Women face a change in hormonal levels throughout life from the dramatic changes of puberty to the symptoms of the perimenopause as these levels decline. Each month the hormones surge and wane during the monthly menstrual cycle with quiet noticeable impact. As a result, a great many women want solutions to these changes and more and more want a more natural solution than popping hormone pills.

Estrogen hormone replacement therapy (or HRT) was once thought to be the fountain of youth and powerful drugs were marketed with glowing promises of being 'forever female'. They were effective in relieving PMS and menopause symptoms as well as helping to avoid osteoporosis, but with time we learned they came with a price.

Cancer of the female reproductive system can often be of great concern for women. One in ten will have breast cancer alone in their lifetime. Artificial hormone replacement therapies sometimes make a woman feel better but also come along with the significantly raising their cancer risk. Some physicians and patients stop hormone replacement thearapy and continue to treat their symptoms in safer ways.

In early centuries, hormone replacement did not exist, and women found natural substances to treat their discomfort. Asian women consumed far more soy bean products than Western Women, for example, and consequently have only 10%-20% as many hot flashes. Soy isofavones work as a substitute to estrogen and make an excellent alternative to HRT.

Other helpful herbs have been used for centuries in traditional Native American medicine. For example, hot flashes can be made less severe with red clover, and black cohosh is effective in reducing cramps, bloating, and other common symptoms of PMS. Both of these can be incorporated into natural HRT regimens.

The first oral contraceptives were derived from wild yam extracts; wild yams function as natural estrogen. Nowadays, the wild yam has been tapped by those looking for natural or herbal hormone replacement therapy as an item to include in their holistic remedies.

In addition, many natural extracts and compounds work as diuretics to help reduce fluid retentions and others reduce spasms and help with cramping. Most effective products will contain a mixture of natural extracts that work together for maximum relief. Sources of plant-based estrogen may work as well for some women as the prescription ones with less risk. Always discuss alternative therapies with your doctor, but there are many effective alternatives to hormone replacement therapy to discuss and use.