Hot flashes? Mod swings? Depression? Irregular periods? All are symptoms of menopause. One answer is hormone pills. However, many women fear the consequences of hormone therapy. There might be a better answer. According to The Doc Is In tells us about a study currently underway:

Patches and gels are already known to be effective for relieving the hot flashes and sleep-interrupting night sweats that plague many women. No one knows whether they will prove safer than pills in terms of breast cancer, heart attack or stroke risk. A large study currently under way may answer that.

But if they do, it may soften some of the backlash against hormones since a landmark study in 2002 frightened many women away from their use. Critics of that study have long contended that it is the type of estrogen or progestin, the dosage, and the method of taking the hormones that may affect the health risks.

If you're still wary about using hormone therapy, why not try a natural method? Family Health and Fitness offers five such methods:

If you're going through this change, you've probably seen a doctor and discussed medical treatments, but before you start on hormone replacement therapy or other drastic treatments, why not try treating your menopause the natural way.

They go on to talk about five natural products that can help ease the miseries of menopause, including soy and vitamins.