Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes - No More Side Effects!
Natural remedies for hot flashes, the number one annoyance during the menopausal years, have become increasingly popular. The concern over the side effects of drugs has fueled the trend, perhaps sparked by the 2002 Women's Health Initiative study. In the 2002 study, it was reported that the standard hormone replacement therapy treatment for hot flash increases major health risks. Natural remedies are believed to be safer without these side effects.
What natural remedies are available to treat hot flashes? Essentially, there are two basic ways: changing your lifestyle, and taking botanical supplements. Let's concentrate on herbal treatment here and leave lifestyle changes to another article.
How safe are natural remedies for hot flashes? Are the herbs suitable for long term use? For the answer, we shall look at what herbs are being used in the treatments.
Herbalists generally separate herbs into three groups: those that are also common food items; those used strictly for medicinal purposes; and those poisonous and not safe for human consumption. Herbal remedies only make use of items in the first and second groups. Their long term safety, though not established in the laboratory, has been proven throughout the ages in real life applications.
Why are natural herbal supplements able to treat hot flashes? Firstly, you have to understand that the declining estrogen hormone is the main cause of hot flash during the menopausal years. A lot of herbs can help rejuvenate estrogen production or contain a natural estrogen replacement. This effectively stop hot flashes at their roots.
Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes
Of all of the natural remedies for hot flashes, black cohosh appears to be the safest and most effective. Its root has been used in Europe for many years to treat women experiencing menopausal symptoms. Other than relieving hot flash, it is believed to help with menopausal depression and listlessness.
A herb you can easily find in most gardens is sage. When taken as an extract or a tea, sage can reduce the occurrence and severity of hot flashes. The red raspberry leaf is another herb which is known to help.
The extract from the horse chestnut tree, agnus castus, increases progesterone levels in women, and so help with menstrual tension and menopausal symptoms. It is best taken in the morning and requires consumption for quite a while before the benefits show.
Many other herbs like black snakeroot and rattle weed could help relieve hot flashes. You may want to combine a few of them together to give you a complete natural treatment for menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness and depression. This however requires knowledge in the field of herbal treatments, so you'll be wise to consult a qualified herbalist.
Consulting a herbalist is the best decision you can make before taking any herb. It matters not whether you're thinking of combining the herbs together as a treatment. The herbalists can advise you the benefits of different herbs and the right ones to suit your body needs. They can also help you concoct the right mix of natural remedies for hot flashes while avoiding any unwanted side effects.
One factor you must take into account when using herbal supplements is its dosage. It isn't as precise as a drug is. You may have to consume a much larger quantity of a herb to see the effects. This is another area where a herbalist will help.
It seems also that certain lifestyle and dietary factors can interfere with the effectiveness of herbs. Avoiding hot flash stimulants and exercising regularly helps. So you may want to embrace the natural remedies for hot flashes fully in both lifestyle changes and herbal treatments to maximize their effects.
Using herbal supplements as natural remedies for hot flashes is not a precise science. What works for another woman may not work for you. So don't be despair when a certain herb fails to help you. Work with a herbalist. Try different strategies. You'll soon discover your own unique solution.
