I'm thrilled to introduce my hero, Christiane Northrup. Dr. Northrup is a pioneer in women's health and has changed the face of the field in so many ways. She honored me this year by writing the introduction to my book, What's Up Down There? Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend. Please give a warm welcome to Dr. Northrup, and enjoy this excerpt from the newly-revised edition of her groundbreaking book, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom (it goes without saying that I highly recommend picking up a copy!). You can read more about Dr. Northrup at the end of this post. -- Lissa

My month of July has swiveled dizzyingly, like the very windiest hairpin turns on Highway 1 in Big Sur, between nature and nurture. I’m not talking about the old argument that gets bantered around during studies on twins separated at birth. I’m talking about the real-life Mother Nature and honest-to-God put-it-all-out-there nurture. It all began as a new day dawned with unnaturally hot weather for Northern California. By 9am, it was 90-something degrees, warm enough that Siena and I decided to brave the icy neighborhood pool.