Have you ever felt a hot sensation all over your body without touching anything hot? Have you ever felt sweaty in your upper body even the weather is moderate?
If you have experienced any of the above happenings, then you have experienced a hot flare.
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What Is A Hot Flare / Flash?
Hot Flare is a sudden attack of a mild or strong wave of heat caused by an imbalance of hormones resulting from decreased levels of estrogen. The flares can occur at any time and may last from a few seconds to a half-hour.
Hot flares are experienced by women after menopause. It is a typical menopause symptom.They are not experienced by all women, and in some, it may even go unnoticed.
A hot flash is nothing but an intense sense of warmth spreading over your whole body which is usually accompanied by perspiration. The women who are still in the menstruation phase and are in their 40’s, experience hot flashes quite often.
You can neither predict the occurrence nor the time when it will stop. It sometimes may last for about a decrease, but they decrease in their frequency over time.
The exact time of hot flares varies with different women, but it usually occurs at night.
What Causes Hot Flares?
The exact cause of occurrence of hot flashes is not known, but usually, it is due to hormonal imbalance and the decrease in the levels of estrogen in your body.
Symptoms Of Hot Flashes
Some of the common symptoms experienced during a hot flash are-
- A tingling sensation in the fingers.
- The rate of heartbeat increases.
- Skin becomes warm.
- Flushing of the face and other soft skin of the body.
- A lot of sweating, especially in the upper body.
Common things that trigger of hot flashes
- Alcohol consumption.
- Products that contain caffeine.
- Spicy or oily food.
- Not being in a well-ventilated room.
- Stress or anxiety.
- Wearing tight clothes.
- Smoking or being a passive smoker.
Treatments For Hot Flares
There are various treatments for hot flares. Doctors usually suggest going for hormone therapy as hot flares are especially seen in women with a lot of hormonal misbalance.
Hormone therapies are nothing but meeting your body’s need for estrogen. You usually get pills or injection depending on the severity of your case.
But, as far as hormone therapies go, they have a lot of side effects and are not very safe if undergone for a long time.
That is why I recommend some really simple home remedies which are enlisted below.
Home Remedies For Hot Flares
1. Black Cohosh:
The herb Black Cohosh is widely used in various countries for treating menopausal symptoms and especially hot flashes.
Some studies show that Black Cohosh to be just as effective as pharmaceutical estrogen in providing hot flash relief and it also showed that Black Cohosh was effective at preventing excessive sweating.
Add five drops of tincture of this herb to a cup of water. Start with 1 cup a day then increases the quantity to 2 cups per day, till you get labor.
You can also increase the quantity of black cohosh tincture that is ten drops per cup, but you must consult a doctor to know the appropriate dose suiting you.
Black Cohosh is an effective herb for menopause symptoms in women.
2. Flaxseed Oil:
Flax seeds contain fatty acids which have studied for the reduction of hot flashes appearance in women.
Flax contains a chemical lignin which has a similar structure as that of estrogen, and that is why helps in giving a boost to the estrogen amount in blood by acting as a precursor. Flaxseed oil is also very effective.
You can consume the oil with milk or cook food with that oil.
3. Evening Primrose Oil:
Evening primrose oil is a general tonic for menopausal symptoms. It acts as a coolant on the skin and helps to reduce the temperature.
The oil can act as a sleep inducer due to its high gamma-linolenic acid count, and increased prostaglandin production.
It is very good massage oil hence massaging with it will give you good riddance to flares. Do this every night before sleeping.
4. Chickweed Tincture:
Daily intake of this herb has been known to lower both the number and severity of hot flashes.
You can buy this tincture from organic store and drink with milk. Or you can make this tincture at home with the help of decoction process and have it with hot boiling water.
5. Red Clover:
A plant containing high amounts of phytoestrogens known as isoflavones has been known to help reduce the intensity and frequency of hot flashes.
You can use this herb in your daily diet, or drink a decoction of red clover every day before sleeping.
6. Belladonna:
Belladonna is a very important herb in both Ayurveda and Homeopathy. It is known to treat flares by reducing its intensity. It has a good anticholinergic effect and also helps to calm down.
7. Licorice Root:
Licorice root is a medical aid to many diseases known to us and also a very good remedy for the treatment of hot flares.
Decoction process is the best way to consume this herb.
8. Spearmint:
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Spearmint is a great essential oil which also helps in children having ADHD. That is why to calm your nerves and hot flares a spearmint oil massage is a good option.
Massage this oil every night. You can also prepare spearmint tea by boiling the leaves in boiling water for 10 minutes.
9. Sage:
Sage helps to reduce the onset of hot flashes. It decreases body temperature and helps to relax your nerves.
The Sage tea can be prepared with the help of sage herb. Boil the whole herb in boiling water for about 10-15 minutes and then drink the tea twice daily preferably once in the morning once after dinner at night.
10. Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is essential for treating hot flashes because it contains bioflavonoids which reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes. You should eat foods which are rich in Vitamin C.
Eat foods like such as bell peppers, dark leafy vegetables like spinach, kiwifruit, broccoli, berries like strawberries, citrus fruits like oranges and lemon, tomatoes, peas, and papayas because these are Vitamin C rich foods.
11. Vitamin E:
Antioxidants in Vitamin E play a significant role in reducing the symptoms of hot flashes.
You can always go for the traditional Vitamin E capsules or eat foods like nuts and sunflower oil which is a Vitamin E source. You can also squeeze the contents of a Vitamin E capsule and put it as a salad dressing.
12. Natural Progesterone Cream:
This is especially for vegan women who eat a lot of soy foods. Soy foods are rich in estrogen, and it can create an imbalance in the body due to which hot flashes occur.
Natural progesterone cream can help recreate the hormonal balance in your body.
The foods those are rich in vitamin B-6 like walnuts, whole grains, fortified cereals, and soy milk helps to maintain estrogen-progesterone balance.
13. Dong Quai:
Dong Quai is extensively used in various countries for menstrual cramps, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and post menstrual symptoms like hot flashes.
It is also used as an oral drug for blood purification and several disorders like hypertension, infertility, joint pain, ulcers, anemia, constipation, and also in the prevention and treatment of allergic attacks. It is known to reduce the intensity of hot flares over time.
This herb is just like black cohosh so you can use it in the same way as black cohosh.
Dong Quai is also used as a home remedy to induce labor naturally.
Some Additional Tips To Manage The Onset Of Hot Flares
Home remedies are good enough for treating the flares, but the advice I always give is that “Prevention is better than cure.” So these are some additional tips which will help you with prevention of flares.
i. Avoid Synthetic Bedding And Clothing
Synthetic bedding and clothing can contribute to overheating the body, especially while sleeping. Unlike natural cotton and linens, synthetic fibers cause your body to sweat and are not even capable of absorbing them.
Night time is the most common time when women experience the occurrence of hot flashes Also if you wear tight-fitting clothing, such as turtlenecks, that are made from synthetic fibers, this can also intensify hot flashes.
ii. Stay Cool:
Try to avoid staying in direct sunlight for a long time. If you get hot flashes very often avoid using the hot tub and avoid hot showers as these acts as a trigger.
Prefer drinking cool cucumber water and make sure that the room you sleep in is well-ventilated and cool. Small room fans can help provide temporary relief for hot flashes.
iii. Stop Smoking:
Smoking has been linked to increased occurrence of hot flashes in menopausal women.
iv. Take Time to Unwind:
Many women report an increase occurrence of hot flashes during times of stress. Give yourself a daily dose of yoga, breathing exercises, visualization, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, biofeedback mechanisms, meditation or other forms of stress relievers during the day.
This will help release the heat in your body and mind and calm your nerves.
v. Diet:
Avoid oily and spicy foods as these increase the occurrences of hot flashes.
vi. Avoid Trigger Substances:
There are many things which trigger the occurrence and intensity of hot flashes which I have already mentioned above. These include alcohol, fried foods, spicy foods, caffeine, diet pills and warm foods.
They are known to elevate the level of acid and heat present in the body. It is always recommended to avoid these substances and especially those foods which cause acid reflux in our body.
vii. Exercise Regularly:
You should keep aside at least 30 minutes of your day and devote it to exercising because daily exercise keeps you healthy, fit and young. If you have a healthy body, you will have good hormonal balance, and this is exactly what is needed to keep hot flashes away.
Try walking more throughout the day. Ditch that bike or car when going to nearby shops, walk instead. Simple cardio exercise is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your health.
viii. Cleanse Your Body:
Cleansing your body thoroughly internally and externally is very important for good health. It is recommended to perform a colon cleanse and liver detox at least 1-2 times in a year. These will help promote optimal health.
Women experience a lot of changes throughout their lifetime and Menopause is one of them.
So, take precautions from an early stage and start preparing yourself to deal with it and keep menopausal symptoms and very frustrating hot flashes at bay!
