Controlling Hot Flashes
A sudden wave of intense body heat rushes through your body. Hot Flashes can occur at any time and may last from a few seconds to a half-hour. They occur when the blood vessel opens and constricts and they are a symptom of menopause.
But what can you do? You should always begin with the least aggressive and most natural approach when treating your menopausal symptoms. Studies have shown that medication is not always helpful. Many doctors and pharmaceutical companies see menopause as a deficiency disease, instead of a passage of life. So, it makes sense to them to view estrogen replacement as the only viable solution to restore vibrancy to menopausal and post menopausal women. Aside from the misconceptions of this type of thinking, estrogen therapy is not known to be safe for women, particularly women with a history of breast cancer. Here are some positive steps you can take:·
Avoid Pressure: Allow more time to plan your day, as much as possible, around the time you normally experience hot flashes, and give yourself a chance to relax between commitments.
Avoid Mood Altering Substances: Alcohol, caffeine, diet pills, smoking can all contribute to more severe reactions during hot flashes.
·Avoid Heated Situations: Hot or spicy food, hot tubs, saunas, hot showers, hot beds, hot rooms and excessive outdoor heat will intensify hot flashes.·
Avoid Uncomfortable Clothing: Dress in layers to adjust to body temperature swings. Wear breathable fabrics·
Exercise: It will reduce hot flashes, increase endorphin levels, help you sleep better, lower cholesterol levels, improve libido, minimize mood swings, improve self image and strengthen both skeletal and muscular systems. ·
Use Relaxation Methods: Breathing exercises, meditation, massage, hypnosis and yoga are all methods proven to reduce stress and the physical affect that stress can have on your body.·
You Are What You Eat: Follow a low-fat diet and avoid processed foods to maintain a healthy weight for your body. ·
Use Natural Herbs: A mixture of dong quai, a female tonic, chasteberry, which regulates the female reproductive system and damiana, used as a tonic and female aphrodisiac may be beneficial when taken once a day, preferably mid day. A common regimen would be to take these herbs until you no longer experience any hot flashes, and then begin to gradually reduce the dose and stop completely. Other plant estrogens that women have found effective in treating hot flashes over the centuries can be found in ginseng, evening primrose oil, licorice root, red raspberry leaves, sarsaparilla, spearmint, motherwort, black cohosh, and wild yams.
These herbal remedies, may be effective at reducing hot flashes. However, their relative safety in women who have had breast cancer is not known. Always use great caution when considering plant estrogens and always consult your your primary care giver.
Menopause is one of life’s most natural processes, not a disorder. All of the pressure of pregnancy, premenstrual and menstrual demands are gone. And because women develop, sexually, much later in life than men, many say that after menopause, their sex lives actually improve. So, relax, prepare, listen to your body and enjoy the ride.
The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented on this website is for educational purposes only.
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