Is it hot in here?

Night Sweats… Hot Flashes a strange phenomenon of the female body.  80% of women ages 45 to 54 in the United States experience hot flashes.  What exactly is going on?  While it is not completely understood it’s quite evident that Haywire Hormones is what’s going on.  Early in the “changing of life” some women feel pronounced symptoms of perimenopause during the pre-menstrual part of their cycles – maybe this is when the night sweats start?

I read on one of the popular medical reference websites (WebMD) some ideas to keep hot flashes at bay:  Keep your bedroom cool, use fans during the day, avoid tight clothing….. OH OK!  There was also some reasonable recommendation such as exercising and to avoid triggers Stress, Caffeine, Alcohol,  Cigarette smoke, etc.   They also mention the use of hormone therapies and/or antidepressants to alleviate this menopause symptom, but what can we do nutritionally?

There was a 2007 study published in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing about the Effect of Dietary Intake on Hot Flashes in Menopausal Women.  This study found that the longer the duration between meals the more likely women were to experience hot flashes and/or the episode was more severe.  These results indicated that glucose levels have a direct effect on hot flashes and possibly hormone levels. 

TIP:  If you are suffering with hot flashes try eating smaller more frequent meals in order to regulate your blood sugar.

Ladies we are not totally alone here, turns out some men retrieving treatment for prostate cancer also experience hot flashes.

Hot flashes are only one in a long list of interrelated symptoms of perimenopause that include: changes in the menstrual cycle, insomnia, mood swings and increased irritability, memory or concentration problems, vaginal dryness, heavy bleeding, fatigue, depression, changes in the thickness and texture of hair, headaches, heart palpitations, sexual disinterest, urinary changes, AND weight gain….. PHEW!  Sounds Wonderful.