Hot flashes are one of the most common complaints of menopause, as the periods of intense heat, warm skin, and sweating are uncomfortable. Hot flashes refer to sudden and intense hot sensations on your face and upper body. Often hot flashes are preceded or accompanied by other symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, excessive sweating, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, headache, weakness or a feeling of suffocation. Home remedies for hot flashes and night sweats are definitely your most powerful weapon in the fight against this awful problem. Here are some home remedies for Hot Flashes:
EVENING PRIMEROSE OIL
A general tonic for women’s reproductive health, evening primrose has a cooling effect on the skin and regulates the production of oestrogen. It can act as a sleep aid due to its high gamma linolenic acid count, and increased prostaglandin production.
VITAMIN E
Vitamin E has oestrogen and can effectively eliminate or reduce the severity of hot flashes in menopausal women. A daily dose of 400 IUs of vitamin E capsule is recommended to reduce hot flashes. Take one 200 IU capsule twice a day with meals. Also include leafy greens, tropical fruits and nuts in your diet as they are excellent sources of vitamin E.
SAGE
Try drinking a few cups of organic sage tea daily. Sage tea can be found at your local grocery store or online. Besides providing hot flash relief, sage helps with digestion, infant diarrhoea and headaches.
FLAXSEED
Flaxseed is high in oestrogen-like phytoestrogens, particularly lignans, which could account for its benefits. However, the therapeutic dose of 40 grams, or 4 tablespoons, of ground flaxseeds comes along with 16 grams of fat and about 200 calories. So make sure the flaxseeds are taking the place of unhealthy fats, not being added on. To get the full benefits, crush the flaxseeds before eating. An easy way to do this is with a coffee grinder. Keep the ground seeds in your refrigerator and add a few tablespoons to your oatmeal or yogurt every day.
SOY
Soy foods help balance hormone levels and have some estrogenic activity and hence can effectively treat hot flashes. Try to have two servings of soy foods per day. This can be two glasses of soy milk, seven ounces of tofu, or one-half cup of edamame.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Dilute one to two tablespoons of organic and unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, vegetable juice or fruit juice. Drink it once or twice daily until the symptoms subside. Apple cider vinegar is very helpful in treating hot flashes. Raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar helps regulate toxins that the body is trying to eliminate through perspiration.
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
- Eating a varied diet with plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables promotes a healthy weight, which can lead to a decrease in hot flashes.
- Avoid “heated” situations literally by keeping the temperature comfortably cool in your bedroom while you sleep and using fans during the day to keep your home from getting stuffy.
- Here’s yet another reason to stop smoking: Menopausal women who smoke are more likely to experience hot flashes than their nonsmoking counterparts, due to nicotine’s stimulating effects.
- Some women have found that bioflavanoids found in Vitamin C can help reduce the frequency of hot flashes. In order to get hot flash relief, I would recommend eating more.