Understanding Menopause: Part 2Last week, I wrote about the different stages of menopause. But what concerns women most are how to get through those dreaded hot flashes, cardiovascular risks and bone loss. First, hot flashes are the number one symptom women dread the most. What can be done about them? In your diet, one must avoid caffeine and the overuse of red meat (even chicken and fish) in the diet. Why? Caffeine has some sort of affinity to estrogens action. Caffeine can lead to fibroid cysts by increasing the fibrous tissue and increasing the fluid buildup within the fibroids. Fibroids can be reduced in size by avoiding caffeine and taking natural Vitamin E each day. But back on those hot flashes. Hot flashes are mostly caused by the hormonal changes of menopause, but can also be affected by lifestyle and medications. A diminished level of estrogen has a direct effect on the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for controlling your appetite, sleep cycles, sex hormones, and body temperature. Somehow, the drop in estrogen confuses the hypothalamus—which is sometimes referred to as the body's "thermostat"—and makes it read "too hot." The brain responds to this “too hot” reading sending a message to the heart, blood vessels, and nervous system…to lower the temperature! The message is transmitted by the nervous system's chemical messenger, epinephrine, and related compounds: norepinephrine, prostaglandin, and serotonin. The message is delivered instantly. Your heart pumps faster, the blood vessels in your skin dilate to circulate more blood to radiate off the heat, and your sweat glands release sweat to cool you off even more. This heat-releasing mechanism is how your body keeps you from overheating in the summer, but when the process is triggered instead by a drop in estrogen, your brain's confused response can make you very uncomfortable. Some women's skin temperature can rise six degrees Centigrade during a hot flash. Your body cools down when it shouldn't, and you are miserable: soaking wet in the middle of the mall or in the middle of a good night's sleep. There are certain triggers in which can lead to more hot flashes. Other hot flash triggers: alcohol, caffeine, diet pills, spicy food, hot food, hot tubs, saunas, hot showers, hot beds, hot rooms, hot weather, and smoking. There are estrogens in our diet which are called Xenoestrogens which are notorious for causing a disruption in a woman’s body. These estrogens are found in nail polish, cosmetics, plastics, and white paper products which were bleached with chlorine. These can lead to hot flashes which can’t be controlled, because estrogen is entering into the body on a day basis. Next week, what can a woman do to reduce or get rid of hot flashes naturally, so stay tune! God bless. Ward W. Bond, Ph.D. |
