Help For Hot Flashes

Stress and Your Female Hormones

Thursday, September 2, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Women produce two major sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone. These hormones help to

keep in balance the various functions of the nervous systems, and they can have a strong impact on how you respond to stress. For example, estrogen tends to affect the levels of serotonin and acts as a natural mood elevator, whereas progesterone affects the levels of dopamine and has a sedative or calming effect. When these hormones (and subsequently, neurotransmitters) are out of balance in relation to one another, stress symptoms can be aggravated.

Additionally, stress itself can cause or aggravate hormone imbalances. In fact, it can interfere with your ability to ovulate, thereby blocking progesterone production and pushing further into estrogen dominance. This can lead to severe PMS, menstrual cramps, anxiety, fibroids, endometriosis, and infertility.

Studies from journals as varied as Human Stress, Psychosomatics, and Acta Psychiatry of Scandinavian have all shown that women with stressful lives are much more likely to experience PMS symptoms. In fact, a study from the Archives of Family Medicine found that women who suffered from PMS scored four times higher on a stress scale than other women.

Another Scandinavian study looked at baboons living in captivity. Researchers found that those who developed endometriosis had higher stress levels and were less able to react positively to stress as compared to baboons in the wild.

Like their estrogen dominant sisters, estrogen deficient women must also manage stress carefully. Not only can stress reduce estrogen levels, but it can reduce production of all female hormones. This can lead to a worsening of menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, insomnia, depression, and vaginal and tissue dryness, as well as other related issues, such as heart health.

A study from the journal Menopause looked at more than 400 women between the ages of 37 and 47 who were still menstruating. Researchers gave the participants an anxiety test at the start of the study and again six years later. By this time, many of the women were experiencing irregular periods and hot flashes.

The researchers found that those women with the highest anxiety levels had almost five times as many hot flashes as the less anxious women. Women with moderate anxiety had three times as many hot flashes. A second study from the Maternal and Child Health Journal found that vaginal dryness (also a common symptom of estrogen deficiency) was significantly associated with high emotional or psychological stress.

For more information on stress and female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Female Hormones and Stress

Wednesday, September 1, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Stress can exacerbate virtually every female problem, from PMS through menopause symptoms,

by interfering with the production and function of normal female hormones.

Dr. Lark has seen this first hand in her practice. Women come in with severe PMS symptoms, fibroid tumors, and endometriosis, as well as hot flashes, insomnia, and night sweats. When she asks them what is going on in their personal life, more often than not, they have an extremely stressful situation they are dealing with.

Unfortunately, even if you are eating the perfect diet, exercising every day, and taking the recommended nutritional supplements religiously, excessive stress can literally neutralize the benefits of everything positive that you are doing. But the good news is that the reverse is also true. You can create miracles by handling stress in a positive, self-nurturing, life-enhancing manner.

By discovering and taking the emotional and spiritual journey towards a stress-free life, you’ll begin to notice several amazing changes. Your mood will lift and even out, you’ll feel much more loving and joyful, you’ll begin to sleep like a baby, you’ll experience more positive dreams, and you’ll have a new appreciation for your friends and family. What you may not also realize is that your health will greatly improve too, particularly your hormone health.

For more information on female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Alcohol Affects Estrogen Levels

Friday, August 27, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Numerous studies show that women are markedly less able to tolerate alcohol than men.

Women metabolize alcohol slower than men, thus it takes longer to clear out alcohol’s toxic effects.

Alcohol is particularly problematic for women with estrogen dominance, as it increases estrogen levels, and is associated with fibroids, endometriosis, heavy bleeding, and the development of breast cancer. Plus, it may inhibit ovulation. Moreover, excess alcohol can tax your liver, making it more difficult to detoxify excess estrogen, thus allowing more free estrogen to be circulated in the blood. This can lead to a whole host of issues for estrogen dominant women.

Plus, alcohol worsens menopause symptoms, including hot flashes and mood swings. It is particularly pronounced in women who suffer from night sweats and insomnia. And, alcohol is a diuretic. This means that overconsumption can lead to dehydration of your skin and tissues, as well as loss of essential minerals through urination.

For more information on foods that affect estrogen levels and other hormone issues, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Bioflavonoids for Estrogen Dominance

Friday, August 13, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Flavonoids encompass a wide group of antioxidants, including bioflavonoids and flavanols. Bioflavonoids are usually found in the pulp and rind of citrus fruit. They have wea

k, estrogen-like properties, and have also been shown to interfere with the production of estrogen by binding to estrogen receptor sites. In this way, bioflavonoids work to normalize estrogen levels, bringing excessively high estrogen down to more normal levels.

Because bioflavonoids do bind to estrogen receptor sites, they can also act as a supplemental form of estrogen, helping to combat common menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.

Flavanols, namely polyphenols and catechins, also bind to receptor sites, which is why they have been found to be so beneficial in protecting women from cancer. By binding to breast tissue estrogen receptors sites, polyphenols work to prevent carcinogens (tumor promoters, hormones, and growth factors) from binding to and harming the cells. In essence, the polyphenols "seal off" the tissue from invasion by carcinogens.

The superior antioxidant properties of polyphenols also help in the fight against heart attacks and other forms of cardiovascular disease. Japanese researchers have found that tablets of green tea extract providing 254 mg of catechins raised blood levels of antioxidants and reduced plaque-forming oxidation.

Foods rich in bioflavonoids include citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, and limes) and buckwheat (a gluten-free grain that is not botanically related to wheat). Other good sources are apricots, cherries, grapes, plums, blackberries, papayas, green pepper, broccoli, and tomatoes. Foods rich in flavanols include green tea, apples, grapes, and onions.

For more information on estrogen dominance or natural treatments for menopause symptoms, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Understanding Bioidentical Hormone Replacement

Saturday, August 7, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Trying to reverse female hormone issues can be quite complicated, especially when you are

trying to increase estrogen levels to offset menopause symptoms. And with all the negative side effects surrounding conventional hormone replacement therapy, many women don't know where to turn.

Fortunately, you don't have to look any further than bioidentical hormone replacement. Biochemically identical hormones are molecularly identical to the hormones found in the human body. Moreover, they are produced in the laboratory from natural ingredients such as soy and wild yam, derived from plants, not horse urine. Since bioidentical hormones are biologically similar to the hormones your body produces, they do not appear to have the grave risks associated with conventional HRT.

The bioidentical estrogen that Dr. Lark typically recommends is estriol. Of the three types of estrogen produced within your body, estriol is the weakest and least potent. More importantly, several research studies have found that it is as effective as the stronger, more potent estrogens for treating menopause symptoms.

One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that estriol was particularly effective in treating vaginal atrophy, mood swings, and hot flashes. Researchers selected 52 symptomatic, postmenopausal women and separated them into four groups, giving each group either 2 mg, 4 mg, 6 mg, or 8 mg of estriol per day for six months. On average, women in every group experienced a decrease in their menopausal symptoms after one month of treatment. Furthermore, in the groups with the three highest dosages, women who had ranked their symptoms as severe now felt that their symptoms were very mild.

Estriol and all biochemically identical estrogen have to be prescribed by your physician. Estriol is available at most compounding pharmacies, as well as a few mainstream pharmacies, including the Women’s International Pharmacy in Madison, Wisconsin, which sends estriol formulations to physicians throughout the U.S.

For more information on bioidentical hormone replacement or other natural hormone replacement therapy options, visit Dr. Lark's Web site.

#2 Food for Menopause Relief

Thursday, August 5, 2010 by Susan Lark

#2 Food for Menopause Relief: Whole Grains

The best grains for menopausal women are oats, corn, barley, millet, buckwheat, brown rice, quinoa, and amaranth. Many whole grains are excellent sources of phytoestrogens because they contain lignans, a material that is used to form the plant cell wall. Lignans, like isoflavones, are mildly estrogenic and provide support for women deficient in estrogen who are suffering from hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and other effects of menopause.

For more information on diet and what foods provide the best menopause relief, visit my Website.

Hot Flash Relief: Lose Weight

Friday, July 30, 2010 by Susan Lark

Research has shown that heavier women tend to suffer from hot flashes more than slimmer women. But the good news is that, according to a study in a recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, losing weight can help reduce the incidence of menopause hot flashes.

Considering the many dangers of conventional hormone replacement therapy, I am happy that more and more research is showing that something as inexpensive and health-promoting as exercise can provide real and lasting relief from this common effect of menopause.

My recommendation is to find an activity or exercise you love and do it often! Walking, hiking, tennis, cycling, dancing, and swimming are some great options. Ideally, you should exercise up to an hour every day. But realistically, I know this goal can be difficult to achieve if you have a busy schedule. So aim for about 30 (or more if you can) minutes at least five days a week.

Approaching Menopause with a Positive Attitude

Friday, July 30, 2010 by Susan Lark

I just came across a press release from the University of Texas at Austin about the changing attitudes women of different ethnicities are having about menopause. I found it so interesting I wanted to share it with you.

For decades, women have been entering menopause with fear of hot flashes, night sweats, and other menopause symptoms--not to mention the perceived "loss" of their more youthful years. But this study has found that women these days are increasingly becoming more optimistic about "the change," with many seeing it as an opportunity to redefine themselves.

I love the fact that women's attitudes about menopause are changing. There is no reason to fear this natural process, especially since there are natural, effective ways to deal with bothersome menopause symptoms, which I discuss throughout this blog.

Understanding Estrogen

Friday, July 23, 2010 by Kimberly Day

Estrogen is the “queen bee” of the female hormones. As one of the two major female hormones, it is an especially important factor in health for women. When many women enter their

menopausal years, it’s as if they cross over an invisible line in their lives.

As a result of the decline in their estrogen levels, these women find that many of the functions needed for peak performance, which had formerly been effortless, seem to evaporate or diminish. While women often do complain of menopause symptoms that are strictly physical—such as vaginal dryness, more frequent bladder and vaginal infections, and dryness of the skin—they complain just as often about menopause symptoms that impair their job performance, social relationships, and even their ability to take pleasure in day-to-day activities.

The negative effects of the natural decline in female hormone production during menopause are not uncommon. Menopausal symptoms are so common in the United States that 80 to 85 percent of American women experience them to some degree. A small number of these women are lucky enough to have mild symptoms, such as occasional hot flashes over a period of a few months to a year. However, the majority of women have menopause symptoms that are bothersome enough to cause them to seek the help of physicians or complementary health care practitioners, or to seek solutions on their own by reading books and articles and exploring the use of natural hormones, vitamins, and herbs to relieve their symptoms.

For more information on menopause symptoms or other issues related to female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site.

Acupuncture for Menopause Relief

Thursday, July 22, 2010 by Susan Lark

I just posted several entries over the past two weeks about acupressure for the relief of menopause symptoms. I am also a fan of acupressure's "cousin"--acupuncture. Acupuncture is the ancient practice of inserting tiny needles into specific points of the body for the relief from various symptoms and for the promotion of general good health.

Acupuncture (usually a minimum of six treatments) reduces the frequency and severity of hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and sleep disturbances by about 50 percent. An impressive 80 percent of people who try acupuncture significantly benefit—which makes it more than worth your while to give it a shot if you suffer from difficult menopause symptoms. Consider these statistics from recently published studies:

A Swedish university study found that electroacupuncture reduced hot flashes by half.
In Norway, individualized electroacupuncture reduced hot flashes by 77 percent.
At Harvard and Stanford medical schools, university clinicians of Chinese descent collaborated on a study of acupuncture for nighttime hot flashes. Compared to placebo’s 6 percent improvement, acupuncture reduced nighttime hot flash severity by 28 percent.
In another Stanford study by clinicians of Chinese descent, women who averaged seven moderate to severe hot flashes per day were randomized into seven-week sham versus real acupuncture treatment. The sham group had only a 4.4 percent reduction in severity of hot flashes, versus 24.5 percent in the real treatment group.

So, for some highly effective menopause relief, find an good acupuncturist and give acupuncture a try!
And for more information on menopause relief, visit my Web site.

Maca for Estrogen Dominance

Friday, July 16, 2010 by Kimberly Day

I have been taking maca for my estrogen dominance for at least five years now. In addition to my foundational supplement regimen, it is the one supplement I simply cannot do without.

Maca is a malty, butterscotch flavored root from Peru that operates as an adaptogenic herb to help regulate hormones produced by glands in the endocrine system. In other words, it helps your body produce its own unique balance of female hormones. It does this by encouraging your ovaries and adrenals to produce the hormones you need, in the levels you need them.

A 2003 study from the Journal of Veterinary Medical Science showed that maca was particularly effective in treating estrogen dominance. Researchers tested the effects of maca on mouse sex hormones. They found that while progesterone and testosterone levels increased significantly in those mice that received the maca, their estradiol levels were not increased. In other words, the maca helped to raise the levels of progesterone and testosterone to offset the blood levels of estradiol.

But that’s not all! Maca is also great for women suffering from menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Plus, it has been shown to increase libido and sexual desire!

Dosages for maca can be tricky. It really is based on your own body and needs. Dr. Lark suggests starting with 2–4 grams a day, and some women may need as much as 10 grams a day. There have been no acute toxic effects of maca, even at very high doses. However, due to no formal studies, Dr. Lark recommends that you avoid maca if you have a hormone-related cancer, liver disease, if you are pregnant or nursing, or if you are currently taking conventional HRT.

For more recommendations on estrogen dominance, menopause relief, or other conditions related to female hormones, visit Dr. Lark’s Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark’s FREE eLetter or subscribe to her monthly newsletter.

Acupressure Exercise #5 for Menopause Relief

Thursday, July 15, 2010 by Susan Lark

This final acupressure exercise helps relieve menopause hot flashes, as well as some of the common effects of menopause like fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

1. Sit up and prop your back against a chair. Hold each step for one to three minutes.
2. With your right hand, hold the point at the base of the ball of your right foot. This point is located between the two pads of the foot.
3. Next, with your right hand, hold the point in the center of your breastbone, at the level of the heart. Your fingers will fit into the indentations in this bone.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Acupressure Exercise #4 for Menopause Relief

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 by Susan Lark

This exercise helps relieve menopause hot flashes by stimulating the entire endocrine system. It involves a very powerful point for the pituitary gland, the master regulator of your ovaries. This point also helps relax the emotional tension that you may feel as an effect of menopause. Finally, you may also experience relief from eye strain and headaches using this pressure point.

1. Sit upright in a chair.
2. With your right hand, hold the point directly between your eyebrows, where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead.
3. Hold for one to three minutes.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Acupressure Exercise #3 for Menopause Relief

Sunday, July 11, 2010 by Susan Lark

This acupressure exercise relieves menopause hot flashes, and is also excellent for a variety of skin problems.

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Hold each step for one to three minutes.
2. With your left hand, hold your left calf. With your right hand, hold your right calf.
3. Next, cross your arms under your knees and hold each calf with the opposite hand.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Another Reason to Take Fish Oil

Friday, July 9, 2010 by Susan Lark

According to a new study in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, taking fish oil can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.

Researchers had about 35,000 women fill out questionnaires, which included questions about their past and present supplement use. About 8 percent of the respondents were taking or had taken fish oil at some point. Over the next six years, 880 women got breast cancer. Researchers found that the women who were taking fish oil when the study began had a reduced risk of one type of cancer--invasive ductal carcinoma, which is the most common form.

I recommend fish oil to treat and prevent a wide variety of health conditions and complaints. Just some of the reasons to take fish oil include natural appetite control; regulation of hormones, including estrogen dominance; creating wrinkle free skin; and alleviating perimenopause symptoms like hot flashes. I am so pleased that fish oil is starting to be recognized as a breast cancer preventive, too!

I recommend taking a minimum of 1,000 mg of fish oil per day.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit my Web site. While there, you can also sign up for my FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Acupressure Exercise #2 for Menopause Relief

Thursday, July 8, 2010 by Susan Lark

This acupressure exercise relieves menopause hot flashes and night sweats.

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent. With your right hand, hold the point below your little toe (on the underside of your foot). Hold for one to three minutes.
2. With your right hand, hold the point above your middle toe, on the top of your foot. Hold for one to three minutes, then move your hand to the point behind your ankle bone. Again, hold for one to three minutes.
3. With your left hand, hold the point on your right hand on the outside of your fourth finger.

Repeat this sequence on the left side of your body.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Acupressure for Menopause Relief

Tuesday, July 6, 2010 by Susan Lark

Acupressure is a great way to get relief from menopause symptoms and menstrual complaints. This week and next, I am going to give you new acupressure exercises to try.

The first one, below, balances the energy of the entire reproductive tract. It is also helpful for the control of excessive menstrual bleeding and menopause hot flashes.

Note: This exercise uses a knotted hand towel to put pressure on hard-to-reach areas of the back.

1. Lie on the floor with your knees up. Place the towel between your shoulder blades.
2. Cross your arms on your chest. Press your thumbs against the right and left inside arms. Hold for one to three minutes.
3. Interlace your fingers. Place them below your breasts and press your fingertips directly against your body. Hold for one to three minutes.
4. Move the knotted towel along your spine to your waistline. Place your left hand at the top of your pubic bone and press down. Hold for one to three minutes.

For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can also sign up for Dr. Lark's FREE eLetter or monthly newsletter.

Natural Weightloss and Wine?

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 by Kimberly Day

According to the July 5, 2010 issue of Time magazine, French researchers have found that resveratrol fed to lemurs for a month helped the animals eat less, boost metabolism, and lose weight.

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring compound found in grapes and red wine. Dr. Lark has been turned on to resveratrol for years now, documenting its benefits for everything from heart protection to its anticarcinogenic properties.

Research studies have also shown that resveratrol may offer menopause support. The 1997 study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America found that resveratrol binds with estrogen receptors and produces estrogen-like effects within the body. One research study in particular has looked at resveratrol as a treatment for menopause, suggesting that it may be useful in easing menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, depression, and even osteoporosis.

Dr. Lark recommends taking 200 mg of resveratrol, standardized to at least 8 percent total resveratrols, mixed with flavonoids for better bioavailability.

Estrogen Levels and Lavender

Monday, May 24, 2010 by Susan Lark

Can lavender affect estrogen levels? A few years ago, there was an anecdotal report about three young boys who exhibited breast enlargement, allegedly as a result of using lavender-scented shampoo, lotion, or soap. When the boys stopped using those products, their breast enlargement reportedly went away. To investigate this report, researchers asked nine healthy perimenopausal women who were suffering from menopause hot flashes to use lavender lotion daily for a week, while their hot flashes and serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels were monitored. The result: No change in their hot flashes or in their FSH levels (This study was published in the May 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.) The consensus is that lavender’s action is probably like that of other phytoestrogens: mild, estrogen-displacing, and safe. I personally love lavender for its calming properties and use it with confidence!

More Help for Hot Flashes

Saturday, May 1, 2010 by Susan Lark

Not too long ago, I wrote about an Ayurvedic therapy call shatavari in my newsletter. It is yet another therapy option to reduce menopause hot flashes and other effects of menopause. Shatavari is considered to be the ultimate uterine tonic, with cooling and moisturizing properties that are wonderful for hot flashes, irritability, brain fog, and vaginal dryness. Try the Banyan Botanicals brand.