WOMEN'S HEALTH

An Alternative and Complementary Medicine Resource Guide

Contents:

   Introduction
   Books
   Journals
   Professional and Referral Organizations
  Self-help and Research Organizations
  Web resources

INTRODUCTION

Conventional Approaches

A diversity in medical choices for prevention and treatment modalities are of utmost importance in the maintenance of health.  Generally, conventional medicine focuses on the treatment of symptoms rather than teaching healthy living and awareness of the body's natural tendency towards health. This approach views the woman's natural physiological processes, such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, as conditions requiring medical treatment. Although conventional medicine is effective in the extensive field of women's health, there are other approaches that may also be used to support women's intrinsic cycles and to facilitate the body's natural course of healing.

Alternative Approaches

Alternative and complementary medicine recognizes the intimate unity of the mind with the body's immune, endocrine, and nervous systems. This relationship illustrates how the structure and function of one system within the human body is dependent upon all other systems within the body. The alternative and complementary medical approach to women's health is to treat these systems as one, facilitating the body's innate ability to heal itself and to restore intrinsic cycles through noninvasive, natural therapies for symptoms and diseases.

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NOTE: The following resource listings are not intended to be comprehensive, nor to be used as a guide for treatment.   They are provided for information only.  The resources are selected and categorized to help you with your own research.

BOOKS

AUTHORITATIVE RESEARCH RESOURCES

Joyce C. Frye, DO, MBA "Herbs in Women's Health Care," Chapter 3 of Current Review of Complementary Medicine (Edited by Marc S. Micozzi, MD, PhD) Current Medicine, Inc., 1999 This chapter provides an overview of the use of medicinal herbs and a more detailed discussion of the therapeutic use of hormonal herbs and anti-infective herbs for gynecological problems.

Rina Nissim Natural Healing in Gynecology: A Manual for Women Pandora Press, 1996 A scientifically written guide that explains the actions of antibiotics and offers alternative herbal treatment for gynecological disorders.  Nissim clearly describes what the body's reactions might be to either allopathic or herbal remedies in a voice that is appropriate for both the layperson and the health professional.

Charles B. Simone, MD Breast Health: What You Need to Know Avery Publishing Group, 1995 A summary of the latest research into the diverse causes of breast cancer, stating that a heightened awareness offers women the best chances for survival. Dr. Simone provides a simple yet detailed ten-point plan on maximizing breast health, focusing on prevention, detection, and treatment.

CASE STUDIES/OBSERVATIONAL DATA

Jeanne E.  Blum Woman Heal Thyself: An Ancient Healing System for Contemporary Women Charles E. Tuttle Company, Incorporated, 1995 Blum describes a simple system that identifies the 24 acupressure points on the body and shows women how to use their healing power to cure premenstrual syndrome, treat the symptoms of menopause, and aid in conception and contraception.

 

Rosemary Gladstar Herbal Healing for Women: Simple Remedies for Women of All Ages Fireside, 1993 In this comprehensive and easy-to-use guide, Gladstar explains how to create remedies--including teas, tinctures, salves, and ointments--for the common disorders that arise in the different cycles of a woman's life.

 

Burton Goldberg Group Alternative Medicine Guide to Women's Health - Two Future Medicine Publishing, Inc., 1998 Individual physicians discuss their experience of treating women.  All work on the basis that not one cause, but multiple factors, can result in health problems in women.

 

Sari Harrar and Sara Altshul O'Donnell The Woman's Book of Healing Herbs: Healing Teas, Tonics, Supplements, and Formulas Rodale Press, 1999 A definitive book on herbs for women’s health issues that incorporates scientific research and the wisdom of the world’s most trusted herbalists to provide safe, effective treatments for a variety of ailments.

 

Christiane Northrup, MD, FACOG Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing, 1998 Completely revised, this book provides the most up-to-date information on the entire range of women’s health issues, incorporating Western and alternative medicine into a complementary whole. Several new perspectives in women’s medicine, natural treatment programs, and health care resources are offered, which emphasize Northrup’s view of mind-body wellness.

 

Susun S. Weed Wise Woman Herbal Series: Healing Wise Ash Tree Publishing, 1989 The wise-woman tradition, according to Weed, focuses around women as healers and nurturers. In this herbal medicine guide, Weed provides complete instructions for using common plants for medicine and longevity.

 

Susun S. Weed Menopausal Years: The Wise Woman Way-Alternative Approaches for Women 30-90 Ash Tree Publishing, 1992 This book focuses on many aspects of women’s natural health remedies, from massage and energy work to herbs, supplements, diet, and medications.

 

Patsy Westcott and Leyardia Black Alternative Health Care for Women: A Woman's Guide to Self-Help Treatments and Natural Therapies Harper Collins, 1989 Examines the factors that contribute to women's health, discusses symptoms of conditions, then provides information about conventional and alternative treatments.

 

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JOURNALS

Journal of Nurse Midwifery
http://sciserv.ub.uni-bielefeld.de/elsevier/00912182/
American College of Nurse-Midwives
818 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 728-9860
Fax: (202) 728-9897
Email: info@acnm.org
As the official publication of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, this journal promotes current knowledge in the fields of nurse-midwifery, parent-child health, obstetrics, well-woman gynecology, family planning and primary care.

Journal of Women's Health and Gender-Based Medicine
http://www.liebertpub.com/JWH/default1.asp
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
2 Madison Avenue
Larchmont, NY 10538
Phone: (914) 834-3100
Fax: (914) 834-3688
Email: info@liebertpub.com
Produced by the Society for Women's Health Research, this journal is peer-reviewed and focuses on diseases and medical conditions prevalent among women. Included are clinical papers, review articles, and case-reports. The publications department of this journal's publisher, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Publishers, offers a wide selection of books, journals, and newsletters that emphasize alternative and complementary medicine.

ONLINE JOURNALS

Journal of Women and Aging
http://www.bubl.ac.uk/journals/soc/jwaa/
Easily perform searches, view tables of contents and abstracts. Although this collection of material is relatively small (since 1995), this site links to other useful women’s health related journals.

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PROFESSIONAL AND REFERRAL ORGANIZATIONS

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
http://www.acog.com
409 12th St., S.W.
PO Box 96920
Washington, DC 20090-6920
Email: resources@acog.org
A private, voluntary, nonprofit organization providing professional education, advocacy and patient education.

American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA)
http://www.holisticmedicine.org
6728 Old McLean Village Drive
McLean, VA 22101
Phone: (703) 556-9728
Fax: (703) 556-8729
Email: ahma@degnon.org
This organization unites allopathic and osteopathic physicians who practice medicine that acknowledges the interrelationship of body, mind, and spirit. These professionals embrace all modalities that are safe and effective, including conventional allopathic medicine. Click on "AHMA Doctor Finder" to view a compilation of physician members of the AHMA.

American Medical Women's Association (AMWA)
http:/www.amwa-doc.org/index.html
801 N. Fairfax St.
Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 838-0500
Fax: (703) 549-3864
Email: info@amwa-doc.org
Women physicians and medical students dedicated to the care of women patients. Searchable and provides relevant links.

National Association for Women's Health (NAWH)
http://www.nawh.org
300 West Adams
Suite 328
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 786-7468
Fax: (312) 786-0376
Association for all health professionals who influence, develop and promote quality health care programs for women.

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SELF-HELP & RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS

National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC)
http://www.healthywomen.org
120 Albany St.
Suite 820
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Toll Free: (877) 986-9472 (98-NWHRC)
Fax: (732) 249-4671
Email: ddiamant@healthywomen.org
NWHRC is the national clearinghouse for women’s health issues, providing membership, ordering and subscription information for their newsletter, staff-performed searches, and access to their resource library and database. This site also has a comprehensive list of related links.

National Women's Health Network
http://www.womenshealthnetwork.org
514 10th St., NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (202) 628-7814
Fax: (202) 347-1168
The National Women's Health Network is an advocacy organization dealing with women's health issues. In addition to lobbying Congress and other government agencies they have a clearinghouse of women's health information to help individuals make well-informed health care decisions.

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WEB RESOURCES

NOTE: Promotional and commercial sites are not included in this listing unless they provide significant impartial information resources.

SPECIFIC SITES

The Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Center-Women's Health Information Resources
http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/rosenthal/Women.html
This web site is no longer maintained but has been retained as an archive. The Women's Health Information resources comprise a categorized and annotated listing of internet resources on general and specific women's health issues, including academic centers, government sites, electronic journals, professional associations, and other research resources.

GENERAL SITES

Dr. Donnica
http://www.drdonnica.com
Clear, categorized information. Click on Women's Health Resources in the sidebar for a list of topics, or use the search feature.

Healthfinder and the National Women's Health Information Center
http://www.healthfinder.gov/justforyou/women/default.htm
Click on "hot topics" for listings of associated web resources and organizations.

HealthWorld Online
http://www.healthy.net/womenshealth/
Collection of information from selected practitioners in the fields of self-care, integrative medicine, naturopathic medicine, herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutrition and acupuncture.

Herbs for Women's Health
http://www.herbsforwomenshealth.com/
Written by Gail Faith Edwards, an herbalist and educator with over thirty years of experience.

HIV AIDS Facts for Patients
http://www.guidetohealthcareschools.com/library/hiv-aids-patient
This resource will help women self-educate on safe practices to prevent further transmission, find supportive counseling and treatment services to ensure well being.

Homeopathic Perspective on Women's Conditions
http://www.homeopathic.com/ailments/heswomen.htm
A brief guide to homeopathic medical treatments specific to women’s health conditions, and an additional resource list.

In Her Prime
http://www.inherprime.com
A categorized listing of resources put out by Arbor Nutrition Guides.

New York Times Women's Health
http://www.nytimes.com/specials/women/whome
Categorized list of resources and with free registration, access to the NY Times’ Women’s Health web site.

Wellness Web Women's Health Center
http://www.wellweb.com/women/women.htm
Links to resources and references categorized into complementary medicine, conventional medicine, nutrition/fitness, as well as an additional non-categorized list.

Women's Directory
http://www.pleiades-net.com/dbs/orghealth.html
The Pleiades Web site is a listing of organizations related to women's health issues--a good starting point.

META-DIRECTORIES

HealthWeb Women's Health
http://www.medsch.wisc.edu/chslib/hw/womens/
A useful meta-directory from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Health Sciences Library.

Medscape - Women's Health
http://www.medscape.com/Home/Topics/WomensHealth/WomensHealth.html
A medical information site with on-line publication of peer-reviewed, clinically-oriented articles on the health care needs of women.

MedWeb: Women's Health
http://www.MedWeb.Emory.Edu/MedWeb/
Use keywords "women's health" in the MedWeb Quick Search to access this listing.

Yahoo! Women's Health
http://www.yahoo.com/Health/Women_s_Health/
A comprehensive site for health information, providing categorized listings, sophisticated search facilities, and the latest breaking news items.

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