Keeping Your Cool with a Natural Remedy for Hot Flashes

When a woman is going through menopause one of the most common, as well as annoying symptoms, is hot flashes. There are many different products on the market that claim to be able to help regulate their internal thermostat to dial down their body temperature. Choices have to be made carefully, however, in order to avoid any accompanying side effects of the synthetic products.

Menopause is not by any means a new problem for women, but it is one that for decades was seldom spoke of in public. It was a phase of life that all women went through as part of the natural aging process. Except for a few conversations between daughters and their mothers when the kids started reaching middle age, it was not something that was part of many conversations. However, years of potentially debilitating menopause symptoms and side effects of many of the available menopause medications has forced the topic to be discussed more openly. Such open discussion has enabled many women to find a natural remedy for hot flashes.

Most of the problem is caused by the reduction of estrogen, which is part of the transition process during menopause. With a reduction in estrogen, the hypothalamus, considered the body's thermostat, sends signals to the rest of the body that they need to take steps to reduce heat immediately. The body does not need to be cooled off like it may need during the hot summer months, but the hormonal imbalance is sending the wrong signals to the right areas. As a result, the blood vessels dilate and the sweat glands begin to work overtime, much the same as they would while working in the hot sun.

For years, women were given estrogen supplements to help survive these hot flashes.  New research shows, however, that the longer estrogen is in the system during the menopausal years, the more the risk exists for them to develop breast cancer. As a result, many women are seeking a more natural remedy for hot flashes. One of the most popular remedies among many women today is soy food. Studies indicate that products containing soy help regulate the internal thermostat, reducing the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.

Red clover and black cohosh are also commonly used among menopausal women to help control hot flashes. Many find that they work better than the synthetic hormones, which they fear will cause unnecessary side effects. Women who are taking prescription medication for hot flashes should talk to their doctors before transitioning to a more natural remedy for hot flashes.  They should ensure there is no chance for an adverse interaction between the natural products and the synthetic drugs.

There are also bio-identical products being used as a natural remedy for hot flashes. Also phyto-estrogens, which are available in many plants, help reduce the incidents of hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. Progesterone topical creams have also been show to be effective in reducing the frequency of hot flashes among many women. Numerous studies have shown that hot flashes have diminished in menopausal women when Progesterone is applied as a topical transdermal cream.