most women who come to see me for menopausal symptoms know that a major clinical research study on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in 2002 concluded that the risks of estrogen plus progestin therapy outweighed the benefits, and that there are increased rates of heart attacks, strokes & breast cancer when using HRT (reference: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/288/3/321). however, some of the women who knew about this research still chose to take some form of HRT becuase their symptoms were seriously affecting their quality of life, and they felt they had no other options.  these women are relieved to find out that there are, in fact, other options, and that changes in diet and lifestyle, combined with acupuncture & chinese herbal medicine, can bring their health and vitality back into balance as they transition into their second spring.  while HRT can be beneficial for those women who suffer severe symptoms of menopause, it is probably best to use this form of treatment for short, rather than long, term care.  traditional chinese medicine can ease the transition of menopause, and can address the root of the problem, which is an internal imbalance unique to each woman who experiences it.