Menopause can be a trying time for some women, with the vast majority experiencing some degree of hot flashes and temperature instability. For many women, hot flashes start during the pre-menopausal period, several years before the cessation of menstrual periods take place. After the menstrual periods stop, more than three quarters of women continue to experience some degree of temperature instability that lasts up to a full year after menopause. Even more disturbing is the fact that up to half of all women continue to experience hot flashes well past the menopausal stage which can be a source of great frustration and discomfort. Why do some women continue to have postmenopausal hot flashes while others appear to have resolution of their temperature instability? A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine looked at why some women continue to have post-menopausal hot flashes. After administering questionnaires to over 3,000 women questioning them about the severity of their hot flashes, they found that women who reported persistent post-menopausal hot flashes were more likely to have used estrogen in the past; they have had elevated LDL cholesterol levels, have a history of hysterectomy in the past and were more likely to be overweight with symptoms of vaginal dryness and sleep problems. Although this study does shed some light as to which groups of women are most likely to develop post-menopausal hot flashes and points out how frequent these symptoms are, it doesn’t suggest an established cause or treatment.
For many women, using postmenopausal hormone treatment to resolve post-menopausal hot flashes isn’t an option due to the potential health risks of hormone replacement therapy. In the absence of hormone replacement therapy, is there anything women can do to ease the symptoms when those hot flashes just won’t go away?
Some studies have suggested that women who are highly active after menopause suffer less from hot flashes than women who are sedentary. In fact, a study conducted at the University Hospital in Sweden, found that women who engaged in organized physical exercise on a routine basis were half as likely to experience post-menopausal hot flashes. This study gives another good reason to get out those exercise shoes if you’re a post- menopausal female.
Other studies have looked at the effect of diet on post-menopausal hot flashes and have suggested that consumption of soy and other foods rich in natural phyto-estrogens such as flaxseed as well as herbal remedies such as black cohosh, dong quai, and evening primrose oil may reduce the frequency of post-menopausal hot flashes. Although these studies haven’t been conclusive and the long term safety of the use of these natural remedies hasn’t been established.
So where does this leave you if you want some relief from post-menopausal hot flashes and you don’t want to take hormone replacement therapy? The best option may be to start a regular exercise program consisting of a daily brisk walk. In addition, you may want to consider reducing your intake of animal fats and adding more plant based foods to your diet. If you don’t have a history of breast cancer, you may want to consider adding fermented soy products to your diet, such as miso or tempeh, along with a daily dose of flaxseed in your cereal. At this point, this approach seems to offer the most benefits short of using hormone replacement therapy.
If all else fails and you are still getting those hot flashes, there is one remedy that has done wonders since the time of Adam and Eve. Good’ ole fashion sex; that should get the heart racing and the blood flowing. After all, you won’t even notice you are getting those darn flashes anymore. Buy some Sexy Lingerie and get those endorphins flowing.
Disclaimer: The entire content of this site/articles are based on our opinions. The information on this site is not meant to replace a relationship with a qualified health care professional, and is not intended for medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on good research and with a respected health care provider.
