Rose Kumar, M.D. is founder and medical director for the Ommani Center for Integrative Medicine. She describes how she was motivated to focus on holistic healing in addition to her training as a traditional western physician. In her new book, Becoming Real: Harnessing the Power of Menopause, she discusses many of the changes that occur during perimenopause and menopause. Symptoms like sleeplessness, mental fog,and weight gain often result from lower levels progesterone along with the dominance of estrogen. What we eat has a tremendous impact on these symptoms. For example, women’s bodies become more sensitive to gluten, chemicals. and inflammatory foods including sugar, alcohol and red meat.

Regarding gaining weight, Dr. Kumar says women need to distinguish whether they are emotionally or physically hungry. She then explains the four body system of mental, physical, emotional, and Energy bodies, and how they are connected. She also discusses the need for women to move from feeling like a victim to being empowered. Health is more than thinking positively. Illness and midlife are both opportunities for discovering where we need balance and becoming whole. For more information please visit www.ommanicenter.com.