"Tried black cohosh and evening primrose and yam cream and nothing seems to work. Any advice?"

This question is posted on the HSI Forum in a tread titled "Hot Flashes." A member named Mary is clearly on the right track, trying to find a natural and safe way to cope with hot flashes. Fortunately, she still has several options available.

A posting from another member - initials NJM - suggests that finding the right combination of natural supplements might be the answer. NJM writes: "I tried progesterone cream - worked well! I also used a flash fighter formula from Puritan's Pride and evening primrose oil, and boron. I have deceased the flashes from more than 20 per day to less than 3."

A member named Eviepoet recommends a book titled "Menopausal Years: The Wise Woman Way" written by herbalist Susan Weed. "One of the things she suggests is keeping a hot flash journal. This helps you learn what things trigger hot flashes so you can prevent them. For me it was a sudden temperature change. Once I knew that, I could help prevent some flashes without taking anything."

And even though hot flash treatment is a women's health issue, a member named Mike has some good suggestions, starting off with a recommendation of two excellent books written by an HSI Panelist. "Ann Louise Gittleman is an author with a lot of good info for treating symptoms of menopause. 'Before the Change: Taking Charge of Your Perimenopause,' 'Super Nutrition for Menopause.' Also, you may want to try Maca (it's quite inexpensive in bulk powder form). It's helped a lot of women control menopause symptoms."

For more information about Ann Louise Gittleman's menopause books, you can visit her web site at annlouise.com.

Last week, new study results from the UK confirmed the dangers of using the combined estrogen and progestin HRT. The conclusion: this mainstream HRT may increase the risk of breast cancer by 22 percent. After a year of similar studies, more and more women are seeking natural methods for treating hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. So if you've used a natural product that has worked well, log on to our website at www.hsibaltimore.com and add your comments to the "Hot Flashes" thread on the HSI Forum.

Well over 100 threads are currently active on the Forum, covering a wide range of health topics, such as:

• Safe Removal of Coronary Plaque
• Osteoporosis
• Protein and Microwave
• West Nile Virus
• Depression
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• Flaxseed Meal vs. Oil
• Natural Alternatives to Antibiotics

You can join in with any of these conversations, start new topics of your own, or just browse and enjoy the wealth of information.