| Menopause is a natural occurrence that | | | | they need to seek their doctors advice on how |
| happens to all women when they reach a | | | | to handle them. Most women can just make |
| certain age. Technically it is a stopping of | | | | simple lifestyle changes such as layering |
| a woman's period (or menses), hence the name. | | | | their clothing, changing their diet, and |
| There are many symptoms of menopause, but | | | | exercising on a regular basis. |
| none as obvious as the hot flashes that you | | | | |
| experience. | | | | If you do find that you need to turn to |
| | | | medication, or Hormone Replacement Therapy, |
| Hot flashes can range from mild hot spells at | | | | check out all your options. You may only need |
| night to constant dripping and sweating | | | | Estrogen Therapy, or perhaps just a few |
| during the daytime. It starts suddenly, with | | | | natural solutions such as vitamins or Black |
| a rapid heartbeat, intense feeling of heat on | | | | Cohosh, which is proven to be a natural |
| your face and upper body, and continues with | | | | relief solution for hot flashes. |
| possible headaches and nausea. It may only | | | | |
| last a short time but there is no mistaking | | | | Relaxation and stress reduction techniques |
| the feeling of a hot flash. | | | | should be your first stop on the way to being |
| | | | hot flash free. Yoga and meditation are |
| Hot flashes are caused by a hormonal | | | | excellent ways to calm your body before and |
| imbalance and estrogen loss. The loss of | | | | during a hot flash to make it seem more |
| estrogen causes the part of the brain that is | | | | tolerable. During the day make sure to keep |
| responsible for your body temperature to | | | | an ice cold glass of water nearby to cool you |
| think that it is too hot. Your body in turn | | | | down during or before a hot flash. Another |
| tries to use the nervous system's chemical | | | | tip is to lower the temperature wherever you |
| ability to relieve the heat by having your | | | | are. This is where the layering of clothes |
| heart beat faster, and using the perspiration | | | | comes in - it helps with the many different |
| to relieve the body of the sudden warmth. It | | | | temperatures you will go through in a day. |
| is essentially a way to cool you off even | | | | |
| though the feeling you are having is that it | | | | Just as the old saying goes, this too shall |
| is heating you up. | | | | pass. Although it may take 2 to 5 years on |
| | | | average, it will end. Just try to make it as |
| As many as 85% of women have reported having | | | | bearable as possible during this time and |
| hot flashes. But only about 10% to 15% of | | | | before you know it the symptoms of hot |
| women have severe enough hot flashes that | | | | flashes will disappear naturally with time. |