Menopause
Hot Flashes: Is it Hot in Here?
They’ve
been laughed at, discussed on TV, and part of many family
conversations. They’re menopause hot flashes—the
first signs of menopause
you probably ever learned about, and one that no one looks
forward to. More than just feeling a little bit toasty,
menopause hot flashes are a sudden, intense feeling of heat
in your upper body which may be coupled with headache, nausea,
and a rapid heartbeat. Afterward, menopause hot flashes
can leave you red-faced and sweating.
As
a matter of fact, menopause hot flashes can make you so
uncomfortable and ill that people are still scrambling to
find treatments that will relieve the problem. From prescription
medications to herbs to exercises, menopause hot flashes
get a lot of attention from our health-conscious society.
About
40 percent of women experience menopause hot flashes during
peri menopause. These
hot flashes can start in a woman’s late 30s. Once
menopause arrives, more than 80 percent of women say they
have menopause hot flashes. Hormonal changes are mostly
to blame for this practically universal menopause symptom.
So
what can you do about menopause hot flashes? There are some
prescription remedies like hormone replacement therapy and
depression medications, but these carry side effects and
may even cause cancer in some women. If you want to try
a natural remedy for menopause
relief, the most popular suggestions include:
- Soy:
tofu, soy milk, soybeans, and soy powder
- Black
cohosh: an herb that is used to treat menopause hot flashes
and other menopause symptoms
- Exercise:
at least 30 minutes per day, but not within 3 hours of
bedtime as this may increase night sweats
- Avoid
dietary triggers: such as alcohol, caffeine, and spicy
foods
- Dress
appropriately for the weather: wear cotton during hot
weather and keep a fan nearby
- Yoga:
women have reported that yoga classes lead to fewer menopause
hot flashes
In
addition to the above suggestions, other possible natural
remedies for menopause hot flashes include deep breathing
exercises, acupuncture, and cool-down tricks like cold drinks
and icing your wrists. You may also want to try writing
down the times and triggers of your menopause hot flashes
so that you can avoid those triggers in the future. Gratefully,
menopause hot flashes tend to diminish and be less severe
as time goes on.
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