Natural hormone replacement therapy is a safer alternative.
I am an enthusiastic proponent of natural hormone replacement therapy. My 25 years of clinical experience have taught me that this is the best way to ease the discomfort brought about by menopause including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and insomnia, as well as promote good long-term health for your heart and bones.

At the Whitaker Wellness Institute we typically prescribe bi-estrogen, which contains 80 percent estriol (a safe, but weak form of estrogen) and 20 percent estradiol (the strongest form of estrogen), plus natural progesterone. These natural, human-identical hormones, which are mixed by a compounding pharmacist, are equally effective yet have far fewer safety issues and side effects than the unnatural and synthetic top-selling hormone drugs, such as Premarin and Provera.

Unfortunately, most women are never given the opportunity by their managed care physicians to try these safer forms of HRT. To find a physician who is willing to prescribe natural hormone replacement, contact the American College for Advancement of Medicine, www.acam.org.

Natural progesterone cream can help balance hormones.
Natural estrogen does not exist in the body in a vacuum -- progesterone interacts with and mediates the effects of this hormone. Yet many physicians put women on estrogen replacement alone. This is a mistake. Balancing estrogen with progesterone, in concentrations similar to those of the premenopausal state, is important for the health of your bones, heart, breast tissue and uterus.