Diet and hot flashes

Hot flashes affect about 70% of women who are approaching menopause, they cause distress and in an attempt to overcome this many people change their diet. They tend to last for the whole menopause transition but in some women it can last for the rest of their life.

Menopause causes changes between the hormones estrogen, testosterone and progesterone and these cause a hormonal imbalance in a woman’s body that cause, amongst many other things, hot flashes. Though it is sometimes suggested that drugs are the best treatment for hormonal imbalance this isn’t the truth and taking synthetic hormones can be dangerous.

Lifestyle changes and diet for hot flashes

While it is true that everyone experiences feelings of anxiety from time to time. Anxiety as a menopause symptom (often hitting around 46 years of age) can be identified as a prolonged feeling of general unease, one that isn´t easily explained and never felt before. The severity, duration, and the presence of other symptoms is what distinguish ordinary anxiety from anxiety as a menopause symptom.

It is recommended by professionals that the first level of change involves no risk and although this is a difficult way to go it is the best way. A healthy mind and a healthy body can make things better and help you manage changes.

A reduction of stress through techniques such as yoga, a diet rich of estrogenic foods such as soy, rice and potatoes or increasing fitness through regular exercise will all have positive effects when trying to treat hot flashes.

Things to avoid when trying to treat hot flashes:

• Tea
• Coffee
• Alcohol
• Caffeine in soft drinks
• Spicy foods
• Smoking

Things to consider:

• Eat smaller portions because large meals increase your body temperature.
• Chew on ice chips or sipping something ice cold at a time when you get hot flashes can reduce body temperature.
• Take colder showers or take up swimming which can decrease body temperature for hours.

If you change your diet over time then it helps women with hot flashes. Losing excess weight helps to battle most problems although it’s best to avoid losing too much as this can worsen symptoms. Diet and hot flashes do have some relation but it can be a difficult routine to maintain.

Diet and hot flashes around the world

Keeping up your soy levels seems to be a worldwide technique for helping in the fight against hot flashes. Beans, not just the soybean, contain estrogenic compounds that help to control hot flashes and other menopause discomforts.

In Japanese that few women get it that there is no word for “hot flashes” and a traditional Japanese diet consists of around 24 pounds of soy in a year. The western world tends to eat 3-5 pounds annually and because of this experts suggest that you eat as much as possible – obviously if they are low in fat.

Outside of this people find a lot of relief from hot flashes by combining a changed and healthy diet with an alternative medicine. This combination of approaches is often referred to as the best way to treat hot flashes.

To learn more about Hot Flashes

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