What is perimenopause? Perimenopause is simply the span of years leading up to menopause -- that singular moment when a woman stops ovulating and her periods cease. During perimenopause women experience hormone fluctuations that can seriously affect their lives and the lives of their loved ones. What are the symptoms? When women between the ages of thirty-five and fifty experience significant changes in mood, weight, sex drive, and general well-being, unbalanced hormones are most often to blame. Specific symptoms include acne, bloating, depression, fatigue, insomnia, weight gain, joint pain, facial hair, food cravings, fuzzy thinking, and loss of sex drive. Is there an alternative to the commonly prescribed synthetic hormones and antidepressants? Careful hormone testing and treatment, as well as proper diet, exercise, and stress reduction, can balance out-of-whack hormones -- and the results can be spectacular, even life altering. I've heard a lot about the serious side effects of HRT (hormone replacement therapy). Aren't hormones dangerous? Women are justifiably scared of synthetic HRT. The headlines regularly report yet another serious health problem arising from the use of synthetic progestin and estrogen. The news stories, however, often fail to distinguish between the synthetic hormones and natural, bioidentical hormones. Women must educate themselves about the differences between synthetic and natural hormones and make informed choices. What are the differences between synthetic and natural hormones? The hormones that most medical providers prescribe are synthetic products manufactured in a lab -- molecules that mimic the effects of the natural hormones produced by the human body. Synthetic hormones often differ in molecular structure from those produced by the body and therefore are not an exact match. Does your body know the difference between estrogen that came from horse urine and estrogen produced by you? What do you think? Natural hormones are hormones in their purest form -- bioidentical in molecular structure to those made by the human body. They are synthesized from plant material (either wild yam or soy), have the same effect as the body's own hormones, and do not interfere with the body's own hormone production. Used with care, they can have an excellent effect and resolve most hormone-related symptoms. How can I learn more about balancing my hormones naturally? Dr. Nisha Jackson, a gynecological practitioner specializing in diagnosing, testing, and treating female hormonal imbalances, has written The Hormone Survival Guide for Perimenopause: Balance Your Hormones Naturally. The book offers helpful guidelines for the busy woman to make practical lifestyle changes and set realistic goals for getting healthy and staying fit. Want to learn more? At this Web site you can: Get information about the book Order your own copy from the publisher Read the author's introduction Learn more about Nisha Jackson and her work © 2008 Larkfield Publishing This page was last updated on 20 November 2008.