HoRmONE HelpLINE..ask a question here!
August 5, 2007 by lisaheidrich
Got a question?
Share some tips, info & advice on the
Hormone Help Line……
whatever your Hormonal Health questions might be–
feel FREE to share them here!
I recently received an email from a sweet woman asking about some TIPS regarding menopause. Specifically “hot flashes” and mood changes. Let’s open the discussion with questions about HOT FLASHES first. Please feel free to add your questions and comments below.
TIPS for HOT flash HELP:
- Dress in layers of clothes so you can take off some of them to get cool quick.
- Avoid tight fitting clothes.
- Drink cold drinks instead of hot ones.
- Drink less caffeine.
- Drink fewer alcoholic drinks.
- Avoid spicy foods.
- Sleep under lighter covers or no covers.
- Keep an ice pack handy in the freezer and use on hot swollen ankles at the end of the day–this cools down your body temp and helps to prevent HOT FLASHES.
- Drink plenty of COLD water each day–recommendations for 64 ounces daily help keep you COOL and less water gain–it is a natural diuretic. (Plus cold water burns more calories!) Have a cold drink of water before going to bed. Just 4oz–6oz so you’re not up peeing all NIGHT! LOL
- Shower with cool but comfortable water temperature.
- Sleep on cool cotton fresh sheets and pillow cases
- Keep a fan on nearby
- Stay out of extreme heat, hot weather, poorly circulated areas. KEEP COOL GIRLS!
Every woman is uniquely designed by God in His image.
Genesis 1:27 (NLT)
” God created human beings in His own image.
In the image of God He created them;
male and female. “
Research shows the cause for a HOT FLASH is due to a change in circulation. This occurs mainly due to the hormonal changes during menopause–specifically a drop in the hormone estrogen, which effects the hypothalamus, a small area in our brain. The hypothalamus controls sleep, hormones, appetite and body temperature. When estrogen levels decrease (as in peri menopause and menopause), this causes your body to become HOT. The blood vessels near the skin’s surface begin to dilate (EXPAND) in an attempt to cool, causing a red, flushed face, perspiration, and increased heart rate. This experience actually raises the body temperature as much as 5 degrees Celsius. You are not alone 85% of women get hot flashes during menopause! MAKES sense to keep cool to help avoid HOT FLASHES. Right?
Calcium helps prevent HOT FLASHES and osteoporosis–if you can take it:
Receive calcium from foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt. If you cannot tolerate milk products, other foods with loads of calcium are broccoli, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables, and canned fish with bones, such as sardines. Some foods have calcium added. Check labels on breads, cereals and orange juice.
Ask a question…ADD a TIP….join the discussion….
I have a question:
How LONG should (does) a hot flash last? Sometimes I feel like I have a low grade fever for hours a time- could this be a hot flash?
Dear Lauren–
In short, not likely…..but….
Welcome aboard the Peri-Menopausal BOAT!
Weather: Sunny, WARM and unpredictable….
Remember your body is going through LIFE changes every month according to your cycle. Hormones rush IN Hormones fan OUT–causing change in body temperature. Remember MISS Hypothalamus, our cruise director, is confused too!
As estrogen RISES & drops you feel a body temperature change–HOT and COLD–sometimes with added chills just for good measure.
You may wish to chart your episodes of feeling “warm”–you might be ovulating those days and when you drop an egg–you become a HOT MOMMA! Feeling feverish, warm body, warm eyes….check your temp next time it happens. In the evening our temps naturally rise as well. TRUE hot flashes usually begin feeling hot and result in sweating and feeling cold afterwards. From my personal experience I would say you are just entering the Peri Menopausal stages and not actually having a FULL blown HOT FLASH, just the precursor of those to come. Hot flashes associated with menopause last from 3–30 minutes, occurring several times a day and sometimes ALL day. The frequency and duration is as unique as you are sister. On a happy note: some women never experience HOT Flashes—a small percentage–but let’s hope for that scenario!
“Thinner women may experience more hot flashes since fat cells convert hormones secreted by the adrenals into estrogen [in other words, it's wise to retain a little extra weight during meno]. “~webMD.com
“Hot flashes can be categorized as mild, moderate or severe. Mild flashes last less than a minute and produce a feeling of warmth with little or no perspiration. Moderate flashes are warmer, produce obvious perspiration, and last 2 to 3 minutes. Severe flashes causes profuse perspiration, generate intense heat, last longer and interfere with ongoing activity.” ~webMD.com
Hang tight Girlfriend, next stop…..Menopause… temperatures VERY HOT & balmy!
Blessings HOT & COLD,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
What is your view on using natural progesterone rubs to balance hormones? I could give you a brand name in particular, but didn’t know if that was legal online. The product I’ve used (but honest to goodness it freaked me out because I started my period a FULL WEEK early, and I’ve always been as regular as Big Ben, so I stopped using it for now) is touted as a “balancer” and it is made with natural, plant-based progesterone–not synthetic. It seemed to relieve me a little of that day and a half sinus to neck pain at the beginning of my period, but again, I don’t want an extra period a year! 
Thoughts?
I got to your website from Lauren’s blog and felt like God led me to you for a reason. Girl, do I have pre-menopause questions for you!!! (I’m 38.) But I’ll spare you a barrage and just ask one for now.
Kathy
Dear Kathy–
I would have most likely “FREAKED OUT” too! So you are not alone in this regard.
No one wants an EXTRA period! Heaven Help Us NO!
As a Registered Nurse I personally would not use any products without full understanding and every bit of information available PLUS the guidance of a physician specializing in hormones.
Any form of Progesterone is a HORMONE.
Hormones are a wonderful thing when they are in balance in our bodies.
Hormone imbalance is frequently the culprit of most female health issues.
My view on using any type of hormonal replacement: natural vs synthetic is FIRST knowing what hormone is missing or needed to maintain your unique and very fragile Hormonal Home Base & Balance.
Eventhough the product you tried was “touted as a balancer”–what exactly does that mean to us as women?
What may balance you might upset my balance.
(and vice versa)
Hormones unfortunately are never a “one size fits all” scenario.
The BILLIONS spent on marketing and branding products is never our best educator when it comes to anything effecting our body chemistry. You are did the right thing by stopping the use of the product and looking seriously into the matter.
YOU–Go–Girlfriend!!
For example: if we have a headache–some of us will take an aspirin and obtain relief of the pain, others might prefer acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen such as (Advil)–every woman is unique and responds differently to what we take into out bodies.
Now take this analogy a step further–hormones are much more complex and a true balancing ACT.
Adding a hormone like this progesterone cream effects your system–you experienced some results you were not thrilled with–so a few things happened here:
#1– The cream / “balancer” upset your natural cycle (BIG BEN) causing the onset of early menses.
(By the way–I love that: Big Ben description!!)
#2– Your body might have needed more adjustment time in balancing the new product for positive effects.
(Remember we are dealing with a “cycle”–takes time to set and reset the system)
#3– Your body may not have needed this dosage/strength of said “balancer”
(Thus the need to know YOUR current hormonal state)
As we face peri menopause and start to experience the “Change of Life” the culprits (estrogen & progesterone –plus other vital HORMONES) are declining and rising changing levels in our system. Consider this a moving target if you will.
I am sure you will agree THIS is a WILD Ride!
It is a fragile balance by all means. When we add any type of medication, natural or synthetic our bodies react to this. Sometimes it is help sometimes it is a hindrance–the key is fragile balance. Not easy to obtain on our own accord. You are on the right road seeking information and discovering how to balance your hormonal levels takes time, research and trial and error. None of us desire to go through these changes as a Hormonal Howler feeling miserable all the time. There are many options out there and each of us must determine what route we wish to take.
I am very much an advocate for women knowing and learning all they can about their bodies–what works, what doesn’t work and each of us has free will to decide how we choose to handle the Change of Life.
I always advise to please check with your doctor and first determine if you need any replacements or “balancers”–no point trying to fix something that isn’t broken!!
The most important factor and question we all need to answer during this LIFE CHANGE is:
~Do you know what your hormone levels are?
Many medical experts recommend offsetting high estrogen levels by taking in bioidentical progesterone hormones extracted from natural derivatives wild yams or soy oil that are molecularly identical to those produced by the human body.
Some physicians offer synthetic HRT (hormone replacement therapy) such as birth control pills, which has been linked to increased opportunity for stroke and cancer in women.
Remember progesterone creams, “balancers” are available all over the place from online websites to health food stores. As a caution avoid products that have stearalkonium chloride, a chemical used in fabric softeners and hair conditioners, or methyparaben propylparaben; both have been linked to cancer.
Good lifestyle habits make a HUGE difference..studies have demonstrated that maintaining hormonal home base equilibrium can be accomplished by good diet, vitamins, supplements and exercise. Even taking vitamins requires guidance of a trained professional.
My final “RUB” on the subject matter …….
(sorry for the “pun” but I couldn’t resist!!)
Women in the peri menopausal moments of life may select hormonal replacement therapy but my BEST advice is to do so ONLY under the supervision of a physician.
Keep your questions coming Kathy (this was a great one!) and I hope this info helps!
Blessings and warm regards,
Lisa