Hot flashes can be a symptom of menopause and are believed to be caused by fluctuating levels of estrogen that alert the hypothalamus into thinking the body is too warm, creating a hot flash to cool the body down.
Sources of estrogen:
Endogenous estrogens are produced by the body and include estradiol, estriol, and estrone. These decline during menopause, but estrogen remains dominant to progesterone.
Phytoestrogens (phyto = plant) are compounds produced by plants and bind to estrogen receptor sites, reducing hot flashes. Phytoestrogens ("good" estrogen) are natural compounds found in foods and herbs. This includes miso, tempeh, tofu, edamame, flax and sesame seed. Eat only organic non-GMO. Avoid soy protein isolate.
Xenoestrogens are human made chemicals that can also bind to estrogen. They are unnatural and are endocrine disruptors. Avoid these types of estrogen (at any age)!
Recommendations:
avoid food/beverages in plastic and cans
Use natural cookware (stainless steel and cast iron)
Use natural cleaning and body care products
Grow or buy organic foods
Drink filtered water
Herbs:
Dandelion root and leaves (Taraxacum ofiicinale)
Nettles (Urtica dioica) - can act as diuretic so use cautiously and increase water intake! Menopausal women run on the dry side!
Burdock (Arctium minus)
Hormone Balancers:
Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa)
Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus) fruit - this is supportive for progesterone during this time.
Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) root
Rosetta Kawauchi is a Naturopath and Holistic Health Practitioner. She owns Essence of Healing LLC in Okemos Michigan, where she works with clients of all ages and natural health needs. You can schedule an appointment with her here: https://kawauchiholistic.com
All written information by Rosetta Kawauchi is meant for educational purposes only. Rosetta Kawauchi is not a medical provider and does not diagnose, prescribe, prevent, treat, or cure diseases. If you choose to add herbal supplementation, please review with your licensed medical health provider before to so.
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