answer:I think if a woman is suffering badly and hormones are the only thing that gives her relief, I understand why she might take them. But, generally, for myself, I am going to try to do without hormones when the time comes. They have been linked to cancer, and I think it has been shown they do not help with heart disease. If she has had a hysterectomy, then she does not have to worry as much about the cancer risk, although from what I understand breast cancer is now linked to those hormones. If there is breast cancer in your family I would be even more concerned. Generally I am a no drug person anyway, I hate taking any pills, I think all medication comes with side effects, but sometimes we have to to take something. Many many people feel much better taking HRT, bio-identicals are becoming more popular also, which I guess are natural and not synthetic? You get them at compounding pharmacies.