How To Cool Down Your Hot Flashes
Written by Chicagohealers.com practitioner Ian Wahl
, DAc, LAc -
There are more menopausal women now than at any other time in history. In fact, in a book she co-authored in 1996, Ellen Brown states that Forty million women are scheduled to go through the change in the next twenty years.1 And, unfortunately, most women get their information about menopause and peri-menopause from five sources, all of whom have been known to provide false information2:
The pharmaceutical industry, who tried to hide the fact that the major side-effects of estrogen-progestin based Hormone Replacement Therapy included breast cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots.
The medical doctors, who get their information from pharmaceutical sales representatives. According to Dr. Terry Rondberg, 40% to 80% of all hysterectomies are unnecessary.3
The advertising industry, who promote the value of youth and looking young and nearly anorexic.
Friends and family, who may provide well-intentioned, but misleading advice.
The internet, which is loaded with misinformation, inaccuracies, and propaganda designed with half-truths to convince you to believe whatever they are selling.
Around the age of 50, a womans hormone levels fall rapidly as her ovaries stop producing the estrogen hormone. Sensing the reduction of estrogen, the bodys internal thermostat tends to react quite strongly. Blood vessels on the skins surface open up like a radiator, enveloping you in intense heat and flushing your face. About 80 percent of all women experience these hot flashes as they go through menopause. Menopause is triggered after a hysterectomy is performed on pre-menopausal women.
Before taking estrogen tablets, see if you can deal with milder menopause symptoms with the following all natural treatments you can do at home.
Be a Flasher Tracker
Hot flashes may occur more predictably and less randomly than you think. So keep a diary of your flashes. Also record the circumstances preceding itwhat you ate, drank, and how you felt emotionally. Studies indicate that hot flashes worsen with coffee, smoking, or encountering stressful situations that elicit strong emotions.4 Your hot flash diary can show you what triggers you need to avoid to chill those flashes.
Stay Cool
Sip some cool drinks and wear natural fabrics that breathe. Columbia University in New York City showed resourcefulness when they reported that menopausal women had fewer and milder hot flashes in cool rooms than in hot rooms. So crank the fan or air conditioner to keep the temperature down. And carry a fold-up fan when you go out into the hot weathervery chic.
Chill Out and Meditate
Hot flashes appear to be stimulated by a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) known as norepinephrine, which influences the temperature-regulating center in the brain. So, daily stress reduction practices such a meditation, deep breathing and yoga, which result in lower levels of norepinephrine, not only feel good, but also help with hot flashes.
Sarsaparilla Slurpies and Supplements
The herbs that have been traditionally used to control hot flashes include sarsaparilla, dong quoi, black cohosh, false unicorn root, fennel and anise. These can be found in any health food store pre-made into dried tea. Just make sure you dont drink too much of these herbal teas a day. Two cups daily is probably sufficient.
Vitamin E supplementation often relieves the severity and frequency of hot flashes. Make sure you take a good quality vitamin E. And dont forget to eat more vitamin E-rich foods such as wheat germ, safflower oil, whole-grain breads and cereals, peanuts, walnuts, almonds.
Talk to your herbalist or acupuncturist before taking any herbal formulas.
Move It to Lose It
A Swedish study showed that severe hot flashes and night sweats were only half as common among physically active postmenopausal women as among couch potatoes. Exercise increases the level of endorphins, the hormones that elevate your mood and increase your energy.5 The level of endorphins drop when there is an estrogen deficiency. Since endorphins affect our bodys temperature regulation center, physical activity that increases endorphin levels may reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes.
Skinny-minis Flash More than Curvy Cuties
Estrogen is stored in body fat after menopause. So take heart ladies, a very thin woman will have less natural estrogen in her system and thus may have more problems with hot flashes. Of course, that doesnt mean you should ask for seconds on the desserts every night.
Since hot flashes, brought on by natural menopause, do not indicate pathology, it is unlikely that you need drugs or surgery. We all age. You should be proud of your age and the wisdom you have gained in your lifetime. You want to age gracefully, beautifully, healthily with vitality and vigor. Menopause is an inescapable factor of age. Follow the above guidelines; seek out an acupuncturist trained in womens health; embrace your wisdom; and feel grateful to experience menopause as the next part of your life journey toward fulfillment and peace.
ChicagoHealers.com mission is the education and advocacy of natural medicine and a holistic lifestyle.
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by: ChicagoHealers
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