By Kristen, Wellness Coach
No matter the time of year, women call us looking for any amount of relief they can find from hot flashes and night sweats. With our years of experience, we do have a couple of tricks up our sleeves for relief from these common symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.
1. Eat regularly: When our blood sugar levels become unstable our hormones can fluctuate, causing those unwanted flashes to occur. As a basic guideline for eating to reduce hot flashes, we recommend three meals and two snacks in a day – but listen to your body and feed into hunger cues.
2. Know your triggers: Processed sugary foods, spicy foods, caffeine and alcohol are all common triggers to avoid or limit while trying to get flashes under control. Staying mindful of when flashes occur will help you uncover potential correlations. We’re all different and may have different triggers.
3. Include protein at every meal (snacks too!): Eating protein helps to slow down digestion and the release of sugar into the bloodstream, working to aid in the stabilization of blood sugar levels. Good protein choices include lean meat, low fat dairy, legumes, and nuts and nut butters.
4. Stay hydrated: The human body is composed mostly of water, making it a major component of our bodies tissues and functions, even that of our hormonal health.
5. Manage stress: This is a big one! Practicing deep breathing, yoga, light stretching or walking are all great ways to promote stress relief. Whatever your outlet may be, set aside some time for you to provide a chance to reset and unwind.
For more information about hot flashes and night sweats – including helpful herbs – see our article on Help for hot flashes and night sweats .
* Information presented here is not intended to cure, diagnose, prevent or treat any health concerns or condition, nor is it to serve as a substitute professional medical care.
Published: October 4, 2016 - Last Updated: March 28, 2021
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