This landmark work in women's health identifies and offers solutions to the hormonal dysfunctions afflicting millions of young women, teens, and even children, that rob women of future fertility and contribute to devastating problems -- from early onset puberty and obesity to depression and increased cancer risk.

Women's health is more than breast cancer, pregnancy, and menopause. In this groundbreaking new work, Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet identifies and explains rarely acknowledged, pervasive threats to young women's health and fertility -- PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), POD (Premature Ovarian Decline), and Premature Ovarian Failure (menopause in the young) -- and the overlooked causes of endometriosis, cystitis, early puberty, allergies, heart disease, mood disorders, depression, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, bone loss, anxiety, obesity, and diabetes.

A kind of Silent Spring of women's health, It's My Ovaries, Stupid! presents compelling evidence from worldwide research that common environmental toxins and endocrine disruptors in pesticides, plastic food wrappers, food additives, preservatives, soy supplements, aspartame in diet sodas and junk food, and more -- as well as lifestyle factors such as stress -- can all profoundly disrupt hormone function, even in childhood.

Insidious robbers of quality of life, fertility, and health, hormone dysfunctions are on the rise today, afflicting younger and younger women.

Why? What can you do about it? How can you get tested? What treatments are available? Dr. Vliet interprets the latest scientific research and draws on more than twenty years of clinical experience to answer these and many other crucial questions about common health problems in young women.

Whose job is it to take care of the ovaries...beyond their function in reproduction? Why do you have trouble getting help for "hormone problems" that are clearly linked to your monthly cycle? It's My Ovaries, Stupid! bridges this gap in women's health care and shows you how to understand your symptoms and get reliable tests, how to receive treatment and improve your health, how to wade through the controversies surrounding hormone replacement therapy, and how to explore cutting-edge options for thyroid problems.

You can't afford not to read this book. Your life, your fertility, and your long-term health may depend on it. It's not all in your head, and it's not just stress. It's your ovaries!

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 24 reviews)

"A MUST READ FOR WOMEN"

This book should be required reading for all women and all MD's who treat women, esp. OB/GYNs. It systematically and easily explains the role of hormones ("ovaries") in virtually all areas of women's mental and physical health. In light of the virtual "banning" of HRT for post-menopausal women (including young women who have a hysterectomy) it is a true "must read" for all!!! I learned so much, and have begun receiving various hormones in pellet form which has improved my life SO MUCH! No more hot flashes!!! A much more even temperment!! And I could go on and on. This book really opened my eyes in a way that even my MD (female, family practice) found surprising!!!
August 03, 2008

This book could save your life or relationships

This book is an excellent, well organized combination of case studies and medical science. Dr. Vliet is Board Certified in Pain Medicine, Psychiatry and Neurology, and has performed research investigating behavioral effects of hormones.

Information in this book has helped Florida Detox treat migraines, insomnia, anxiety, depression, interstitial cystitis, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia more effectively. Our opiate detox patients frequently arrive with estradiol, progesterone and testosterone deficiencies and almost all of our fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue patients are hypothyroid. Oral Bioidentical Progesterone has produced dramatic anxiety reductions in some of our patients, while bioidentical estradiol has produced dramatic decreases in insomnia and depression in others.

We have also been able to identify previously undiagnosed Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and agree with Dr. Vliet that PCOS is underdiagnosed. This book provides an excellent discussion of PCOS, enhanced with case histories.

It's My Ovaries, Stupid contains a profound discussion of the adverse impact of environmental contaminants, including insecticide, herbicide, poly chlorinated biphenyls, birth control pill residues and food additives. Vliet explains excess glutamate, used as a food additive, can damage the hypothalamus, which is unprotected by the blood-brain barrier. Glutamate can also decrease thyroid hormone and elevate cortisol levels, increasing obesity.

Vliet discusses published research revealing Finnish women with the highest Lindane pesticide levels in their breasts were ten times more likely to have breast cancer. A 1992 Connecticut study revealed women with breast cancer had 50 to 60 percent higher levels of PCB, DDT and DDE, in their breasts.

There has been extensive misleading media coverage of estrogen replacement therapy, since most coverage failed to distinguish between bioidentical estrogens and Premarin or other conjugated estrogens.
Premarin is not identical to human estrogen. Premarin contains approximately 40 percent estrone, while human estrogens are about 3 percent estrone. Estrone is many times more carcinogenic, than estradiol. Premarin also contains equilin, which is many times more carcinogenic, than estradiol, which is the most active human estrogen. Horse estrogens, also called conjugated estrogens or Premarin, were used in the highly publicized Womens Health Initiative study of 27,000 postmenopausal women.

"To date, the majority of medical studies also do not show a significant increase in risk of breast cancer in women who use birth control pills or women who take postmenopausal estrogen therapy alone, unless women are also drinking alcohol on a regular daily basis and are using Premarin" E
Elizabeth Vliet, MD, in Screaming to be Heard-Hormone Connections Women Suspect and Doctors still Ignore, p 378

Vliet's discussion of postpartum depression needs to be more widely read and comprehended, since treatment with bioidentical estradiol could eliminate most postpartum depression. If the media would interview Dr. Vliet, instead of puzzled "experts," typically interviewed, after tragic postpartum depression murder/suicides, the public could be informed that post partum depression is treatable.

Vliet also discusses numerous causes of premature ovarian hormone decline, including Lymes Disease, Chlamydia, gonorrhea, hypothyroidism, hyper and hypo adrenalism.

Steven Sponaugle
Research Director, Florida Detox

January 21, 2008

Very detailed and informative

The auther gives a very in-depth explanation of female hormones and their functions and how they can become unbalanced. She gives very specific and helpful advice about what hormones to check for certain symptoms, when to check them, what types of tests, what results mean, etc. It's clear she is on a mission to help women because there really is just a lack of study of female hormones in the medical community and it's obvious that many women can be helped with balanced hormone levels. I'm very glad I decided to get this book as I feel like I won't need to buy any others.
December 26, 2007

My Mother Loved this book

My mother just turned 50 and has been noticing some changes that she has atributed to hormones. My uncle, a doctor, recommended this book to help her understand what is going on.

Overall my mom really seems to like this book and i would recommend it to other pre-menopausal women.
January 15, 2007

A Response to a male review

I have yet to read the book, but I was reading over the reviews and I found it funny that a male was so ticked off that Dr. Vliet only spoke of female issues.
For one, you just appear ignorant for being upset about a disease that will never inflict a male (i.e. PCOS). Secondly men do not visit the doctors as regularily as females do and to try and discredit Dr. Vliet is nonsense!

Most males if they have an ailment will tough it out and figure it will correct itself. I've witnessed many men later on in life get so depressed about their health conditions b/c they were negligent of their own health.

So in conclusion to my rant you truly cannot have any say so over a matter that does not inflict your sex. Better inform yourself on your own health problems and do not think you know all. Men like you in the medical field is why women have to suffer as much as they do b/c they are so selfish, uneducated and narrow minded.

The truth be told everyone needs to keep a better check on their nutrional/mineral value on a daily basis so things do not become out of whack.
September 02, 2006

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

Screaming to be Heard: Hormonal Connections Women Suspect, and Doctors Still Ignore, Revised and Updated
by Elizabeth Vliet

The Savvy Woman's Guide to PCOS: The Many Faces Of A 21st Century Epidemic... And What You Can Do About It.
by Elizabeth Lee Vliet

The Savvy Woman's Guide to Testosterone: How to Revitalize Your Sexuality, Strength and Stamina
by Elizabeth Lee Vliet

Women, Weight and Hormones: A Weight-Loss Plan for Women Over 35
by Elizabeth Lee Vliet

A Patient's Guide to PCOS: Understanding--and Reversing--Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
by Walter Futterweit