Help for Hot Flashes

Women between the ages of 45 and 65 experiencing menopause may succumb to the effects of waning hormones every day. Hot flashes night sweats and accompanying anxiety can disrupt relationships deter sleep and sap energy. Facial flushing, inopportune sweating, and a racing pulse that accompany hot flashes can be embarrassing and uncomfortable.

Hot Flash Triggers

Basic lifestyle changes and alternative therapies help women to avoid or reduce the instances of hot flashes. A result of estrogen deficiency, hot flashes come with a plethora of triggers. Cayenne, ginger and pepper, tomatoes, pickles and citrus, these spicy and acidic foods are common hot flash triggers. Saturated fats in meats and margarine are triggers. Caffeine, alcohol, and white sugar are additional symptom triggers.

Additionally saunas and hot tubs, hot summer weather and overheated shopping centers can bring on a hot flash. Commonly reported triggers of hot flashes and accompanying anxiety are stress and anger. Cigarette smoking not only causes serious damage to the lungs, and heart but also triggers symptoms of menopause. It may seem like hours, but hot flashes typically last between a few seconds to a few minutes. With many over the counter medications expounding the immediate relief of these symptoms, a few basic lifestyle adjustments can diminish hot flashes, naturally.

Diet

Foods rich in soy such as edemame, apples, tofu, broccoli, Tempe, and miso can significantly reduce hot flashes. Women of other cultures eat high soy diets and seldom suffer from symptoms of menopause. Other foods such as low fat milk products, salmon, walnuts, blueberries, asparagus, and oysters diminish symptoms as well. Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, calcium, vitamin D, and flavanoids significantly reduce menopause symptoms.

Planning

Layering clothing to avoid hot summer days and overheated environments will decrease symptoms. Cotton materials that breathe and micro fibers that wick sweat away from the body allow women to maintain sleep and reduce the effects of body temperature fluctuations. Decreasing excessive multitasking and limiting stress will also diminish the onset of hot flashes. Packing a lunch that is rich in soy and low in fats, sugars and spicy foods help women to avoid the racing pulse and anxiety during the workday that accompanies hot flashes.

Exercise

Experts note that participating in 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each day not only maximizes weight management but also significantly decreases anxiety, sleeplessness, night sweats, and hot flashes. Pilates, Zumba, dance, walking, bicycling, and swimming all increase heart rate and help to balance metabolism while increasing endorphins.

Supplements

Menopausal women benefit from taking a multivitamin. It allows women to maintain stores of nutrients such as vitamin B, C, D, and K. Non-estrogenic herbal supplements that do not contain plant estrogens reduce menopause symptoms. These supplements help the pituitary and endocrine glands to produce estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, naturally. Nourishing the body to produce reproductive hormones is a healthy option that decreases long-term dependence on supplements.

Water

Some women find the taste of water, bitter or unpleasant. With the addition of a lime slice, peaches, strawberries, or vanilla, water becomes a refreshing beverage. Women who drink 64 oz. of water each day lose inches, reduce their appetite, decrease menopause symptoms, increase metabolism and reduce fatigue. Water maintains the body’s normal temperature and restricts hot flashing spikes.

Drug Remedies

For a small percentage of women, drugs, and surgery are necessary to relieve severe and debilitating symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, and anxiety. Medical health professionals may discuss this option with women who require aggressive treatment to increase the quality of their lives.