Starred review from February 1, 2024
This addition to the growing library of woman-centered approaches to aging mixes science with playful chapter titles based on songs; they're put together in a playlist so that women can rock out even when they're feeling hot from menopause--or bothered by racist, classist, and sexist double standards related to medical care. Malone, the chief medical officer of Alloy Women's Health, reminds readers that an individual doesn't always have full control over their own health; medical biases, lack of access to care, and other systemic issues lead to racial health disparities and mean that healthy eating and exercise aren't enough to keep people well. As a result, she gives guidance designed to empower women to advocate for themselves and to utilize everything available to them without demanding superfoods or cost-prohibitive wellness trends. She cautions that when physicians--and wellness influencers--focus on weight and BMI, they neglect real health concerns. For example, a doctor might "prescribe" weight loss when a woman comes in for a concern requiring more nuanced health management or a different diagnosis. VERDICT A remarkable, accessible offering of feasible action steps that will help women feel more in control of medical issues related to heart health, hormones, cancer, and much more. Written from a social justice lens.--Emily Bowles
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
March 4, 2024
“It’s time to talk openly and unapologetically about the common things that we all should know could happen in our bodies,” contends obstetrician gynecologist Malone in her spirited debut guide to how women over 50 can take control of their health. Offering scientific background on and advice for preventing Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and hypertension, among other illnesses, Malone explains that cardiovascular disease “is caused by the accumulation of damage to your blood vessels caused by cholesterol plaques, blood clots, chronic inflammation, and/or high blood pressure,” and recommends that patients exercise for 30 minutes five times per week and refrain from smoking to stave off the condition. Highlighting the health troubles faced by Black women, specifically, Malone explains how the “chronic stresses induced by systemic injustice steadily erodes the health of marginalized people” and notes that “Black women tend to have higher levels of stress hormones even when they do not self-report feeling stressed.” Frequent parenthetical references to thematically relevant songs distract, but Malone’s social insight elevates her advice and the emphasis on advocating for oneself (“Don’t normalize discomfort. Demand to be heard, seen, and have your complaints addressed”) tackles an often-overlooked obstacle to receiving adequate treatment. It’s a robust primer on grappling with the health issues that come with aging. Agent: Gail Ross, WME.
April 15, 2024
Preventive care is the "Holy Grail" and women need to be their own primary caregivers. In this commonsense guide, Malone, an ob-gyn, stresses the importance of healthy habits: eat unprocessed food, get a good night's sleep, stretch the body and mind, minimize stress, limit alcohol intake, and don't smoke. A music lover, she drops in song titles, such as "Respect" when she writes about looking for a doctor's office that shows that to patients. Along those same lines, she makes a Grey's Anatomy-themed joke: "Forget Dr. McDreamy and Dr. McSteamy. You need Dr. McSeeMe." Malone tucks in easy-to-understand, potentially lifesaving information, such as how untreated urinary tract infections can progress to kidney infections and sepsis. As a Black woman raised by a mom who died of colon cancer at 57, Malone argues for seeing a doctor regularly, getting tests, and maintaining a medical family tree. "Genetics are not destiny," she states. She also pushes the importance of friends and mentions Michelle Obama, one of her own. (Her husband, Eric Holder, served as U.S. Attorney General under President Barack Obama.) Readers will feel empowered.
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