Is it just me, or is it HOT in here?
One of the most common and annoying symptoms of menopause, Hot Flashes & Night Sweats. Studies show that up to 80% of women in North America experience hot flashes and night sweats during the menopause years. If you are one of those statistics I’m right there with you. Waking up in the middle of the night totally soaked is not fun. Neither is being in front of a group of people giving a presentation when you begin to feel a hot flash coming on and before you know it, you have sweat running down your back.
The medical community is still somewhat baffled about how hot flashes are generated. They believe it has something to do with the hypothalamus communication with the circulatory system. The body thinks it’s too hot and the hypothalamus triggers the heart to pump blood faster to cool the body off.
There are several factors at play regarding hot flashes and fluctuating hormone levels beginning in perimenopause. Waning estrogen levels are believed to be a factor. There is a correlation between high cortisol levels (stress hormone) and increased frequency of hot flashes. Studies show that women who are overweight tend to have and increase in the severity and frequency of hot flashes.
Ethnicity is a factor too. Asian women typically experience very few hot flashes while African-American women report hot flashes in greater numbers. Medications such as blood pressure, sinus, allergy, pain relievers & estrogen blocking drugs can dictate frequency and severity of hot flashes as well.
There is hope for those of you who are in the middle of all of this. I like to take the natural approach when addressing hot flashes & night sweats. Lifestyle modification or “upgrades” as I refer to them can really make a big difference.
Here’s my list:
• Eating a primarily plant based organic diet free of processed foods
• Managing Stress
• Getting your Sleep dialed in
• Using essential oils to balance hormones
• Finding the right exercise for you
If you’d like to learn more let get a conversation started with a FREE 15 minute consultation. Email me at angela@angelasidlo.com
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