Many women experience hot flushes as they enter menopause, these are caused by hormonal spikes that trigger changes in temperature, overriding the body’s natural thermostat. They can make it difficult to sleep and can cause sweating, warm and reddening skin, and a raised heart beat in some people.
Some tips to avoid the symptoms of hot flashes include:
- Avoiding the main hot flush triggers such as spicy foods, alcohol, caffeine, sugary foods and eating large meals.
- Eating soy products (soy beans 1 cup/day or 1 cup soy milk, tempeh, edamame etc.) can help to reduce many common menopausal symptoms including hot flushes. In fact 11 common menopausal symptoms tested using the Kupperman Index) have been found to be reduced after eating soy.
These include :
Hot flushes, paresthesia, insomnia, nervousness, melancholia, vertigo, weakness, arthralgia, headaches, palpitations and formication.
Soy can also improve bone mineral density. However, avoid soy if you have an allergy. - Eating more dried fruit. In order of effectiveness; amla (indian gooseberry), goji, cherries, apples, apricot, mango and prunes). These can help to lower cholesterol and improves blood flow in post-menopausal women.
- Other foods and supplements that have been shown to help are; strawberries, evening primrose oil, saffron, chlorella, ground flax and fennel seeds.
- Taking a Black Cohosh or a Chaste Berry supplement has been shown to help with symptoms in approximately 80% of people. This can take a month or so to see an effect.