Offering positive advice with a personal voice, Dr. Hoffman covers an impressive range of topics, including special chapters on heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, fatigue and the immune system, sexuality, menstrual periods, pregnancy, menopause, stress and depression, eating disorders, and addiction. She explains why female hormonal actions give women pathways to illness and health that are different from men's, and illustrates the remarkable effect of these hormonal actions on the cycles of women's lives. Women's bodies here are viewed as complete and complex entities; ovarian function is described as it relates to fertility and to healthy hearts and strong bones. Dr. Hoffman also discusses why male-centered models of psychological development and behavior fail to explain female patterns. With risk assessment, practical preventive measures, screening recommendations, and the latest, most comprehensive information, Our Health, Our Lives is an unparalleled compendium of women's health. The classic Our Bodies, Ourselves advised women to seek alternatives to the established medical system. Our Health, Our Lives demonstrates how medicine can function when it serves women's needs, and shows women how to help start that process in their own lives. All women can be empowered to use the health care system to full advantage, to understand female physiology and psychology, to know what questions to ask, and to receive primary care based on the differences that make women's health problems and solutions unique.