A Guide To Managing Hot Flashes

Every woman will encounter menopause at some point in her life. This is a period in your life that is uncomfortable and irritating, to say the very least. There are so many changes in your body and not much information on handling them.

There are many symptoms of menopause that make day-to-day life quite uncomfortable for women. One of these symptoms is the dreaded hot flash. The hot flash is possibly one of the most well-known symptoms and the most difficult to treat.

We have decided to explore how women going through menopause can ease the intensity of a hot flash.

What Is A Hot Flash?

Hot flashes are characterized by a sudden feeling of extreme body heat, sweating, and flushing. Hot flashes can be accompanied by other menopausal symptoms such as mood swings, depression, and weight gain.

Some people experience milder hot flashes than others, but they are uncomfortable for everyone. Fortunately, there are many ways to treat a hot flash.

How Do I Treat It?

While most doctors will prescribe hormone replacement therapies (HRTs) to treat the symptoms of menopause and hot flashes, in particular, there are many other things you can do before turning to pharmaceuticals.

Increasing your soy intake is one way to help treat the symptoms of menopause in general. Soy contains phytoestrogen, which acts like estrogen in the body. This is a more natural way to replace the estrogen your body is losing. You can get your daily soy intake from tofu, edamame, tempeh, or soy milk.

Stressing less is essential to keep the hot flashes at bay. Hot flashes can strike at any time, but they are exacerbated by stress. When you are more relaxed, you will tend to experience fewer hot flashes.

Watch what you eat as spicy foods and caffeinated or alcoholic beverages can exacerbate hot flashes as well. Stick to fresh foods and water to make sure that you don’t encourage any hot flashes.

You cannot do much while you’re in the middle of a hot flash but ride it out. However, some women have found relief from placing a cold, damp cloth on their necks. Other women leave linen in the freezer to have a literal blanket of cool around them when they need it.

The best way to treat a hot flash is to try and ensure that you do everything in your power to stop them from happening or stop them from being as intense.