Hot Flash

Hot flashes are feelings of intense heat and sweating accompanied by abnormally rapid heartbeat that indicate changing levels of hormones in the bloodstream.

While hot flashes may occasionally affect men, they are largely attributed to the onset of menopause in women.

Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when their bodies start to produce greatly reduced levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

These hormones are responsible for controlling the female reproductive cycle, and menopause indicates the end of a woman’s childbearing years.

A hot flash may last for as little as two minutes or as long as a full thirty minutes. They typically begin in the face or face and chest area, and can spread throughout the entire body.

Besides the internal sensations, the skin also becomes hot to the touch, especially on the face.

In many cases, the hot flash is accompanied by reddening of the face.

Natural Cures for a Hot Flash:

Black Cohosh:

Black Cohosh has long been used in the form of supplements as a treatment for the symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes.

It is thought that the black cohosh plant contains compounds known as phytoestrogens, which mimic the structure and function of conventional estrogen found in the human body.

It is also a popular alternative to artificial hormone replacement therapy that was previously commonly used to treat hot flashes, but has since been discovered to cause harmful side effects.

Black cohosh supplements are available in a variety of forms including tablets, pills, and solutions.

Soybeans:

Soybeans have been scientifically proven to contain compounds that are almost identical in structure and effect to female estrogens.

Since the hot flash is caused by a lack of female hormones in the bloodstream, consuming these estrogen-mimicking compounds can help to counter the effects of menopause, providing relief from hot flashes.

In its natural form, soybeans do not contain a high concentration of these compounds.

There are many supplements available that are formulated using concentrated extracts of these plant estrogen compounds, and are thus effective at replacing natural estrogen in the bloodstream, reducing the frequency and effects of hot flashes.

Artificial Estrogen and Progesterone:

There are also artificial estrogen and progesterone supplements that can be obtained that may be prescribed by a qualified doctor.

These supplements directly replace the estrogen and progesterone that was previously produced by the body.

Weight loss:

Webmd reports that scientists have discovered that losing weight may help reduce hot flashes. In the study, 65 of the 141 women said they were less bothered by their hot flashes six months after participating in the weight loss program, 53 reported no change, and 23 women reported a worsening of symptoms.