The word has been out for a while now. Not as many people are singing it's praises, and plenty of doubt has been cast around. Is Hormone Replacement Therapy as safe as they thought?
I'v seen quite a few semi-biased articles like this one recently, as well as read some good books on the subject. I particularly like Before the Change by Anne Gittleman if you're looking for a recommendation.
While the jury may still be out on HRT, the facts have already been weighed in:
"The Women's Health Initiative study found that menopausal women taking hormones for an average of five years had higher rates of heart attack, stroke, breast cancer and blood clots (and lower rates of colon cancer and broken bones)."
So as women around the country (and the world) evaluate their options, they are sure to be presented with botanical therapies.
Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association expressed these thoughts to those women and physicians wishing to make the switch:
"The message is not 'You should trade your silver bullet for my silver bullet.' We aren't saying that instead of HRT, a woman should use botanicals. We're advising a holistic approach that involves diet and exercise, and yes, there are botanicals that have a significant historical record and have undergone significant historical scrutiny."
It will be interesting to see what happens next. We have an excellent opportunity as health professionals to blast through the hype and present a good, solid method for helping women thought this period in their lives. And no, it won't be in the form of a magic pill this time.