Stop Hot Flashes
With These Natural Remedies
Learn how to stop hot flashes naturally with these hot flash remedies (affiliate link).
Perimenopause and menopause hot flashes and night sweats are unpredictable and uncomfortable.
These erratic internal temperature swings can make it difficult to work, socialize, and sleep. Know that most women in this stage of life (70-85%!) experience this symptom. You're not alone.
Naturally Stop Hot Flashes: Herbs and Supplements
Many plants and herbs can help to effectively stop hot flashes. Check these out!
- Black cohosh: This herb has helped many, many women in their quest to banish hot flashes.
In fact, a German study done in 1988 found that taking this herb had the same effects as Estrogen Replacement Therapy in reducing hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.
- Maca: (affiliate link) Some women who haven't had much luck with black cohosh have had great results using this herbal supplement to stop hot flashes.
- Flax Seeds: Aside from relieving hot flashes, these seeds also help to moisturize your skin and reduce cloudy thinking.
Combine taking these seeds with taking a calcium-magnesium supplement and a dose of vitamin E.
- Calcium-magnesium: Taking this before you go to sleep can help to relax your body and get you to sleep through the night.
Take this along with vitamin E supplements and flaxseed oil.
- Vitamin E: Taking this in combination with flaxseed oil and calcium-magnesium will give you the most benefit.
- Dong quai: Chinese women have been using this herb for centuries to reduce PMS, hot flashes, and other perimenopausal symptoms.
- Chasteberry: This herb can give your body estrogen like effects to relieve hot flashes.
- Soy Estrogen: Soy contains isoflavones, a type of plant estrogen.
Naturally Stop Hot Flashes: Your Lifestyle
Before you look to supplements or medications to stop hot flashes, try some of these lifestyle changes that act as hot flash remedies.
- Exercise: It's important that you find something that you actually enjoy doing. Walk, practice yoga, bike, swim, rake your yard. Move your body, and it will help to reduce your stress levels and lessen many symptoms of menopause - including hot flashes.
- Lose Weight: Loosing weight has many benefits to your health, but did you know that larger women suffer from more frequent and intense hot flashes?
- Diet: Avoid caffeine, simple sugars, and foods high in refined carbohydrates (white bread, cookies, candy). Also, consider adding these foods to your diet: soy, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, and berries.
- Dress in Layers: You want to be able to peel some clothes off when a hot flash hits you. Avoid sweaters and turtlenecks. Wear a cute tank top under a suit coat or something that can get you just as cool. It's a good excuse to go shopping!
- Banish Stress: While having some stress in our lives is a good thing, too much of it will increase the hormone imbalances that lead to hot flashes.
Take some time it the day for yourself. If you had a rough day, punch your pillow and go somewhere where you can give a good yell. Walk. Talk to your girlfriends. Exercise. Be good to yourself. Do whatever you need to do to get rid of your stress.
- Alcohol: Consuming an excess amount of alcohol can disrupt your body's blood sugar level and lead to hot flashes and night sweats. You don't have to cut alcohol out entirely, but notice how it may be affecting your body and act accordingly.
- Temperature: Set your thermostat to a cool temperature, and keep a fan nearby! This may be obvious, but it can help.
Depending on the severity of your hot flashes, you might want to consider bringing a "hot flash kit" wherever you go.
In it, you can pack a change of clothes, a plastic bag (for your wet clothes), deodorant, and some moist towelettes.
What's Going On?
Your body feels all tingly, and your heart rate begins to speed up.
Your face and torso begin to get flushed. Next, you feel anxiety - particularly if you are experiencing your hot flash in public!
Then, you begin to sweat as your body tries to get rid of all of that extra heat in your body.
You might begin to shiver and feel chilled at this point, and you wish you had an extra sweater.
The average length of this whole process is 30 seconds to 5 minutes, and the frequency can vary. Some women will have them 20 times a day, and others will have them only once a day.
Get this - Although it feels like your body's temperature rises about 20 degrees during a hot flash, your internal temperature does not change, and your skin temperature rises by only 1 -7 degrees!
How Long Will You Have Them?
Typically, hot flashes will last for a year or two after a woman's last menstruation, but other women will have them longer.
A few very unfortunate women will have these hot flashes for the rest of their lives, so count your blessings if you only have them for a couple years!
Estrogen Progesterone Level
Although scientists are a bit baffled as to the exact cause of menopause hot flashes and night sweats, the general theory is that they occur because of our shifting hormone levels - particularly the estrogen progesterone levels.
With this information, go forth and stop hot flashes!
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