In the years leading up to menopause, millions of women begin to experience a variety of symptoms, from changes in their menstrual cycles and a few missed periods to hot flashes and thicker waists. While these symptoms signal a perfectly normal response to dwindling hormone levels, they can cause varying degrees of discomfort. Now, a leading physician who combines traditional and alternative medicines explains what women can do to feel their best during this transitional time.

Keralyn Brenner (San Francisco, CA) is the author of Alternative Medicine's Guide to Sleep Disorders and a consulting editor on Alternative Medicine's Guide to Women's Health, Volumes 1 and 2. Ms. Brenner's articles appear regularly in Natural Health magazine and Yoga Journal.

Deborah Gordon, MD (Ashland, OR), completed her medical training, including her family practice residency, at the University of California at San Francisco. She is the founding partner of a successful complementary practice in Ashland, Oregon, Complementary Medicine Associates. Her practice also incorporates therapies drawn from conventional medicine, herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutritional therapies, and mind-body medicine. She regularly lectures across the country.