6 Drug-Free Tricks for Coping with Hot Flashes

Nervous about using Hormone Replacement Therapy? Not sure about Herbal Remedies? Based on twenty years of my own experience, here are six tricks for coping with “hot flashes” without ingesting anything -- though drinking more water may help.nnLet’s start with what a “hot flash” is. Hot flashes are one of several symptoms that women may experience as they enter menopause. For no apparent reason, you suddenly feel warm. It might be only your face, or your upper chest and neck, or it might be your entire body -- though this seems to be more rare. nnThis feeling of warmth may last only a few seconds, sort of like blushing when you were younger. Or it may keep building up to the point where you feel hot and actually break out in a sweat. Again, the sweat may be limited to your face, or it might involve your entire body. It can last ten minutes or longer, especially in hot weather, or if you have had spicy food or coffee recently.nnSo how can you cope physically? The very first thing to do is to decide that you will not be embarrassed. Depending on how severe your hot flashes are and what method you use to cope, other people may not even notice. If they do, it’s like noticing gray hair or wrinkles – noticing perfectly normal signs of aging.nnThere are several coping methods that I found useful, depending on the situation.nn1) Dress in layers. As you begin to warm up, remove the outer layers. A silk scarf works for me. You can wear it in several different styles as an accessory, and it fits into your purse easily. Or you can just tie it around your purse strap when you take it off during a hot flash.nn2) Carry handkerchiefs. Dab at the perspiration, rather than rubbing, to avoid irritating your skin. Again, you have several choices. Men’s 100% cotton handkerchiefs are great. You might prefer linen, or linen with lace edging. Or even silk. Don’t use blends with nylon or polyester, as they are not as absorbent – though some of the microfibres are getting better. Other options, especially in the summer, include colorful bandanas or terrycloth for when you really need the extra absorbency.nn3) Carry a folding fan. Many Asian import stores sell inexpensive and colorful “pocket” fans that fold up inside their own metal or wooden handle for protection. Or you can use a pretty lace fan. Or a sandalwood fan that doubles as an aromatherapy treatment!nn4) Carry a small battery powered electric fan. (Keep plug-in fans at home and on your desk.) Find one that fits easily in your purse and has a safety cage or safety blades. Some plastic fans stop at a touch. My current favorite has soft neoprene blades that stop easily. They also recover well from being squished at the bottom of a purse. Find one that you can hold in your hand and that can also stand on a flat surface or clip on to something. Forget the “beach” fans with water bottles – unless you don’t sweat. Most of us are trying to get rid of moisture, not add it.nn5) Carry a change of clothing. When I began yoga a few years ago, I found that even very slow and gentle yoga in an air-conditioned environment made me sweat. My solution was to bring a change of clothes. I simply changed to dry clothes about two-thirds of the way through class. nn6) Be prepared for night sweats. These are also hot flashes, but since most of us sleep under covers, they seem worse because the heat is trapped. Specifically, be prepared with fresh pillowcases, nightgowns or pajamas, and in extreme cases, with fresh sheets and mattress pad. I also sleep with a terrycloth face cloth beside my pillow. Do I use all of these every night? Happily, no. Again, I recommend breathable, absorbent fibers – cotton, silk, linen, rayon. nnAre hot flashes still annoying? Yes. Are there safe methods for coping with them physically? Absolutely. Experiment and choose what works best for you.nnCopyright © 2007 by Tandy M. Ringoringo