Hot Flashes

Hot Flashes

As a woman reaches menopause--usually around age 50--hormone levels fall rapidly as the ovaries halt production of the hormone estrogen. Sensing this, the body's internal thermostat tends to react quite strongly. Blood vessels on the skin's surface open up like a radiator, enveloping you in intense heat and flushing your face. About 80 percent of all women experience these hot flashes as they go through menopause.

Your doctor may prescribe estrogen tablets if your hot flashes are severe. But many women find they can deal with milder symptoms with home treatments.

Track those flashes. Hot flashes may occur more predictably and less randomly than you think, studies show. To prove it, take note of the date, time, intensity and duration of the hot flash, suggests Linda Gannon, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Also record the circumstances preceding it-what you ate or drank, how you felt emotionally.

"Some women find that hot flashes worsen when they drink alcohol or coffee, smoke cigarettes or encounter stressful situations that elicit strong emotions," says Dr. Gannon. Your hot flash diary can show you what triggers you need to avoid to keep cool.

Lower the temp. Keeping cool is important for menopausal women, since many of the precipitating factors in hot flashes are related to heat, says Sadja Greenwood, M.D., assistant clinical professor of gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco, Medical Center. She suggests sipping cool drinks and wearing natural fabrics that "breathe." And one study at Columbia University in New York City showed that menopausal women had fewer and milder hot flashes in cool rooms than in hot rooms. So turn on the fan or the air conditioner to keep the temperature down. And when you're going out, carry a fold-up fan with you, Dr. Greenwood advises.

Keep a cool head--meditate. Some brain research has shown that hot flashes are stimulated by a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) known as norepinephrine, which influences the temperature-regulating center in the brain, says Dr. Greenwood. "This may explain why daily stress reduction practices such as meditation, deep breathing and yoga, which result in lower levels of norepinephrine, help some women reduce their hot flashes," she says.

In one study, menopausal women with frequent hot flashes were trained to slowly breathe in and out six to eight times for two minutes. These women had fewer hot flashes than women trained to use either muscle relaxation or biofeedback.

Douse it with vitamin E. "This nutrient often does a commendable job of relieving the severity and frequency of flashes. Lots of my patients have good luck with it," says Lila E. Nachtigall, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York University School of Medicine in New York City. She recommends starting with 400 international units twice a day (a total of 800 international units).

But check with your physician before beginning vitamin E supplementation. While the vitamin is generally considered safe, it can have a blood-thinning effect. Meanwhile, try to include more vitamin E-rich foods in your diet: wheat germ, wheat germ oil, safflower oil, whole-grain breads and cereals, peanuts, walnuts, filberts and almonds.

Sip some sarsaparilla. For centuries, herbalists have used special "women's herbs" that have a weak regulating effect on estrogen and may help control hot flashes, according to Susan Lark, M.D., medical director of the PMS and Menopause Self-Help Center in Los Altos, California. The herbs include sarsaparilla, dong quoi, black cohosh, false unicorn root, fennel and anise.

These herbs are available combined in ready-made formulas, or they can be used alone, says Dr. Lark. To make a tea, empty one herb capsule into a cup of boiling water and let it steep for a few minutes. Don't drink more than two cups of herbal tea (along with meals) daily. Discontinue the herbs if you notice nausea or other symptoms, says Dr. Lark. And talk to your doctor before taking these herbs if you're at risk for cancer or other conditions that rule out estrogen replacement therapy.

Get up and go. In one Swedish study, severe hot flashes and night sweats were only half as common among physically active postmenopausal women as among bench warmers. "Possibly, exercise elevates the level of endorphins, the feel-good hormones that drop when there is an estrogen deficiency," says Timothy Yeko, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, at the University of South Florida in Tampa. The endorphins affect the thermoregulatory center-your thermostat, says Dr. Yeko. Regular physical activity may increase endorphin activity and therefore diminish the frequency of hot flashes.

Don't aim to be a skinny-mini. "Estrogen is actually manufactured in body fat from other hormones after menopause," says Dr. Greenwood. "A very thin woman will have less natural estrogen in her system, which may give her more problems with hot flashes."