Health Care

By uncgrad

Hot flashes are a common part of menopause. It has been estimated that 60% of women will experience them. There are ways to deal with hot flashes, however.

Hot flashes are vasomotor symptoms, meaning biochemical events resulting from your body's temperature control being "off". Basically your body thinks it's overheated but it's not. Your blood vessels then quickly discharge what your body perceives as heat.

Fabrics You Wear

Nylon, spandex, and close-knit polyester trap body heat, which is definitely not what you want to have on when you get a hot flash. Avoiding nylon pajamas and satin or polyester sheets will help with night sweats.

Exercise

Regular exercise may reduce the number of hot flashes you get. It can also decrease how long each one lasts.

Cold Compresses or Water

Cold compresses or cool water can help stop a hot flash. This can also help keep one you just had from coming back. The inside of the wrist, inside of elbows and the back of your neck are good places to apply a cold compress. Applying to either side of your groin can help with a hot flash too.

Stay Away from Hot Water

Hot showers and hot tubs raise your body temperature, which can stimulate a hot flash, so steer clear of these.

Paced Breathing

When in the middle of a hot flash, paced breathing can be key. The North American Menopause Society has shown that women who practice steadied breathing had many fewer hot flashes - 50% less.

Smelling Flowers

Even smelling flowers can help. Some scents calm the body, like roses, vanilla, lavender, lemongrass, geranium, ylang-ylang and clary sage.

Don't Smoke

Smokers may also experience more hot flashes, especially for thinner women. Cutting down on smoking will help but quitting is even better. Smoking triggers body changes that cause earlier, more frequent, and more intense hot flashes.

Herbal Supplements or Vitamins
Incorporating herbal supplements or vitamins into your diet can help, but you should consult your doctor before making a diet change. Vitamin E has been used to help with hot flashes but there's no concrete evidence it helps and it may be linked to breast cancer. Bioflavinoids have some of the same benefits as estrogen. Black Cohosh, an herb, may help with hot flashes.

Stay Away from Caffeine, Spicy Food or Alcohol

Some women have found that caffeine, spicy food or alcohol trigger their hot flashes. Avoiding these may help. Adding soy to your diet can help as well, but it may not be a good option for those at risk for breast cancer. As always, check with your doctor before making a serious diet change.

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide
http://ezinearticles.com/?Menopause

By:Boone Swann

It seems like women do it all these days. We work outside the home, we care for our families and we cook and clean everyday. Just when it seems like our lives “get going,” (i.e. the kids are grown up, there are no more school lunches to make, etc) menopause hits us like a ton of bricks.

Most of us don’t think of researching and learning about “the change” until it is already happening to us. Then, when we are miserable, we try to find a way out of the discomfort. There are many benefits in learning about menopause well before it happens to us, and there are even some things you can do before it happens that will lessen the suffering when it does come!

It is certainly recommended that you see your doctor while you are going through menopause, but there are also some herbal remedies that can help you through “the change.” You can find an herbal pill called Black Cohosh at many department stores and drugstores. This herb will keep your hot flashes to a minimum, and it also relieves cramping and menstrual pain. Another herb that can help you is Chaste tree, a hormonal balancer that lessens depression set on by menopause.

The normal age that women start menopause is usually around fifty to fifty-one, but there are also cases where it starts early, like as a result of surgery, chemotherapy, cancer or other serious diseases. Menopause can also start early without a cause.

Before “the change” occurs, you will go through a phase called “Peri-Menopause.” During this time it is normal to have very heavy menstrual cycles, mood swings and depression. The herbs discussed above (especially the Black Cohosh) will greatly improve these symptoms. The herb, “Liferoot,” is another good treatment that helps eliminate hot flashes and alleviates those heavy periods. If you are experiencing depression, try taking Gingko or St. John’s Wort to help improve your mood, stress and anxiety.

After the first phase, menopause really starts and more symptoms can develop. These symptoms can include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Migraine headaches
• Insomnia
• Weight gain
• Aches and pains in joints and muscles
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Depression
• Skin problems

This list can be very overwhelming, but don’t worry; they don’t usually occur all at once! If you have any of these symptoms for a prolonged amount of time, and none of the herbal remedies are working, make sure you see your doctor.

Some people would rather go to their doctor and get a prescription than trust herbal remedies, and this can work for your menopause symptoms as well. Remember though, that some of these medications can upset your hormonal balance, and some estrogen supplements are really not healthy for you in the long run. Some of the things your doctor can give you are:

• Estrogen replacement
• Birth control pills
• Progesterone cream
• Vitamin supplements

Vitamin supplements should be taken whether or not you are going with herbal or prescription remedies for your menopause. Your body will be going through something stressful, new and extra vitamins are needed to help your body regulate itself.

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