What Causes Hot Flashes?

The short answer is no one knows for sure.

It’s generally agreed that hot flashes are tied to estrogen levels, but whether they’re the result of decreasing or fluctuating estrogen levels isn’t entirely clear.

Another theory is that fluctuating neurotransmitters in the brain may be the culprit.

As your estrogen and progesterone levels drop during menopause, your body produces more of a brain hormone called gonadotropin hormone (GnRH) in order to force fertility. GnRH is also responsible for regulating heat sensors in the brain. When higher levels of GnRH are present, your body mistakenly thinks it is overheating and attempts to cool itself down by opening blood vessels in the head and neck. Next thing you know, you’re sweating like you just finished a 5K.

So many theories, so few answers. Dare I suggest that if men suffered from hot flashes, we’d know a lot more about the cause and cure by now? Just askin’.

source: www.epigee.org/menopause

10 Tips to Tame the Flame

There’s no way to prevent hot flashes. But there are ways to better manage them.

Certain lifestyle changes help other women cope with the frequency and severity of mild to moderate hot flashes. One or more of these 10 tips may help you tame the flame:

1. Keep a daily journal of your hot flashes. Track when they occur and how long they last. Use your journal to help identify hot flash “triggers:” food, alcohol, hot drinks or situations that might bring on a hot flash. Once you know what your triggers are, do your best to avoid them.
2. Drink plenty of water–6 to 8 glasses a day. When you feel a hot flash coming on, sip cold water, juice or a cool beverage. Keep a thermos of ice water near your bed at night in case of “night sweats.”
3. Dress in layers so you can shed clothes when a hot flash hits. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Choose fabrics with natural fibers such as cotton, wool or silk.
4. Exercise regularly.
5. Don’t smoke. Cigarette smoking is linked to increased hot flashes.
6. Learn to relax. Practice stress-reducing techniques such as yoga, meditation or other relaxation methods. Even if these techniques don’t directly help your hot flashes, they’ll benefit you in other ways by reducing your stress and helping you sleep better.
7. Keep your bedroom cool at night. Keep the thermostat turned down, open the window or turn on a fan. Use cotton sheets, blankets, lingerie and pajamas. Cotton is more “breathable” than other fabrics and will keep you more comfortable when your temperature rises.
8. Try adding more soy to your diet. Soy-based foods and supplements have been shown to reduce hot flashes in menopausal women. (See below)
9. Avoid known trigger foods. Spicy foods, red wine, chocolate and aged cheese are known to cause hot flashes in certain women. Caffeine and alcohol may also increase the severity of hot flashes. If you find these are triggers for you, give them a pass!
10. Practice paced respiration. Deep, slow abdominal breathing–known as paced respiration–can decrease hot flashes. It takes some practice to perfect the technique, but paced respiration done twice daily or at the beginning of a hot flash can be quite helpful.To practice paced respiration, begin by sitting comfortably. Breathe in deeply for five seconds, pushing your stomach muscles out. Exhale for five seconds, pulling your stomach muscles in and up. Repeat this cycle of breathing deeply in and out until you feel calm and relaxed–for 15 minutes twice daily, at the start of a hot flash, or for a minute or two in the middle of a busy day. (source: www.Mayoclinic.com)

If your hot flashes are moderate to severe and interfere with your daily activities, you may want to talk to your doctor about hormone replacement therapy or other prescription remedies.

How Do You Say “Hot Flash” in Japanese?

Actually, you don’t.

Hot flashes are so much less common in non-western cultures that most Asian languages don’t even have a word for “hot flash.” Research shows an estimated 10 percent or fewer menopausal women in Japan, Hong Kong, Pakistan and Mexico experience hot flashes.

Studies in Japan link the low incidence of hot flashes to high soybean consumption. Soybeans are rich in compounds called soy phytoestrogen/soy isoflavones, which behave similarly to female hormones in your body.

In January 2008 researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) found that a compound in soybeans is effective in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes in menopausal women.

With evidence that hot flashes are often uncommon in countries where a lot of soybeans are consumed, the research team at BIDMC decided to test a compound found abundantly in soy germ, in the form of a daidzein-rich isoflavone-aglycone supplement (DRI).

“The chemical structure of this compound is very similar to that of our own estrogen, allowing it to act as a regulatory mechanism if the body’s natural levels decrease,” explains Hope Ricciotti, MD, Obstretrics and Gynecology at BIDMC.

The findings showed a 52 percent reduction in the number of hot flashes among patients who consumed a soy supplement without evidence of negative side effects.

Let’s hear it for those magic beans!

(sources: www.power-surge.com, www.ScienceDaily.com)