Yet only about one menopausal woman in seven chooses to take replacement hormones.

Many women have been reluctant to continue taking the replacement hormones for seven or more years to achieve the known benefits to the heart and bones.

When such women get replacement hormones, their moods commonly lift and they feel more in control.

Many women may take replacement hormones for only a year or two, resuming if their hot flashes recur.

Postmenopausal treatment with replacement hormones may also make the headaches worse.

"About the only things missing from your prevention program are natural replacement hormones," I observed.

When describing replacement hormones, the word "natural" is used to refer to the structure of the hormone molecule, not its source.

Apparently they're replacement hormones, too, and no doctor ever mentioned them to me!

The latest research on the much-talked-about hormone therapy shows that women using replacement hormones, like estrogen, are more likely to have dry eyes.

If the cancer is not one that is hormone-sensitive, replacement hormones can be given to counter these effects.