Facts You Need To Know About Hormone Replacement Therapy

Women world over dread the word "fifty". While men get naughty at forty, women get confused at fifty! This age is the age when a woman experiences menopause. For many women, menopause is a dreadful period that is marked by hot flushes, profuse sweating, insomnia, vaginal dryness and mood swings. During menopause, a woman's body undergoes great physical and mental changes as well. Diminishing levels of estrogen and progesterone cause a lot of problems for women. These hormones are not only responsible for the menstrual cycle but also protect them from serious diseases of the heart and the bone like osteoporosis. The modern day science has a perfect solution for these problems called the "Hormone replacement therapy".

Hormone replacement therapy can be defined as replacing the natural hormones such as estrogen and progesterone with synthetically manufactured hormones. Hormone replacement therapy is a boon for women who experience the nightmarish symptoms of menopause. The benefits of HRT are many. They include a respite from hot flushes, insomnia and vaginal dryness. It has also been discovered that it can help prevent diseases like Alzheimer's disease, colon cancer and muscular degeneration or paralysis.

However like everything else, HRT has a lot of risks too. There are many side effects, such as atypical vaginal discharge, bleeding, headaches, fluid retention, swollen breasts and an increased risk of breast and endometrial cancer. These side effects have raised one of the most debated questions in the history of medicine. Is hormone replacement therapy safe? The answer from the vast amounts of research indicates that synthetic HRT seems to be safe for a window of two to four years and not more. A longer period of synthetic hormone replacement therapy is full of questions and doubts. In such a scenario what is the alternative for a woman who is suffering from the symptoms of menopause?

The good news is that there are alternatives available to counter the effects of menopause and do not cause side effects associated with the hormone replacement therapy. These natural hormone replacement treatments include products like Avmil. Avmil has no side effects and is an ingredient derived from the plant kingdom. It works in the same way as the hormone replacement therapy and has no risks associated with it. Apart from Avmil there are many herbal therapies available these days. These hormones are extracted from naturally occurring ingredients such as soy and wild yam. These substances work in the same way as the progesterone and estrogen hormones.

Hormone replacement therapy aims at minimizing menopause problems and giving women a better quality of life. However, it is fraught with side effects, which can harm women instead of benefiting them. Natural hormone replacement therapy uses plants and their extracts in varying quantities to mimic the feminine hormones. This type of treatment is a great alternative and can help millions of women to lead a natural life without the agony of the side effects.

Rich has been writing articles for nearly 10 years. Come visit the site he and his wife have put together on the topic of Childbirth DVD's which offers insights on such issues as learning about Pregnancy Exercise DVD's. Together they have helped put together several women's health web sites.