Hot flashes
The symptom that most women approaching menopause seem to dread the most is hot flashes! Did you know that 75% of women suffer from them in the US compared with only 10% in Asia, and there isn’t even a word for ”hot flash” in the Japanese language? Although moving to Japan is probably not an option, it is never too late to try a natural remedy for hot flashes and night sweats, before and during menopause.
In TCM the symptoms of menopause indicate a deficiency of yin fluids, especially in the liver and kidneys. A diet that will calm, cool and nourish these organs will be beneficial if it can be started as early as possible, well before the typical age of menopause.
Foods to add:
wheat germ
mung beans
string beans
seaweed
spirulina
millet
tofu
kidney beans and black beans
barley
Foods to avoid:
ice-cold foods and drinks
alcohol
cigarettes
coffee
excessive meat
processed foods
Chinese herbal tonics can be very effective for reducing hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. The schizandra berry, Wu wei zi, known in Chinese as ”the five flavor seed” is a well known and adaptogenic tonic for the reproductive system and for balancing all five organs in general. Mai meng dong will calm and reduce heat, especially at night. Sheng di huang clears heat and cools the blood. Other herbs include black cohosh, licorice root, wild yam and panax ginseng.
Combining herbal medicine with acupuncture is usually even more effective for the treatment of hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Many women begin to feel relief after just a few sessions. A study recently published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) suggested that the reduction in severity of hot flashes may be due to the fact that acupuncture boosts the release of endorphins, which may stabilize the body’s temperature controls.
In traditional Indian ayurvedic medicine menopause can actually be said to begin when a woman is in her early 30s, as that is the age when she is at her fittest and healthiest. From that time on a woman is seen as coming into her own, the wisdom of age being of greater value than the immaturity of youth. This is in contrast to the West where youth is emphasized and old age is seen as being a slippery slope downhill. In the mind/body connection the woman’s perception of menopause plays an important role. If she can see herself as becoming wiser and more at peace with herself as she ages, she is less likely to complain of menopausal symptoms. Any time of transition is seen in Ayurveda as a disturbance in ”vata” dosha, or an imbalance in the elements of ”air and ether”, which are responsible for all movement. If there has also been a long term accumulation of too much “pitta” dosha which represents heat in the body, then hot flashes are likely to be more frequent, more intense and more irritating. Calming ”vata” with something as simple as deep breathing, or coupled with yoga and meditation, can go a long way in helping reduce heat in the body.
There are several acupressure points that can be stimulated through the day to balance the body and reduce hot flashes. Here are just two to try. Sit comfortably as you breathe deeply, and hold each point in turn.
K1 (bubbling springs) located at the base of the ball of the foot between the two pads
Use your thumb to gradually press the point on the bottom of one foot for about a minute, and then repeat on the other foot.
LI4 (hoku) located in the webbing between the thumb and index finger
Place your right thumb on the webbing on the top of your left hand, with your fingertips on the underside directly below your thumb. Squeeze the thumb and index finger of your right hand together to firmly press into the webbing, angling the pressure toward the bone. Hold for about a minute, then repeat with the other hand.
A combination of change in diet, herbal medicine, acupuncture treatments and, above all, a positive attitude can go a long way to making a natural transition in life more bearable.
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