Osteoporosis puts a woman at an increased risk of bone fractures. These fractures unfortunately lead to a major cause of death among post-menopausal women. The risk of developing osteoporosis is the most important reason for a woman to consider hormone replacement therapy. In addition to hormone replacement therapy, nutritional support and exercise are essential in maintaining good bone health. Hormone replacement therapy has been implicated in the development of breast cancer in post menopausal women.
Breast cancer kills thousands of women a year.
Although the medical literature is not conclusive about the relationship between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer, the studies seem to imply an increased risk of breast cancer with hormone replacement therapy. This is probably the single most important factor that has encouraged women to explore alternative therapies to conventional hormone replacement therapy. In summary, alternative therapies such as nutrition , exercise, botanicals, and stress management, have been effective in the treatment of heart disease and the side-effects of hormonal withdrawal. When the risk of osteoporosis and breast cancer become a part of the therapeutic decision, the choices are limited. Statistically, more women are affected by osteoporosis than breast cancer.