Menopause can be an amazing time in your life, as well as a beautiful transition. Perhaps you have all the children you want now, and are settling into a routine with job and family. Maybe you are even looking forward to menopause, those golden years where you no longer have to worry about your monthly cycle.
Until the first symptoms of menopause set in, that is. The irritability, the aches and soreness, those can all be a real pain. But the hot flashes- now they can turn your life upside down. I know when I started experiencing the joy of my first hot flashes, it sent me into a fit of anxiety and lost sleep because of the pain and discomfort, plus they were super embarrassing at work or at school with my kids during the day. Fortunately, I learned there is relief from menopausal hot flashes, and I think you will benefit from some of this as well:
- Get Your Exercise. Yes, 30 minutes or more per day will reduce the severity of hot flashes as well as ease your other symptoms and give you peace of mind. And yes, even walking counts. I was skeptical at first, too, until I noticed a huge difference thanks to my brisk lunchtime walks with a friend.
- Decaffeinate. Caffeine from coffee, tea, sodas, energy drinks, and other sources can trigger hot flash symptoms. If you can’t go cold-turkey, start by switching to half a cup of regular coffee and the other half decaffeinated (the “half-decaf”), or swap for tea for a few days before trying without caffeine entirely.
- Eat more soy. Minimize saturated animal fats, such as those in beef or pork. Those are not only bad for your heart, but also trigger hot flashes in many women, myself included. Instead, add soy protein to your diet, which doctors have found time and again to ease menopausal symptoms. Soy protein was found to mimic the effects of estrogen, so when your own estrogen levels are starting to wane, it will ease the severity of the loss.
- Tone down the sugar. Sugar and other refined “white” carbs such as white bread, cake, and chips will turn up the severity of your hot flashes. Although it was tough starting out, I found that when I cut back on white carbs my hot flashes were not has painfully hot, and my mood swings were less intense, too. And this is not to mention the boost I got from losing a few pounds because of it!
- Consider an herbal supplement. I chose to change my lifestyle to control my menopausal hot flashes without hormone replacement or artificial drugs. But I heard from my friends that herbal supplements could work wonders, and settled on trying Amberen, a natural menopause remedy. To my near disbelief, the supplement worked to eliminate the hot flashes that lifestyle changes hadn’t helped with.
Of all the things I tried, these worked the best for me, and many other women have been helped by these tips as well. Talk to your doctor about your experience and tell her you are trying these at-home tips. Sometimes hot flashes can be dangerously hot and will require medical attention. I hope this helps!
