Hormone replacement has helped many women cope with the unwanted symptoms of menopause. But not all women react well to the conventional hormone replacement supplements that doctors prescribe. Bioidentical hormones tend to be better tolerated, but some women would prefer an even more holistic route. If this is you, here are a few herbs to consider using in place or prescription hormones.

Black Cohosh

When menopause occurs, your levels of estrogen can become erratic, and your progesterone levels tend to drop. This imbalance is what leads to a lot of menopause symptoms. Black cohosh is an herbal supplement that can encourage your hormones to balance out again. When taking this herb, you may feel more stable from hour to hour and day to day. You may experience fewer mood swings, hot flashes, and other symptoms that come and go. Black cohosh is fairly easy to find at many health food stores and specialty shops. Sometimes, it is blended with other herbs into natural "menopause support" formulas.

Chaste Tree

People in various cultures have been using chaste tree to balance hormones for many years. Like black cohosh, it can help elevate your progesterone levels and keep your estrogen levels more consistent. If you struggle with a lot of night sweats, this is a good herb to try. Night sweats are often brought on by a rush of hormones at night, and chaste tree may help prevent your body from releasing them all so suddenly.

Red Clover

Are some of the primary symptoms you're experiencing vaginal dryness and changes in libido? If so, you may have overall low estrogen levels during menopause. Red clover is a good, holistic hormone replacement supplement to try in this case. It contains a type of compound called isoflavones, which can mimic estrogen in the body and ease those specific low-estrogen symptoms. 

Sage

This is a remedy you might already have in your kitchen cabinet. Sage may help elevate progesterone and increase estrogen levels so you feel more "even keel." A lot of women like it for hot flashes, in particular. Try adding sage to your cooking, or make a sage tea to sip in the evening.

If you're looking for a more holistic way to approach hormone replacement, go the herbal route. These herbs are all widely available, and they offer good value for women. Talk to your doctor to learn more about holistic hormone replacement.