couple of minutes a day, allows you to: - Maximise your chances of conception before you see a doctor - Expedite your fertility treatment by quickly identifying impediments to pregnancy achievement - Enjoy highly effective and scientifically proven birth control without chemicals or devices - Gain control of your sexual and gynaecological health pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy and beyond pregnancy - all the way to menopause. With straight-forward, easy-to-follow advice, real life case studies, comprehensive tables showing how to track changes and detailed information and advice on fertility drugs and treatments, this is an indispensable guide for all women - no matter what stage of the fertility journey they are at.

MENSTRUATION ISN'T JUST ABOUT HAVING BABIES Your menstrual cycle is a vital sign, just like your pulse, temperature, respiration rate, and blood pressure. And it provides you with essential information about your health.The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles and Optimize Your Fertility brings together over 1,000 meticulously researched scientific references in a textbook-quality guide to understanding your menstrual cycle. In this book you’ll learn: –What a normal cycle looks like; –The best way to chart your cycle and increase your fertility awareness; –How best to manage critical aspects of your health, including better sleep, exercise and a healthier diet; –Natural methods for managing period pain and PMS; –How to successfully avoid pregnancy without the pill; and –How to plan ahead if you do want to get pregnant. The Fifth Vital Sign aims to better connect women with their menstrual cycles, to break the myth that ovulation is only important when you're ready to have a baby. READ THE FIFTH VITAL SIGN TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR HEALTH AND FERTILITY Whether children are a part of your future plans or not, your health matters. Start learning more now, and take control of your health. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is a certified Fertility Awareness Educator and Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner. She teaches women to chart their menstrual cycles for natural birth control, conception, and overall health monitoring. In her work, Lisa draws heavily from the current scientific literature and presents an evidence-based approach to fertility awareness and menstrual cycle optimization.

This book explores the arguments, appeals, and narratives that have defined the meaning of infertility in the modern history of the United States and Europe. Throughout the last century, the inability of women to conceive children has been explained by discrepant views: that women are individually culpable for their own reproductive health problems, or that they require the intervention of medical experts to correct abnormalities. Using doctor-patient correspondence, oral histories, and contemporaneous popular and scientific news coverage, Robin Jensen parses the often thin rhetorical divide between moralization and medicalization, revealing how dominating explanations for infertility have emerged from seemingly competing narratives. Her longitudinal account illustrates the ways in which old arguments and appeals do not disappear in the light of new information, but instead reemerge at subsequent, often seemingly disconnected moments to combine and contend with new assertions. Tracing the transformation of language surrounding infertility from “barrenness” to “(in)fertility,” this rhetorical analysis both explicates how language was and is used to establish the concept of infertility and shows the implications these rhetorical constructions continue to have for individuals and the societies in which they live.

The development, manufacturing, and use of contraceptive methods from the late nineteenth century to the present, viewed from the perspective of reproductive justice. The beginning of the modern contraceptive era began in 1882, when Dr. Aletta Jacobs opened the first birth control clinic in Amsterdam. The founding of this facility, and the clinical provision of contraception that it enabled, marked the moment when physicians started to take the prevention of pregnancy seriously as a medical concern. In this volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Donna Drucker traces the history of modern contraception, outlining the development, manufacturing, and use of contraceptive methods from the opening of Dr. Jacobs's clinic to the present. Drucker approaches the subject from the perspective of reproductive justice: the right to have a child, the right not to have a child, and the right to parent children safely and healthily. Drucker describes contraceptive methods available before the pill, including the diaphragm (dispensed at the Jacobs clinic) and condom, spermicidal jellies, and periodic abstinences. She looks at the development and dissemination of the pill and its chemical descendants; describes technological developments in such non-hormonal contraceptives as the cervical cap and timing methods (including the “rhythm method” favored by the Roman Catholic church); and explains the concept of reproductive justice. Finally, Drucker considers the future of contraception—the adaptations of existing methods, new forms of distribution, and ongoing efforts needed to support contraceptive access worldwide.

Marriage for Life begins by listening to the lived experiences of Catholic, married, HIV-positive women, in order to better understand their struggles. The eight women interviewed in Chicago, Illinois, USA, shared their stories of marriage, of family life, of church involvement, and of living with HIV. Their candid reflections offer a fresh and grounded perspective on the challenges of living with HIV in a US context. After listening to and learning from these women’s experiences, Reimer-Barry constructs a theology of Christian marriage that is life-giving in a world with AIDS. While Catholic teachings have developed and now affirm the equal dignity of women and men, troubling legacies of women’s subordination remain embedded in liturgical practices and theological texts. Arguing that self-care is an indispensable component of a healthy marriage, Reimer-Barry constructs a life-affirming theology of marriage that is sensitive to the struggles of her collaborators. She argues that marriage for life must promote the full flourishing of both partners, respect wives as equal partners with their husbands, and offer a coherent and empowering sexual ethic. Building on the wisdom of her collaborators’ lived experiences, Reimer-Barry examines the need for a more adequate Catholic response to HIV and AIDS, arguing that church communities should promote comprehensive sexual education, affirm both abstinence and condom use for HIV prevention, and actively work to reduce stigmatizing behaviors within church communities. She also unpacks the implications of marriage for life for Catholic liturgical practice, marriage preparation programs, sexual education programs, and family ministries. Modeling her method on what Pope Francis calls the “art of accompaniment,” Reimer-Barry argues that Catholic theology of marriage must be renewed and updated so that all can plainly understand that marriage is for life.

Treat your aches and pains with these simple, all-natural solutions for colds, minor burns, acne, and more. The Simple Guide to Natural Health provides the latest information on all-natural remedies, featuring ingredients such as apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, and various essential oils. With these do-it-yourself recipes that harness the power of natural healing, you’ll be able to treat—and prevent—common ailments. From how to grow and harvest your own ingredients to instructions for storing and organizing your homemade remedies, clinical herbalist Melanie St. Ours will take you step-by-step through the process of creating your own natural medicine cabinet.

A practical guide to understanding your cycle and balancing your hormones with nutrition and yoga, for a calm and pain-free period. Written by Le’Nise Brothers, a nutritional therapist, yoga teacher and popular women’s health, hormone and wellbeing coach. You Can Have A Better Period is a straight-talking resource to help women understand their menstrual cycles and finally get answers to questions such as: “why am I so moody right before my period?”, “are periods supposed to be so painful?”, “why is my period so heavy?”, “is it normal to get headaches right before my period?” Le'Nise Brothers takes us through each phase of our cycle, including a clear programme of nutrition and lifestyle changes. The book explains which supplements work and the key stress management habits we can implement, to bring long-lasting and sustainable changes to our hormonal balance and menstrual health. In Western society, we have accepted a cultural narrative that periods are supposed to be painful, emotional and messy. This book will be a practical guide that helps women change the way they look at their period, and finally harness the power of the fifth vital sign.