Hot flashes (also known as hot flushes) are the most common symptoms experienced in the perimenopausal years. You may experience hot flashes prior to menopause, which become more frequent and severe with the onset of menopause.
What are hot flashes?
The term hot flush refers to the sudden onset of reddening of the skin, a feeling of intense body heat and palpitations, followed sometimes by profuse sweating. It lasts from a few seconds to minutes.Flushes tend to be more frequent and severe at night when they are known as night sweats. Not being able to sleep well at night may lead to irritability and depression. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night with your heart pounding, drenched in sweat.
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What causes hot flashes?
This is still not well understood, but it is thought to originate from the brain and is related to a decrease in estrogen in the body. The body’s heat releasing mechanisms suddenly become excited which increases blood flow to the skin causing flushing. This is followed by sweating which has a cooling effect.
Although hot flushes are the most common menopausal symptoms, they are not dangerous to your health.
What Can You Do To Relieve Hot Flashes?
- Keep a record of where and when your flushes occur the most and try and avoid those situations. Avoid activities that seem to be associated with flashes.
- Clothing should be light.
- Choose natural fibres like cotton which allow perspiration to evaporate.
- Avoid long sleeves, high necks and tight clothes. Wear clothes that are easy to unbutton
- Keep your rooms cool and well-ventilated at home.
- Stop smoking. It slows down circulation and worsens hot flushes.
- Eat carefully. Avoid sugary spicy and salty food, chocolates, alcohol, tea, cola drinks and large meals. Eat lots of citrus fruits e.g. oranges and grapefruits.
- Both estrogen and progesterone can be used to alleviate hot flashes. Try a natural progesterone cream, ¼ teaspoon twice a day (read Guidelines for using natural progesterone cream).
- Take evening primrose oil or borage oil which contain gamma linoleic acid. It increases the production of prostaglandins which seem to reduce frequency and severity of hot flashes.
- Eat lots of soy e.g. about 60 grams. This can be in the form of soybeans, tempeh, tofu etc. An easier way to get lots of soy is in the form of soy bars and soy shakes.
- Take a good herbal formula for women especially one containing a combination of black cohosh, dong quai, licorice and ginseng. These have a mild estrogen-like activity. Do not use ginseng if you have high blood pressure or asthma.
- Take a good vitamin B complex supplement.
- Take high doses of vitamin E. Up to 1000 international units (IU) have been helpful for some women. You may reduce the dose as flashes subside.
- Take it at the end of a meal as it needs food to be absorbed into your body. It seems to work more effectively when taken with vitamins B and C.
- Use the natural form of vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol), not the man-made form (dl-alpha tocopherol).
- Avoid vitamin E if you have diabetes, hypertension or heart problems.
- Relaxation – this can be difficult during a hot flush. Practice deep breathing and mental imagery which can shorten a hot flush or stop it altogether.
- Regular exercise – This improves the circulation of blood around the body. It also increases the levels of estrogen in the body as well as endorphins (chemicals which act like morphine) which make you feel good. Women who exercise regularly have fewer flashes than those that don’t.
You are unique in every way. There is no magic formula to relieve hot flashes. You may have to try different things before you find a combination that works for you.
Emerita Pro-Gest Natural Progesterone Cream for hot flashes & other and menopause symptoms
Reviews
- I’ve had …calm, amazingly improved sleep, reduced breast soreness (this was lasting all month long before the cream).
- The first month I used it, absolutely no PMS symptoms at all. My period totally snuck up on me….
- GREAT mood, my PMS is very minimal, PMDD is gone, breast tenderness is minimal, cramps gone, I’ve lost 6 pounds, periods are normal
- My energy level is higher than it has been in years. My periods are back to normal and I haven’t experienced any more hot flashes.
- Worth every cent and no side effects, unlike costly prescription hormones I took in the past
You are right on when you recommend to avoid cigarettes. Most women do not know this but cigarettes have been clinically shown to bring on menopause 2 years earlier.
Hey, this is great information. A lot of us guys need to learn from it. It helps us remain patient through a very tense time of life for our wives. Thanks.
I had so much trouble with hot flushes and other symptoms I had tries loads HRT patches, herbal tablets & creams, teas etc to no real avail all releaved symptomes (but not my bank account), for short periods to begin with but then back with avengance.
2mths ago I had a flyer through the letterbox from the Chineese medical clinic so decided to give it a try. It was no more expensive than paying out for all the herbal stuff. Accupuncture, cuping and massage 13 sessions and they would be able to help with aches & pains to. All I can say is its fantastic… the hot flushes have stopped all together, I am sleeping well, my moods are much improved, my skin is brighter. And instead of what sex life! its now much improved. (My husband is pleased, wish he would try it for his labido etc).
I used to take a B-6 in my vitamin regiment but I accidently bought a B-Complex. Figured it was what I should have been taking all along but the flush went out of control, is biggest challenge in an overall increase in full body flashes, what a difference. I ‘m not waiting to use up the rest of the B-complex in the bottle, I’m switching back to the plain B-6 right away.
HI CEE CEE: I READ YOUR LITTLE ARTICLE ON VIT. B6 & B-COMPLEX. I WAS TAKING B-COMPLEX FOR A COUPLE MO. & STOPPED FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON, BUT NOW I AM EXPERINCING TERRIBLW HOT FLASHES. DID YOU MEAN THAT YOU GOT THEM FROM C0MPLEX, BUT THAT PLAIN B6 STOPPED THEM. THANKS FOR ANY INFO & HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME. JOAN
With three published studies in the journal “Menopause”, The ERr-731 extract of Siberian Rhubarb has proven itself to be the most effective and safe natural substance for Hot Flashes and related anxiety. Why isn’t this listed on your recommendation of remedies?
Phytoestrogens like Soy, Red Clover and Hops have only shown to reduce hot flash frequency by around 45% in studies. Black Cohosh is even less effective than that when you review the studies. HRT reduces Hot Flash Frequency by about 75%, and the ERr-731 Extract reduces them by 72%. There are even longterm safety studies on it. If you want to see the studies, I’d be more than happy to send you the abstracts I’ve gathered. It would be a shame not to share this important info with your members.