Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes
Can Make "The Change" Much Smoother

More and more women are turning to natural remedies for hot flashes, since the dangers of taking synthetic hormones have been exposed. Experiencing sudden rises in temperature, especially during the night, can disrupt sleep patterns, make you irritable and are just uncomfortable and plain embarrassing in public.

I'll never forget the hot flash I had in the bank when I was trying to cash a sizeable cashier's check. All of a sudden out of nowhere, I started sweating profusely and I am not one to sweat unless I'm working out and hard. At the sight of the sweat dripping down my nose on an otherwise cold day in November, the teller took this as a sign that I was up to something and called over the bank manager who has known me for a decade and chided the teller for her suspicions. Fortunately, it is now possible to keep these episodes at bay without turning to prescription drugs or estrogen replacement.

Until very recently, estrogen replacement was the only acceptable treatment for menopause. As women have learned more about the risks, including increased susceptibility to breast cancer, more and more have turned to using natural menopause remedies.

Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes
Can Turn Down the Heat

Everything from herbs and vitamins to exercise and behavioral and lifestyle changes have been studied and the results have been quite promising. Because certain foods and drinks can increase the frequency and intensity of hot flashes, one of the easiest natural remedies for hot flashes is avoiding things like coffee, spicy foods, and alcohol. Wearing lighter, more breathable clothing and avoiding taking hot showers or baths before bed time can also help.

Of course these simple steps will only help to alleviate existing symptoms but there are other natural menopause remedies which can help prevent symptoms entirely. Among these are Vitamin E and soy. Both of these substances have been shown to help reduce the occurrence of hot flashes and since both are completely natural, they carry no harsh side effects.

Red clover is an herb that can act as a remedy for hot flashes. Even though it has been shown to be effective in some studies, it's still the subject of some debate. Black cohosh along with pasque flower is considered one of the best natural remedies for hot flashes, helping to decrease excess sweating as well as reduce the frequency of hot flashes.

Because stress can be an aggravating factor when it comes to menopause symptoms, stress relief techniques can be very effective natural menopause remedies. Acupuncture has proven beneficial to many menopausal women, as has yoga. Yoga not only helps to alleviate hot flashes, it can also help to ease night sweats, mood swings and depression, all of which are common symptoms of menopause.

One of the most effective natural remedies for hot flashes is exercise. Studies have shown that women who remain active throughout menopause experience much milder symptoms than those who are inactive. A major side benefit of strength training exercises is the ability build bone density, which can experience significant reduction during menopause.

Menopause can throw you entire life into disarray, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Nor do you have to feel obliged to use estrogen replacement to battle symptoms. There are plenty of healthy natural alternatives to help you get symptoms under control and take your life back. Don’t let hot flashes get the best of you, cool off naturally and get back to living your life.

Know your hormonal levels. Saliva tests are easy, accurate and take less than 10 minutes to perform. This is one of the best ways to take charge of your health and find out exactly what's going on.