An increasing number of women are electing to avoid hormone replacement therapy for fear of an increased risk of cancer, especially after seeing loved ones suffer. They're looking for alternative ways to elevate mood and to minimize menopausal symptoms without a need to be concerned about side effects. Some women would rather put up with the inconveniences of hot flashes, night sweats and dryness rather than worry constantly about the risks of HRT.

Acupuncture's effectiveness is gaining popularity as an alternative. It only takes four hairthin acupuncture needles placed on hands and feet for many women to find relief. More and more Conejo Valley women are already experiencing the benefits of acupuncture.

J.S.'s chemotherapy for treatment of ovarian cancer made hot flashes go off in her body like firecrackers every five to 10 minutes. And neuropathy was very severe, affecting sleep and daily activities. B.C. is a breast cancer survivor who is on medication. Now they both are experiencing drastically reduced side effects.

Natural herbs that are on the market for hot flashes are dong quai, black cohosh, gingko biloba, ginseng and red clover as a topical cream. A Peruvian herb called macafem does not contain nutrients similar to estrogen but can still reduce symptoms associated with peri-menopause.

Consult your doctor first if you are considering making changes in the HRT.

David Lee, PhD, is a Koreanborn licensed acupuncturist and herbalist specializing in constitution medicine. For information, call (805) 497-6200, e-mail davidleeacupuncture@yahoo.com or visit www.davidleeacupuncture .com.