There's Shauna, age 36. She divulged to Dr. Booth that she skipped her period for several months and felt as if she had PMS all the time. She also noted that during this time she was treated with prednisone for a nasty poison ivy reaction. To add to that, she is a hard-charging personality and, as Booth divulges, works and exercises relentlessly. Booth suggested she eat more healthily—good fats such as olive oils, for example—and reduce aerobic exercise and supplement her activity with gentle yoga. Soon, Shauna began to feel better and experience regular periods.  

Or Sandra, a 30-something woman struggling with infertility. Dr. Booth examined her and felt that, in the short run, her ovulation should be suppressed. She prescribed the pill, which of course virtually eliminated the possibility of pregnancy, but it "also lessened the impact of [Sandra's] mid cycle drop in estrogen and testosterone." And Booth was right: "After six months she was pain free and able to go off the pill and, as if rebounding, release her ovulation and her Venus Week."  

Perhaps the biggest impediment to many women experiencing their Venus week is the pill. Dr. Booth acknowledges that it often tamps down, but doesn't necessarily quell, Venus week sensations. Appropriately, she discusses strategies to experience the Venus week while on the pill, and gives many examples of ways to do so. While some of the book's pronouncements are obvious—stress diminishes the power of the Venus week, for example, or being overweight can lessen its effects—they are nonetheless worth repeating.  

The Venus Week is an invaluable book for women of any age. I'd even say it's essential if women want to understand their bodies and their cycles, at all ages. Booth has done a great service to women who wish to get the most out of their lives at the times in their lives when that is most fully possible.