I am 47 years old and just started getting chills and hot flashes a week ago. At first I thought I was coming down with something, but then it dawned on me. I was getting hot flashes! My doctor said they are the most frequent symptom of perimenopause. 85% of American women suffer from them. However, I think it’s interesting that Chinese women hardly get any! Now there must be a reason why and it must be in our diet. After all, our anatomy is exactly the same. I really had thought I would bypass this one because I am a pretty healthy person. I eat a great whole foods diet, I exercise and meditate. I shouldn’t be having these! I am determined to find a way to minimize this and every other symptom of perimenopause that I have/had like hormonal mood swings, irregular periods, and low libido. But first, I need to know what causes  hot flashes and how I can get some hot flash relief.

It turns out no one really knows why, although they do know how. Fluctuating levels of estrogen affect the hypothalamus which controls your appetite, sex hormones, sleep and body temperature. The hot flashes occur when the blood vessels near the surface of the skin dilate to cool off. Some women even get flushed in the face. I sure hope that doesn’t happen to me. I don’t want the whole world to know I am in perimenopause. Everybody thinks I look 36 so this would be a dead giveaway! Almost every middle aged woman in my office has a fan blasted on them at one time or another even when everyone else has on a shawl because the air conditioner is so cold. I know they are getting hot flashes.

Some women may also perspire to cool down and others experience a rapid heart rate or chills. At night, it’s common to wake up sweating because of the heat. I did that twice this week.
Doctors think it can be caused by changes in circulation and has to due with the temperature regulation of the body. The occurrence and severity differs from woman to woman, although they are known to get better as time goes on. Some hot flashes can last a few seconds and others can last up to an hour!

There are certain triggers that can bring on hot flashes. Stress, alcohol, caffeine, cigarette smoke, spicy foods and tight clothing may all contribute. Women who smoke tend to get worse hot flashes and they also enter into perimenopause sooner. To help stop hot flashes, there are certain things you can do:

• Keep your bedroom cool at night. Wear light clothing and only use a sheet if necessary.

• Dress in layers and wear 100% cotton or linen. Stay away from polyesters that don’t allow your skin to breathe. Also don’t wear wool or turtle necks.
• Practice deep, slow breathing. Meditate for 10-20 minutes a day to relieve stress.

• Exercise daily. Walking, running, swimming, yoga or anything to raise your heart rate for at least 20 minutes a day.

• Use a chill pillow that you can keep in the refrigerator and wrap around your neck at night or when you feel warm.

• Some doctors recommend short-term hormone replacement therapy (5 years). This can also relieve other symptoms of menopause like vaginal dryness and mood swings. There are risks involved with this such as blood clots and gallbladder inflammation.

• Certain blood pressure medications like Clonidine can help. They modify how the blood vessels respond to the brain's command to give off heat quickly.

• My Doctor today tried to sell me Zoloft as the all around best remedy for perimenopause symptoms today. I’ve already been down that road and prefer to stay away. I use Sam-e with a B complex that has been a life saver as far as mood swings and weight gain is concerned.I prefer natural remedies for hot flashes.
  

• Evening primrose oil relieves mood swings and is said tbe one of the good hot flash remedies that works. This has helped me with PMS, so I will give it a try for the hot flashes.

• Soy products. This may be the magic ingredient Chinese women use in their daily diet to ward off menopause symptoms. I can’t take it unfortunately because I have a thyroid issue and soy is not good for the thyroid. However, some women find soy a great treatment for hot flashes.
  

• Flax seed is also said to be good for hot flashes although it is not proven. I will try this too, at least my skin will benefit if nothing else.

• Inversion therapy. Maybe soaking my hypothalamus in oxygen rich blood may make it forget all about it’s loss of estrogen. Seriously though, it is said to help.