No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the authors.

The information in this book is intended as a resource and guide for practitioners who have trained in traditional Chinese and East Asian medicine (TCEAM). It is not intended to substitute for such training and should not be considered to supplant the clinical judgement derived from such training. Whilst every effort has been made to include cautions with regard to treatment, the authors cannot accept responsibility for any treatment advice offered.

 The authors would like to acknowledge the invaluable behind the scenes help from Margie Candy, a freelance virtual assistant in South Africa. In addition to our listed international experts, Suzanne Cochrane from Australia and US-based Brian Grosam were instrumental as our editors and clinical guides, sharing their gems of wisdom gleaned from years of practice. Elements of this book were inspired by Brian’s publication: Understanding and Treating Hot Flashes in Menopause with Chinese Medicine. Graphic designer Adam Raes was delightful to work with and brought ‘The Book’ to life with his creative vision, while professional indexer Pilar Wyman did an outstanding job of making the text into a useable resource.

The authors are grateful for the support of Peter Deadman and Danny Maxwell from the Journal of Chinese Medicine, Jim Belcher and Charlene Payne from Balance Healthcare, and John O’Connor from Eastland Press. Honora Lee Wolfe played a unique role as a contributor by co-authoring a chapter, providing guidance on the publishing process, and writing a deeply moving foreword. We would also like to thank Angela Hicks and Debra Betts for their glowing endorsements, and Sebastian Maciocia for granting permission to use Giovanni’s advanced training in the Treating Women Academy’s Menopause Masterclass that inspired this book.

The International Menopause Society is an extraordinary clearinghouse of information and a wonderful resource to tap in to. Membership to the IMS opened up an avenue into our western medical colleagues’ growing body of knowledge. One particularly valuable publication was A Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause by Jane and Davis, which has been reproduced with permission in Appendix 8.2.

In addition to professional support, the authors appreciate the love, encouragement, and guidance provided by their mentors, friends, and family. And finally, though wildly broad, we are grateful to the inspiring women all over the world who have contributed to making this a worthwhile project.