#55 [2024/CBR16] Grown Woman Talk by Sharon Malone

I've read Michelle Obama's books, but it's usually Barack Obama's book recommendations that I pay attention to every year. However, I noticed Grown Woman Talk: Your Guide to Getting and Staying Healthy (2024) by Sharon Malone had a glowing recommendation from Michelle Obama. Now that I'm forty-five years old, I've become a little more aware of my health and the upcoming challenges that may occur with perimenopause and menopause. I'd rather not get my all of my health information from Instagram, so I thought this book might be helpful.

Sharon Malone has been an Ob-gyn for over thirty years, and in this book she shares some of her knowledge and history with us. Her goal is to keep us healthy and empower us to make good medical decisions. She includes stories about her life and her family's lives as well as stories about other women she's had as patients. Although anyone could read this book and learn interesting and useful information, this book is geared towards women, specifically women of color.

Malone covers a lot of ground with this book. She has basic advice about how to choose a doctor, when to go to the hospital, gathering family medical advice, and keeping track of your own medical care. Every chapter, she tells a story of a real patient to keep things grounded and practical. In addition she encourages, women of color (and all women) to sign up for medical research because there is dearth of medical research on women of color.

Malone also covers perimenopause and menopause. She talks about possible issues that may occur with the hormone changes, and what options people have. I like that even as she discusses options, she emphasizes that it's the patient's choice to choose what works best for them. Finally, Malone even covers getting your affairs in order before you die.

I thought this book was very well written and approachable with helpful information and good advice. Although I am lucky enough to not have to deal with heavy periods, fibroids, endometriosis, and other common women's health problems, it was helpful to see what other women sometimes have to deal with. This book also instigated a useful discussion with my mom and my book club about what to expect from perimenopause and menopause. Recommended.