Womens Bodies Womens Wisdom Read online

  Christiane Northrup, M.D., a board-certified ob-gyn, is a visionary pioneer; beloved authority in women’s health and wellness; and the author of the New York Times bestsellers Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom, and The Wisdom of Menopause. Her third book, Mother-Daughter Wisdom, was voted Amazon’s #1 book of the year in both Parenting and Mind-Body Health in 2005. Following a 25-year career in both academic medicine and private practice, Dr. Northrup now devotes her time to helping women truly flourish on all levels through tapping into their inner wisdom.

  Website: www.DrNorthrup.com

  ALSO BY CHRI STIANE NORTHRUP, M.D.

  The Wisdom of Menopause

  Creating Physical and Emotional Health and

  Healing During the Change

  Mother-Daughter Wisdom

  Understanding the Crucial Link Between

  Mothers, Daughters, and Health

  The Secret Pleasures of Menopause

  The Secret Pleasures of Menopause Playbook:

  A Guide to Creating Vibrant Health through Pleasure

  The Wisdom of Menopause Journal

  Women’s Bodies,

  Women’s Wisdom

  Women’s Bodies,

  Women’s Wisdom

  Creating Physical and Emotional

  Health and Healing

  NEWLY REVISED AND UPDATED: 2010

  Christiane Northrup, M.D.

  EBook Edition published by Christiane Northrup, Inc. www.DrNorthrup.com

  Print Edition Published by Bantam Books: www.bantamdell.com

  Copyright © 2010, 2006, 1998, and 1994 by Christiane Northrup, M.D.

  All rights reserved.

  EBook Edition published by Christiane Northrup, Inc. 2008

  Fully revised EBook Edition published 2010 All rights reserved.

  Print edition is available through Bantam Books

  www.bantamdell.com

  Illustrations by Scott Leighton.

  Copyright © 2010 by Christiane Northrup, Inc.

  Grateful acknowledgment is made for permission to quote the following:

  Excerpt from Circle of Stones: Woman’s Journey to Herself, by Judith Duerk.

  Copyright © 1989 by LuraMedia. Reprinted by permission of LuraMedia, Inc., San Diego, CA;

  excerpt from Guided Meditations, Explorations and Healing, by Stephen Levine

  Copyright © 1991 by Stephen Levine. Used by permission of Doubleday, a division

  of Random House, Inc.; excerpt from When Society Becomes an Addict, by

  Anne Wilson Schaef. Copyright © 1987, HarperSanFrancisco; Geneen Roth’s Eating

  Guidelines from Women, Food, and God by Geneen Roth, published by Scribner,

  copyright © 2010. All rights reserved. Reprinted by kind permission of Geneen Roth

  and Scribner, a division of Simon and Schuster.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Northrup, Christiane.

  Women’s bodies, women’s wisdom : creating physical and emotional health and healing /

  Christiane Northrup. — Rev. and updated.

  p. cm.

  Includes bibliographical references.

  ISBN 978-0-553-80793-6 (hardcover) / 978-0-553-38673-8 (trade paperback)

  1. Gynecology—Popular works. 2. Holistic medicine—Popular works. 3. Generative organs,

  Female—Diseases—Popular works. 4. Women—Health and hygiene. I. Title.

  RG121.N59 2010

  618.1—dc22 2010011802

  Printed in the United States of America

  1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2

  Author photo by Charles Bush Photography

  EBook Published by Christiane Northrup, Inc.

  is a registered trademark of Christiane Northrup, Inc

  For more information about Dr. Northrup and her work,

  please visit: www.DrNorthrup.com.

  This book is for all who believe that it is possible to flourish, regardless of our present or past circumstances.

  It is for all who acknowledge the daily presence in our lives of mystery, uncertainty, and hope.

  It is for those who yearn to be well and know that there is something more to healing than simply external substances or techniques.

  This book is for every physician, nurse, health care practitioner, healer, or patient who keeps an open heart and an open mind and acknowledges the fact that scientific truth is constantly changing.

  It is for those who know that we heal and flourish to the degree that we consciously invite the Sacred into our lives.

  This book is dedicated with appreciation to the scientists and healers of the past, present, and future who have had and will have the courage to speak their truth and go forward in faith, hope, and joy, despite the deadening effects of conventional thinking.

  Contents

  List of Figures

  List of Tables

  Introduction to the Fourth Edition: The Medicine of Empowerment

  Part One

  From External Control to Inner Guidance

  1 The Patriarchal Myth: The Origin of the Mind/Body/Emotion Split

  Our Cultural Inheritance

  Patriarchy Results in Addiction

  Fundamental Beliefs of the Dominator System

  Reclaiming the Authority of Our Own Feelings

  2 Feminine Intelligence and a New Mode of Healing

  Energy Fields and Energy Systems

  Understanding the Bodymind

  Feminine Intelligence: How Thoughts Become Embodied

  Beliefs Are Physical

  Healing Versus Curing

  3 Inner Guidance

  Listening to Your Body and Its Needs

  Emotional Cleansing: Healing from the Past

  Dreams: A Doorway to the Unconscious

  Intuition and Intuitive Guidance

  How Inner Guidance Works

  4 The Female Energy System

  The Matter-Energy Continuum

  Earth’s Energy

  The Chakras

  The Lower Female Centers: Chakras One to Three

  Other Chakra Issues

  Part Two

  The Anatomy of Women’s Wisdom

  5 The Menstrual Cycle

  Our Cyclical Nature

  Our Cultural Inheritance

  Menstrual Cramps (Dysmenorrhea)

  Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

  Irregular Periods

  Excessive Buildup of the Uterine Lining (Endometrial Hyperplasia, Cystic and Adenomatous Hyperplasia)

  Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding (DUB)

  Heavy Periods (Menorrhagia)

  Healing Our Menstrual History: Preparing Our Daughters

  6 The Uterus

  Our Cultural Inheritance

  Energy Anatomy

  Chronic Pelvic Pain

  Endometriosis

  Uterine Prolapse

  Fibroid Tumors

  7 The Ovaries

  Anatomy

  Ovarian Cysts

  Polycystic Ovaries (PCO)

  Ovarian Cancer

  8 Reclaiming the Erotic

  We Are Sexual Beings

  Our Cultural Inheritance

  Reclaiming Our Erotic Selves

  9 Vulva, Vagina, Cervix, and Lower Urinary Tract

  Our Cultural Inheritance

  Anatomy

  Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

  Herpes

  Cervicitis

  Cervical Dysplasia (Abnormal Pap Smears)

  Vaginal Infection (Vaginitis)

  A Note on Sexually Transmitted Diseases

  Chronic Vulvar Pain (Vulvodynia)

  Interstitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder Syndrome)

  Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

  Stress Urinary Incontinence

  10 Breasts

  Our Cultural Inheritance

  Anatomy

  Breast Self-Exams

  Benign Breast Symptoms: Breast Pain, Lumps, Cysts, and Nipple Discharge

  Treatment for Benign Breast Symptoms

  Mammography

  Breast Cancer

  Program to Promote Healthy Breast Tissue

  Cosmetic Breast Surgery

  11 Our Fertility

  Abortion

  Emergency Contraception: Abortion Prevention

  Conscious Conception and Contraception

  Transforming Infertility

  Pregnancy Loss

  Adoption

  Fertility as Metaphor

  12 Pregnancy and Birthing

  The Transforming Power of Pregnancy

  Our Cultural Inheritance: Pregnancy

  Preventing Premature Birth

  Preventing Preeclampsia

  Turning a Breech Presentation

  Our Cultural Inheritance: Labor and Delivery

  Birth Technologies

  Mothering the Mother: A Solution Whose Time Has Come

  How to Decrease Your Risk for a Cesarean Section

  My Personal Story

  Turning Labor into Personal Power

  13 Motherhood: Bonding with Your Baby

  Postpartum: The Fourth Trimester

  Circumcision

  Formula Versus Breast Milk

  Mothering in a Dominator Culture: The Hardest Job in the World

  14 Menopause

  Menopause: A Crossroads

  Our Cultural Inheritance

  Creating Health During Menopause

  Adrenal Function: What Every Woman Should Know

  Kinds of Menopause


  The Hormone Therapy Question

  A Hormone Primer

  Symptoms of Menopause

  Hot Flashes

  Vaginal Dryness, Irritation, and Thinning

  Osteoporosis

  Sexuality in Menopause

  Thinning Hair

  Mood Swings and Depression

  Fuzzy Thinking

  Long-Term Health Concerns

  Alzheimer’s Disease

  Deciding on Menopausal Treatment Self-Care During Menopause

  Menopause as a New Beginning

  Part Three

  Women’s Wisdom Program for Flourishing and Healing

  15 Steps for Flourishing

  Imagine Your Future: Change Your Consciousness, Change Your Cells

  Step One: Uncover and Update Your Legacy

  Step Two: Sort Through Your Beliefs

  Step Three: Respect and Release Your Emotions

  Step Four: Learn to Listen to Your Body

  Step Five: Learn to Respect Your Body

  Step Six: Acknowledge a Higher Power or Inner Wisdom

  Step Seven: Reclaim the Fullness of Your Mind

  Step Eight: Get Help

  Step Nine: Work with Your Body

  Step Ten: Gather Information

  Step Eleven: Forgive

  Step Twelve: Actively Pursue Pleasure and Purpose

  16 Getting the Most Out of Your Medical Care

  Why You Must Take Responsibility for Your Health Care

  Choosing a Treatment: From Surgery to Acupuncture

  Creating Health Through Surgery

  17 Eat to Flourish

  Creating Optimal Body Composition and Vibrant Health

  The Wonders of Magnesium

  Creating a Supplementation Program

  Other Common Concerns

  A Word About Smoking

  Appreciate the Energy of Food

  18 The Power of Movement

  Our Cultural Inheritance

  Benefits of Exercise

  Exercise and Addiction

  Exercise, Amenorrhea, and Bone Loss

  My Exercise Story: Making Peace

  Getting Started

  19 Healing Ourselves, Healing Our World

  Our Mothers: Our Cells

  A Ritual of Reclaiming

  Transforming Our Fear of Our Shaman Past

  Our Dreams: Earth’s Dreams

  Making the World Safe for Women: Start with Yourself

  Resources

  Notes

  Acknowledgments

  List of Figures

  Fig. 1: Earth’s Energy Going Upward

  Fig. 2: Chakra Diagram with Female Figure

  Fig. 3: Menstrual Cycle (Days)

  Fig. 4: Lunar Chart for Menstrual Cycle

  Fig. 5: The Female Mind-Body Continuum: Interactions Between the Brain and the Pelvis

  Fig. 6: Adhesions in Pelvic Organs

  Fig. 7: Acupressure Points for Gynecological Problems

  Fig. 8: SAD and PMS

  Fig. 9: Uterus, Ovaries, and Cervix with Anatomic Labels

  Fig. 10: Endometriosis

  Fig. 11: Types of Fibroids

  Fig. 12: The Clitoral System

  Fig. 13: Breast Anatomy

  Fig. 14: Breast Self-Exam

  Fig. 15: Fertility Awareness: Ovulation and Basal Body Temperature

  Fig. 16: The Causes of Female Infertility

  Fig. 17: Acupuncture or Acupressure Points to Turn a Breech

  Fig. 18: Currents of Wisdom

  Fig. 19: Hormone-Producing Body Sites

  Fig. 20: Body Mass Index Chart

  List of Tables

  Table 1: Characteristics of the Addictive System

  Table 2: The Body as a Process Versus Medical Worldview

  Table 3: Sources of Guidance

  Table 4: Energy Anatomy: Mental and Emotional Patterns, the Chakras, and the Physical Body

  Table 5: The Anatomy of Women’s Wisdom

  Table 6: Comparing Contraceptive Methods

  Table 7: Potential Risk Factors in Childbirth

  Table 8: The Effects of Hormone Therapy on Breast Cancer Risk

  Table 9: USDA Suggested Weights for Adults

  Table 10: Calculating Your Daily Protein Requirement

  Table 11: Recommended Daily Supplementation

  Introduction to the Fourth Edition

  The Medicine of Empowerment

  One of the central outmoded ideas governing our health care system is the notion that the processes of a woman’s body are designed to cause suffering and pain, and that women require a great deal of medical care and testing to stay healthy. Though this is certainly the experience of countless women, there is another way—a better way.In fact, the female body was designed by our creator to be a source of pleasure, fertility, movement, strength, and well-being. Our bodies connect us with the moon, the tides, and the seasons. We are meant to flourish. We, the human race, have come to a crossroads, a turning point when old, unsustainable ideas and behaviors are breaking down all over the planet. The current health care crisis is just one example of this breakdown—an example with which I’m intimately familiar. There is no need to fear the crumbling of the old, for it opens a space for new, more sustainable, and healthier systems and ideas to be created in all aspects of the human experience on earth, including how we handle the experience of living in a female body.

  Over the past three decades, my experiences as an ob-gyn physician, new mother, and midlife woman have led me to a revolutionary new approach to women’s health and wellness that acknowledges the seamless unity of our bodies, minds, and spirits. Though this wasn’t obvious to the mainstream medical community back in the 1980s and ’90s when I was first field-testing the approaches outlined in this book, it is now abundantly clear to us all that a woman’s state of health is highly influenced by the culture in which she lives, her position within it, her experiences, and her day-to-day thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors.

  It is possible to thrive in a female body instead of simply waiting for disease to happen. It boils down to this: Regardless of our individual circumstances, our pasts, or our ages, each of us has inner guidance available that we can tune in to in order to create vibrant health—now. We are born with this inner guidance, which comes in the form of the emotions and desires that lead us toward things (including thoughts) that feel good and are good for us, and away from things that feel bad and are bad for us. It’s that simple. We are hard-wired to seek love, joy, fulfillment—and health. Though we’ve too often been talked out of our desires as children, I’ve learned that we can trust those feelings that make us want to get up in the morning. Our desires are the way that the healing life force comes through us and replenishes our bodies. They are what make life worth living. They make up our hopes and dreams. And they invariably hold the keys to healing not only our bodies but our entire lives.

  As a physician, I’ve seen time and time again how our inner guidance also comes in the form of bodily symptoms and illnesses—especially when we are living lives devoid of pleasure, joy, and hope. Our illnesses are designed to stop us in our tracks, make us rest, and bring our attention back to the things that are really important and that give our lives meaning and joy— aspects of life that we often put on the back burner until “someday.”

  The insights catalyzed by decades of medical practice as well as my own health problems challenged everything I learned in medical school and residency training about women’s health. Over the years, it became abundantly clear to me that premenstrual syndrome (PMS), pelvic pain, fibroid tumors, chronic vaginitis, breast problems, and menstrual cramps were related to the contexts of an individual woman’s life and her beliefs about herself and what she thought was possible in her life. All of these factors are associated with very real biochemical changes in our cells. Learning about their diets, work situations, and relationships often provided me with clues to the source of women’s distress—and, more important, what steps needed to be taken to relieve that distress. Over the years, I have learned to appreciate the thoughts, beliefs, and behavioral patterns behind medical conditions in ways that simply aren’t addressed in medical training. These insights are the missing link to optimal health on all levels.

  As I have developed more sensitivity to these patterns of health and illness, I have come to the conclusion that without a commitment to looking at all aspects of our lives and accessing our power to change them, improving habits and diet alone is not enough to effect a permanent cure for conditions that have been present for a long time. I’ve worked with many women whose illnesses could not be ascribed simply to what they eat and could not be cured solely through medication or surgery. Following a special diet or running three miles a day won’t make a woman feel well if her health is being adversely influenced by a subconscious belief that she isn’t good enough, or that she is the wrong gender, or that it’s a woman’s lot in life to suffer. If she has experienced incest and hasn’t allowed herself to feel the emotions that are often associated with that history, or if she was unwanted or abused as a child, then no prescription drugs exist that will heal that wound and the physical aftereffects that often result.