In this re-released episode from 2020, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni are talking about a hot topic: hot flashes! Whether you call it a hot flash or hot flush, they can be an annoying and uncomfortable symptom that you may start to experience in perimenopause. We discuss: what hot flashes are and why they happen; the potential causes and triggers for your hot flashes and night sweats; and what you can do about them so you don’t have to suffer.
According to research, anywhere from 35%–50% of perimenopausal women suffer sudden waves of body heat with sweating and flushing that last 5–10 minutes.
What is a hot flash?
A hot flash or vasomotor flush can vary from feeling slightly warm to more like a fire from the inside out. They can come on rapidly and last anywhere from 1-10 minutes.
You may get them anywhere from a few times per week to more than 10 times during the day and night. They can be combined with visible flushing with your chest, neck and face turning red, with a little bit or a lot of sweat.
Hot flashes often continue for a year or two after menopause, but in up to 10% of women, they persist for years beyond that. They can disrupt your sleep, which can worsen: fatigue, irritability, anxiety, metabolism, weight control and immune system function.
Why do you get hot flashes?
Although hot flashes have been studied for more than 30 years, no one is absolutely certain why or how they occur. The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR) at UBC attributes hot flashes to “estrogen withdrawal”, as their research has found that hot flashes closely resemble an addict’s drug withdrawal due to the hormonal associations and brain effects seen.
Your level of estrogen while in perimenopause is fluctuating and can be unpredictable. When your estrogen level drops from normal to low or high to normal, it can trigger a hot flash in your body.
Estrogen drops can trigger the release of your stress hormone norepinephrine, as well as other stress hormones and brain neurotransmitters. Norepinephrine narrows the range of body temperature where you feel comfortable (also called your thermoneutral zone) so you’re more sensitive to both heat and cold.
A hot flash is a vasomotor symptom where your blood vessels dilate to release more heat because of the narrowing of your thermoneutral zone.
Causes of hot flashes can include:
Blood sugar imbalances that can trigger your stress hormones, resulting in you feeling hot and wired
High stress and cortisol levels that can worsen night sweats
Inadequate detoxification through your organs of elimination or emunctories. Things that can make your hot flashes worse by negatively affecting your body’s ability to detox include:
smoking, constipation, being overweight, not exercising and not sweating (via exercise and sauan usage)
Triggers are different for each women. It is useful to keep a hot flash journal, tracking your potential triggers such as:
Hot drinks, caffeine, alcohol
Sugar, spicy foods, garlic
Nightshades like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers
Perceived stress or stressful situations
What can you do about your hot flashes?
Avoid your known triggers
Manage your temperature
Turn your thermostat down, put on a fan or A/C
Sleep naked or in loose-fitting breathable cotton
Under-dress during the day and wear layers
Use a breathable weighted blanket like ZonLi, Chilipad or gel pillow
Drink cool or ice water
Use an essential oil spray with peppermint, clary sage, geranium
Manage your stress
Have stress-releasing time EVERY DAY! Be proactive to improve your response to stress
Meditation, yoga, deep breathing, singing, humming
Get a sweat going during the day with exercise, sauna or a hot bath
Include liver-detoxifyng and phyto-estrogenic foods
Ground flaxseeds (can add to chia pudding, smoothies, cereal, yogurt)
Organic fermented soy like miso soup or tempeh
Brassica vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts
See a Naturopathic Doctor for hormone testing and individualized treatment including:
Herbs like maca, vitex, black cohosh, sage, red clover, pueraria (Thai kudzu), hops, milk thistle, dandelion, artichoke
Nutrients like berberine, plant sterols, N-acetyl cysteine, magnesium, vitamin E, L-glycine
Acupuncture
Homeopathy
Bio-identical hormone creams
Natural progesterone has been shown in recent research to be safe and effective for hot flashes and night sweats, avoiding some of the adverse effects of classic estrogen therapy or synthetic estrogen with synthetic progesterone (progestin)
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Toni has a favourite oat and fruit bar recipe for a quick and easy breakfast or snack that Frankie loves:
Dr. Toni’s Banana and Fruit Breakfast Bars
3 ripe bananas
1 cup chopped apricots, cranberries, dates and/or prunes
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds
1 cup milled flax seed
⅓ cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
Mash bananas and combine with fruit and oil. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread onto a pan or cookie sheet and flattened with a fork. Bake at 375oF for 10-15 minutes until slightly browned.
Dr. Lisa found a tasty gluten-free beer called Glutenberg to enjoy in moderation on hot summer days.
Thank you for joining us today!
Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page.
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
In this replay from December 2021, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss all things perimenopause…what it is, what’s happening and how to test for it. Not sure if you’re in perimenopause or what is happening with your hormones? Experiencing hot flashes, irregular periods, mood swings and insomnia? Listen in!
What is the difference between menopause and perimenopause?
Menopause is when you have not had a menstrual period for 12 months.
Perimenopause is the transition period before you reach menopause and can last for 4 years, 8 years or longer.
What is happening with your hormones in perimenopause?
Perimenopausal symptoms, as well as your hormones, can be unpredictable and might fluctuate throughout perimenopause:
You may get PMS symptoms some months, not others
You may get other menopausal symptoms some months and not others
Changes that can happen around perimenopause and menopause includes bone loss and osteoporosis, shifts in weight and metabolism, brain and mood changes
The most common symptoms you may experience include:
Insomnia
30-60% of women experience in perimenopause
Research show correlations between plastic exposure and body care products and self-report insomnia (testing urinary phthalate levels – Hatcher 2020)
Your body’s normally predictable hormone cycle that happens over the month changes during perimenopause:
You might not ovulate every month or you might ovulate early
You have changes in your menstrual cycle length of 7 days or more (shorter or longer cycles) then have longer cycles and more skipped periods until you reach menopause
Your estrogen levels can go up and down more than usual
Your progesterone levels tend to decrease overall
Your FSH level may elevate or fluctuate
Your stress hormone cortisol and thyroid hormones can be impacted
See more info about stress and cortisol: Episode 24
Does every woman experience the transition from perimenopause to menopause the same way?
No!
You can have one of 4 different patterns of estrogen and 3 different patterns FSH levels, as well as different combinations of other symptoms at different stages of perimenopause.
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of this paleo crepe recipe that Stuart also loves:
Dr. Toni loves seeing Frankie play with simple wooden blocks and hand-me-down Lego blocks
Thank you for joining us today!
Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page.
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
In this episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss how the philosophy and practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help with symptoms of perimenopause like hot flashes, insomnia and anxiety. Find out how supporting your TCM organs and balance of yin and yang are important for your hormone balance in perimenopause.
Yellow Emperor’s Classic (2600 BC):
At seven times seven a woman’s heavenly dew wanes;
the pulse of her Conception channel decreases.
The Qi that dwelt in the baby’s palace moves upward into her heart,
and her wisdom is deepened.
In today’s episode, we cover:
The philosophy of TCM and its holistic nature
What is chi/qi?
How imbalance of yin and yang can cause hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness
What your emotions and waking up in the middle of the night mean according to TCM
How the function of organs like Liver, Kidney and Spleen are important for hormone balance in perimenopause
The importance of seasonal eating and using food to balance yin and yang
Some of the scientific research supporting the use of acupuncture in perimenopause and menopause
Dr. Toni’s next HypnoBirthing class series starting in March and – for more info on a free online masterclass to reduce fear and anxiety around birth, go to https://www.hypnobirthingcalgary.com/
Thank you for joining us today!
Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode. You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss what research tells us about different treatments for symptoms in perimenopause like hot flashes, depression and poor sleep. In this part 2 of 2 episodes, we talk about treatments like acupuncture, hormone replacement and supplementing with soy, flax, omega 3 fish oil, melatonin and creatine.
In this episode, we cover how:
soy intake can reduce hot flashes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, as well as supporting your mood, brain function, cholesterol levels and bone health
flax seed can impact your estrogen levels
beer can reduce hot flashes – for more info, see Episode 106
omega 3 fish oil can improve mood
melatonin can improve your sleep and other perimenopausal symptoms – providing benefit even if you get a good night’s sleep
creatine can support your muscle mass, mood and sleep
for more about the importance of muscle mass, see Episode 103
acupuncture can reduce depression and hot flashes, plus improving mood
you can discuss with your doctor what kind of hormone replacement might be beneficial for you to positively impact your hot flashes, sleep and mood, while supporting your bone and cardiovascular health (and the newly assessed risks of different hormone combinations)
Don’t forget, treatments for symptoms in perimenopause are not one size fits all! What works for one person might not work for you…it can take time to figure out what treatments works best for you.
Today’s Mama Must Have:
Dr. Lisa loves reading daily and was inspired by Gretchen Rubin to read 13 books so far in 2021.
Dr. Toni is a big fan of reality TV shows like Survivor and Selling Sunset.
Thank you for joining us today!
Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page where you can find out how you can join us for our monthly patron webinar where we do a deeper dive discussion about all things perimenopause,
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni discuss all things perimenopause…what it is, what’s happening and how to test for it. Not sure if you’re in perimenopause or what is happening with your hormones? Experiencing hot flashes, irregular periods, mood swings and insomnia? Listen in!
What is the difference between menopause and perimenopause?
Menopause is when you have not had a menstrual period for 12 months.
Perimenopause is the transition period before you reach menopause and can last for 4 years, 8 years or longer.
What is happening with your hormones in perimenopause?
Perimenopausal symptoms, as well as your hormones, can be unpredictable and might fluctuate throughout perimenopause:
You may get PMS symptoms some months, not others
You may get other menopausal symptoms some months and not others
Changes that can happen around perimenopause and menopause includes bone loss and osteoporosis, shifts in weight and metabolism, brain and mood changes
The most common symptoms you may experience include:
Insomnia
30-60% of women experience in perimenopause
Research show correlations between plastic exposure and body care products and self-report insomnia (testing urinary phthalate levels – Hatcher 2020)
Your body’s normally predictable hormone cycle that happens over the month changes during perimenopause:
You might not ovulate every month or you might ovulate early
You have changes in your menstrual cycle length of 7 days or more (shorter or longer cycles) then have longer cycles and more skipped periods until you reach menopause
Your estrogen levels can go up and down more than usual
Your progesterone levels tend to decrease overall
Your FSH level may elevate or fluctuate
Your stress hormone cortisol and thyroid hormones can be impacted
See more info about stress and cortisol: Episode 24
Does every woman experience the transition from perimenopause to menopause the same way?
No!
You can have one of 4 different patterns of estrogen and 3 different patterns FSH levels, as well as different combinations of other symptoms at different stages of perimenopause.
Dr. Lisa is a big fan of this paleo crepe recipe that Stuart also loves:
Dr. Toni loves seeing Frankie play with simple wooden blocks and hand-me-down Lego blocks
Thank you for joining us today!
Email us or connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. We’d love you to subscribe, leave us a review and a 5-star rating if you enjoyed this episode.
Please tell your perimenopausal mama friends about us, too!
You can also support us by visiting our Patreon page where you can find out how you can join us for our monthly patron webinar where we do a deeper dive discussion about all things perimenopause,
Stay safe and healthy everyone!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this presentation is not meant to replace treatment with a licensed health care practitioner. It is for informational purposes only. Consult with a Naturopathic Doctor or other licensed health care professional to determine which treatments are safe for you.
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