How to Reduce Night Time Hot Flashes by Using Food

by Angie

 

 

Do you suffer from hot flashes?

 

You can’t sleep at night because of them?

 

I have some solutions for you!

 

First, though I will provide you with some quick info about hot flashes, why do they occur so we can try to address the root cause of these hormonal symptoms?

 

What causes hot flashes?

 

It is not hard to imagine that hot flashes are all about hormonal imbalance.

 

During our menstruating years, the estrogen helps your ovaries to release “luteinizing hormone” (LH) and tells the ovaries to release those eggs every month.

 

During perimenopause, estrogen levels start to decline and the ovaries start to ignore the LH.

 

Do you know what your body’s response to this is?

 

The body releases too much adrenaline!

 

The release of adrenaline causes your bodies to heat up quickly for a few minutes until it cools itself back down.

 

What is the trigger for hot flashes?

 

One of the biggest triggers of hot flashes is what you drink and eat. (e.g. alcohol, coffee, processed food, spicy foods, sugar, citrus fruit, large meals, food allergies).

 

Hot flashes can also be related to lifestyle factors (e.g. stress, smoking, anxiety, medical conditions, lack of exercise, certain medications or intense exercise).

 

Hot flashes can also get worse as your weight climbs. Some women eliminated hot flashes just by losing weight.

 

How to reduce hot flashes naturally?

 

Food #1 – Flax

 

Flax contains a “phytoestrogen” named “lignans.” Phyto (plant) estrogens are helping our bodies to have better hormone balance. They mimic estrogen, and at the same time, they are estrogen antagonist which means that they oppose our natural estrogen. I know this can get confusing…. Phytoestrogens attach to hormones receptors, and since they are weaker estrogens, they take the receptors space and protect us from bad estrogen.

 

Flax seeds are also rich in fiber also and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Both of them helping us to acquire a hormonal balance and help us maintain gut health. Flax seeds are great for keeping us regular. So if you’ve ever wanted to go to the bathroom and you can’t – take two tablespoons of flax seeds with 8 ounces of water at night and in the morning you will be ready to go!

 

How to increase your intake of flax?

I like to add flax to my smoothies; I sprinkle them on my salad, I make crackers with them and bake with them.

 

Pro Tip: For best nutrients and benefits you should ground them up because all the healthy compounds are stored in the hard outer shell. Just remember to grind only enough to use because the oils in them go rancid very quickly, and that promotes free radicals in our body. We don’t want that!

 

Food #2 – Maca Root

 

Maca root is a Peruvian root use for centuries in South America for hormone balancing.

 

Maca is rich in glucosinolates compounds, which help the body to produce balanced levels of hormones. Glucosinolates assist the body with the production of estrogen. During perimenopause and menopause estrogen levels drops and this process can cause hot flashes.

 

Maca is also an excellent adaptogen, and it helps support the overall health.

 

Finally, Maca powder is an incredible nutritional powerhouse. It contains 23 essential fatty acids, high levels of many minerals we are deficient in and almost all amino acids.

 

Make sure to buy gelatinized version instead of raw. Raw Maca can be goitrogenic, and people with Thyroid disease should avoid raw maca.

 

You can add maca to your smoothies, make nut cookies with it and bake with it.

 

Food #3– Water

 

OK, I know that this is not food but hear me out.

 

When the hot flashes are occurring, the body is losing more water than you normally would.

 

Those fluids need to be replaced by drinking enough water during the day. For good habit building, it is good to start a day with a glass of water with lemon upon awakening. Keep your water close so you can sip it and try not to get overly thirsty.

 

Seeds and onions crackers recipe 

  • 3 cup axseeds soaked
  • 3 cups sun ower seeds soaked
  • 2 cups pumpkin seeds soaked
  • 2 cups sesame seeds soaked
  • 5 sweet vidalia onions
  • 6 carrots shredded
  • 1 whole garlic finely minced or pressed
  • 2 bunches of kale
  • 4 inches of ginger minced
  • Juice of 4 lemons or lime
  • 1 cup of mesquite powder
  • 2 tablespoon of salt
  • 2 tablespoons of black pepperInstructions: Soak all seeds the night before. Wash and shred the carrots. Transfer to the large. Mince garlic and transfer to the bowl. Wash kale and de-steam it. Put it in the food processor and pulse it until becomes very small. Transfer to the bowl. Using mandoline slice the onion and transfer to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients together.Put parchment sheet paper on the table and spread part of the dough, then precut small squares. Transfer the sheet on the dehydrator sheet and repeat until the dough is gone. Dehydrate at 110 F for 24 hours.

Check out my Paleo program here. It will help you feel better during menopause.

In Health,

Angie

References:

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-menopause

https://authoritynutrition.com/11-natural-menopause-tips/

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/incorporating-flax-into-diet

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-flax

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