Treating hot sweats associated with menopause

As a Medical Herbalist I have found hot sweats relatively easy to deal with. What is required is herbs which balance the circulation. Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at the condition differently, and in clinical practice I have found acupuncture also works very well for gynaecological conditions. Menopausal flushes are seen here as yin deficiency. When yin is deficient, yang (which is heating) predominates. The solution therefore is to strengthen yin.

What symptoms do women experience at menopause?

Only about 40% of women experience symptoms. Having said this some women have their first symptoms in their late 30’s or early 40’s but ignore them because they believe themselves to be too young to worry about menopause.

The most common physical menopausal symptoms are irregular and/or heavy bleeding, insomnia, night sweats and/or hot flushes, worsening premenstrual syndrome, migraine, vaginal dryness and abdominal weight gain. On the emotional front, changing hormones are linked to increased bouts of anxiety, depression, irritability and intense mood swings. Furthermore, many women experience chest pain or palpitations from their hormone imbalance.

I remember my mentor telling me, at menopause generally one of two things happen. Either the periods just peter out as the hormone levels drop; this is the ideal and what is best. However sometimes the periods just go berserk; this is obviously an indicator that the sex hormones are totally out of balance.

Are your symptoms really menopausal or is it another medical condition?

I have a friend who was told by her doctor, “It’s your age dear”, when she consulted him regarding symptoms of adrenal fatigue, i.e. exhaustion, joint pains, ‘brain fog’ and dry skin. She was in her late forties and obviously these were menopausal symptoms as far as the doctor was concerned. If you are in doubt ask your doctor for a blood test which will determine whether your oestrogen and progesterone levels are diminishing.

The negative effects of environmental pollutants.

Pesticides found in our rivers and reservoirs are known to mimic oestrogens. These interfere with human oestrogens; they also accumulate in the body over time. It seems unlikely that these chemicals on their own will add significantly to the action of sex hormones. However, chemical analyses show that numerous pollutants with oestrogen-like effect can be found in human tissues. This suggests that despite the fact these pollutants are all present at low levels, they act together to add to the internal oestrogenic load.

How our health affects oestrogens in our body

The liver plays a vital role in the body’s use of hormones, both those that are produced naturally in our bodies as well as those hormones that are ‘introduced’ via hormone therapies. The liver acts as a hormone processor, producing and/or regulating some hormone levels. It also directs various hormones to perform their proper function in other parts of the body. When the liver is below par it may not be able to process these hormones as quickly or efficiently. This results in a hormone imbalance.

It is vital for women’s health that the liver’s role in regulating sex hormones, primarily oestrogen, works smoothly. This is of particular concern for women taking HRT. The breakdown of oestrogens by the liver depends on a large number of nutrients, including enzymes and amino acids. Their availability or lack of  availability appears to be significant. An impaired liver due to overuse of alcohol, fat or sugar will reduce its ability to breakdown hormones and clear them from the body.

What has diet to do with menopausal symptoms?

When I went through menopause I did not experience any of the usual symptoms. Maybe this was due to the fact that I am vegetarian and eat no meat and consume lots of fresh fruit and vegetables in my diet. Animals reared for the meat industry have been given lots of antibiotics and therefore the meat becomes laced with all sorts of chemicals which disrupt our hormones.

Japan as a nation eats a lot of soya-based foods e.g. Tofu, Tempeh and Tamari. Japanese women generally do not experience menopausal symptoms. Soya is rich in plant oestrogens. These are much weaker in action than hormonal oestrogens and are taken up by receptors in the body which prevents hormone oestrogens from getting a look in. They are therefore also totally safe to take by a patient suffering from oestrogen sensitive breast cancer where the individual needs to avoid oestrogens which will ‘feed’ the cancer. It is wise though only to consume fermented, organic soya not soya which has been genetically modified. Fermentation is a long process which reduces the non-nutrient component in soya. Once this is reduced the nutritional components in soya are made available. One of these is Vitamin K2. It is this vitamin which prevents osteoporosis.

What else can be done to improve your diet?

• Avoidance of fructose, refined carbohydrates, processed foods and trans fats as well as fried foods. All of these will raise oestrogens in your body.
• Make sure you get plenty of Omega 3 oils and foods containing Vitamin D e.g. oily fish.
• Take herbs and foods rich in plant oestrogens which will help balance your hormones naturally . e.g. fermented organic soya, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, bean sprouts, and legumes such as peas and chickpeas. Hummus is a delicious way of eating chickpeas.
• Make sure B vitamins aren’t lacking since this adversely affects oestrogen metabolism.
• Eat whole grains, beans and seeds like sunflower and pumpkin.
• Make sure there is adequate soluble fibre in the diet e.g.  oatmeal, oat cereal, lentils, apples, oranges, pears, oat bran, strawberries, nuts, flaxseeds, beans, dried peas, blueberries, cucumbers, celery, and carrots. These foods will bind with the broken down residues of oestrogen.
• Eat organically as much as possible.
• Eat your broccoli : Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kohlrabi. These vegetables contain a substance which helps the body deal with estrogens and have been shown to have some anti-cancer properties, particularly for breast cancer.
  Maintain a healthy weight: Excessive fat tissue in the body can itself produce more oestrogen. So, by maintaining a healthy weight, your body is not stimulated to overproduce certain hormones.

What can be done using medicinal herbs?

• Herbs can be used to assist the body to maintain proper hormone levels and function.
• It is best to consult a properly qualified Medical Herbalist to deal with the following.
• If oestrogen is deficient herbs and foods which boost this need to be used used.
• If there is anaemia (pale face, tongue and fatigue) blood tonic herbs need to be used.
• Liver regulating herbs can be very helpful particularly if there are digestive imbalances or skin related disorders like acne. Acne is a tell tale sign that the digestion is out of synch.
• Calming and/or mood regulating herbs can be of assistance.

What else can I do?

Breathe deeply: Doing fifteen minutes of deep breathing twice daily has been shown in several clinical trials to decrease hot flushes and night sweats as well as promoting a sense of well-being. In addition it is good to learn a meditation technique, which helps decrease stress hormones and allows the body to function more efficiently.

Conclusion

Sorting out your lifestyle including diet, physical activity and addressing stress as well as gaining support from a Medical Herbalist is an excellent start. In addition to helping with hormonal balance, meditation will develop balance and create a greater sense of wellbeing and ultimately optimum health.