Care

Hot Child in the City – Hot Flashes

 


Hot flashes are for the birds. But if you have to deal with it, here’s some help.

 

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I was lucky enough (yeah, right) to have hot flashes as one of my side effects from the medication that I take every day for the next who-knows-how-many years.  I’m not old enough for menopause (at least in my head I’m not), but hats off to our sisters who have already weathered that storm.  It makes for some sincere challenges that no guy will ever understand.

I figured out pretty early on what my triggers were, and a few remedies to help with the madness.  When you are experiencing a full-blown hot flash, you want to rip all of your clothes off (generally inappropriate) or get out of your own skin (definitively impossible).  In lieu of those two options, I will share what I learned about how to handle these “flashes of brilliance.”

TRIGGERS:

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Sugar – I know what you are thinking.  Really??? I was thinking the same thing.  Somebody throw me a bone here, people.  Must you take away all that is well and good?  But in fact, sugar (processed, in particular) can lead to many things that aren’t so great, like diabetes, obesity and beyond. Nothing new there, but cutting back on the processed sugar can really help bring down the intensity of the hot flashes.  Remember, we are not medical experts at MNU, we are just sharing our personal experiences (disclaimer again).

 

 

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Alcohol – What the heck, right? Yep, this is a big one.  I learned my way around this by getting creative with my Mocktails and Fake-a-tini’s (see our Health+Wellness section for some delicious and easy recipes).  My mom always said that you could make drinking alcohol-free concoctions more enjoyable by putting them in a fun glass and adding some garnish.  So mix up something yummy, add it to a martini glass, and stock up on cocktail umbrellas!.

 

 

AMKY2W Cup of black coffee. Image shot 2007. Exact date unknown.Caffeine – I guess I am lucky that I don’t like coffee, but I do like tea and had to switch to decaf. I wasn’t prepared to take the hit with the green tea, which has lots of caffeine but is good for you in many ways. Now I just limit the quantity.  I try to drink caffeinated beverages early in the day, as anything in the afternoon impacts my already challenged sleep time.  The hot flashes are less intense in the mornings.

 

 

High temperatures – I was living in Texas when my hot flashes started, just into the summer. Hello meltdowns!  When it is really hot, I always carry one or more of these things: a nice little paper fan that I got in Chinatown; a glass full of ice water; a cool damp cloth in a baggy.  One of these can usually pull me through it.  

 

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HELPFUL HABITS: 

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Physical exercise – The more you exercise, the more it eases the effects of the hot flashes and helps you to sleep better.  In my case, this is a fact.  On the days I don’t exercise, I don’t sleep as well.  

  

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Relaxation – Hot baths, meditation, yoga. Whatever strikes your fancy for relaxation. I like hot baths at night with some great essential oils, like lavender or eucalyptus.  The soaking and a good book with a cool drink are heavenly moments after a busy day.  Some quiet time to center and be grateful also helps put things in perspective.  If you can’t meditate (we know it is hard to turn off your thoughts sometimes), then just breathe deeply and be quiet for a few minutes.  Maybe it is in the morning as you are waking up, or in the evening before you go to bed.  Remember to be grateful for your body and how hard it is working. Even with whatever is going on, practicing gratitude helps you to focus on the good things, particularly when you are annoyed by what’s happening with your body and feel out of control.

 

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Acupuncture – This helped me a lot when I first started experiencing hot flashes and they were so fierce. I am a huge fan of Eastern medicine, and partake in it as much as possible.  If you can’t seem to find relief elsewhere, I highly recommend that you try this form of healing. I hate needles just as much as the next person, but the bliss you feel afterwards is worth it. Acupuncture needles are more like a light pinch than your normal shot and it really is manageable. The acupuncture balances the chi (energy) in your body, and makes the flashes less intense.

  

To view a list of “Things We Love” that help with Hot Flashes, check here>  We know that experiencing hot flashes for an undetermined amount of time is a challenging task, but there are ways to make it more manageable.  Listen to what your body is telling you and don’t hesitate to find relief and some help where you can.  And most importantly, remember that it won’t last forever.  You may always be too hot to handle, but that could have absolutely nothing to do with hot flashes.   😆

 

For a more in-depth explanation of the genesis of hot flashes and how to manage symptoms,  read this> from BreastCancer.org.

 

-AK