A laugh-out-loud, pick-me-up collection of stories for the millions of women who are battling hot flashes, mood swings and mental lapses.

As baby boomers hit their late forties and fifties, a record number of women are going through menopause. Whether they're in "active" menopause or just beginning to experience their first gray hairs and the hot nights of perimenopause, they'll find support, comfort and advice in this collection of stories from women who've been there and have survived.

With chapters such as What's Age Got to Do with It?; This Is Not Your Mother's Menopause; Mental-Pause; Hormones, Schormones; and Who Turned Up the Heat?, women will gain renewed perspective on reaching the milestone of middle age, feel empowered by their changing identity and realize the innumerable ways in which menopause can impact them in a positive manner.

Chicken Soup for the Soul in Menopause will show millions of women that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Eggs Over

M y son, Graig, discovered Dr. Ruth when he was ten years old. He sat riveted to the television while I was preparing his favorite breakfast—French toast. As I was whipping up the eggs, I was half-listening as Dr. Ruth and a gynecologist were explaining menopause to the viewing audience. Suddenly, I was aware of a pair of eyes looking at me longingly. My son said nothing but continued to watch as I cooked. Finally, I asked if something was wrong. Wistfully, my son answered, 'Did you know, Mommy, that after menopause, you can't make eggs anymore?'

™ Pat Gallant

The Positive Side of Menopause

Menopause. It's a word loaded with associations—and usually not good ones. Hot flashes, mood swings, decreased sex drive, memory loss . . . these are the topics that are likely to pop up when you mention the 'M' word. But menopause isn't a disease—it's a normal, healthy part of your life. In fact, it can be a time of liberation, change and innovation. A time to take up new interests, make healthful changes in your lifestyle, and strengthen relationships with loved ones. A time for new beginnings.

For many women, these are the years in which the children leave home. This means you can now invest more time in your career, explore hobbies you never had time for before, or go back to school. You can travel and spend more time with your spouse and friends. You can even have a romantic interlude with your husband again without your children interrupting!

Menopause is also a time to focus on your health, and this too can provide a wonderful opportunity to make changes in your lifestyle. If you haven't already started an exercise program and a healthy way of eating, now is certainly the time to do it—you'll feel better, and you'll protect yourself against many diseases of aging.

Don't forget that menopause isn't all about negative health changes. You'll no longer have to worry about PMS or unintended pregnancy—and for most of us, that's a very good thing!

Common Myths About Menopause . . . And Reasons
Why You Should Question Them

Myth: Menopause is a uniformly awful experience, something to be dreaded.

Fact: Although women often do have some symptoms during menopause, there are ways to alleviate them. Many women find that menopause is a chance to focus more on themselves and make changes that will improve their health.

Myth: Forgetfulness is a common symptom of menopause.

Fact: Although you may feel as if you're constantly misplacing your keys or forgetting what you were about to do, in fact, there's no evidence that memory actually declines in women during menopause. Memory lapses during this time generally are caused by trying to do too many things at once. Menopause is not the best time for multitasking, especially with an infinite task list.

Myth: Depression is common in menopause.

Fact: While minor mood swings are common in menopause, depression is not a normal part of menopause. If you think you might be depressed, you should talk to your doctor, who can provide treatment if you are indeed found to be suffering from depression.

Myth: Gaining weight is inevitable during menopause.

Fact: With regular exercise and a healthy diet, you can prevent weight gain during menopause.

Myth: There aren't any alternatives to hormones to relieve menopause symptoms.

Fact: There are some botanical products and antidepressants that may be helpful in relieving menopause symptoms. You can also make some lifestyle changes to help relieve symptoms. Besides, symptoms eventually go away, and with a positive attitude, they can be much more ­tolerable.

Myth: Once a woman starts skipping her period, she can't get pregnant.

Fact: You can still get pregnant even after you begin to miss periods. So unless you're trying to have a baby, be sure to use birth control until you haven't had any period for twelve months.

©2007. Pat Gallant. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul : The Real Deal Friends by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Deborah Reber. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street , Deerfield Beach , FL 33442.