PMS / Menstrual / Hot Flashes

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We know that women have hot flashes in the decade before menopause. They certainly are not as frequent as during the menopause but if you are still having normal, regular menses, then asking the doctor to request blood studies for menopause is not likely to yield results. The doctor could check the TSH level for hyperthyroidism, although 80% of women this age are actually hypothyroid. If your menses are irregular, you should ask your doctor to check for possible menopause or low estrogen state. Remember that smoking can lower blood estrogens; thus women who smoke will have more hot flashes in the perimenopausal period.

In the mind of many women, hot flashes are only associated with low estrogens but that is not true. It may surprise you that men have hot flashes too. They can get them if undergoing treatment for prostate cancer using anti-testosterone therapy, using thermal blankets and from alcohol, hot liquids, spicy foods and other substances.

Both estrogen and testosterone seem to protect against frequent hot flashes. If either of those hormones is dramatically reduced, a rapid increase in skin temperature due to dilatation of the skin blood vessels can frequently occur. While these hormones protect from frequent hot flashes, other events and ingested substances can cause the skin vessels to rapidly dilate and release heat.

Characteristically, a hot flash (also called hot flush) is a sudden feeling of warmth and often a breakout of sweating usually confined to the upper half of the body. There is an intense feeling of heat and the face, head and neck can even turn red. When they occur at night, they are called “night sweats”. They can be mistaken for a low-grade fever. Fevers usually cause the sweating to last longer than the typical few seconds or few minutes that hot flashes last. Non-fever caused hot flashes can occur rarely or as often as every few minutes.

It is believed that the trigger is probably increased heat (or blood flow) in the heat regulatory area of the brain. The brain, sensing an increased body temperature, releases chemicals that cause the skin blood vessels to dilate so the heat can be released.

Apparently estrogens and testosterone allow the body to have a higher tolerance for changes in core body temperature. In other words, normally a body might tolerate a change in 1.5 degrees C. before dilating the blood vessels whereas in the absence of the sex hormones, the blood vessels are triggered to dilate at a change of only 0.8 degrees C. This means that anything increasing core body heat or even just the heat of increased blood flow at the brain’s heat regulatory center will cause a hot flash. The hot flash will last or keep repeating as long as needed to dissipate the increased heat. Even women who are menopausal can reduce by almost 50% the number of night sweats by dropping the evening bedroom temperature a few degrees cooler.

Foods or drinks cause a hot flash. Almost everyone should be familiar with how a meal containing hot pepper (capsaicin) can cause a rapid outbreak of a hot sweat. In this case, the capsaicin directly stimulates nerve endings that affect and dilate the brain blood vessels. Alcohol, other food additives and just eating a large meal itself can cause hot flashes.

Many prescription drugs such as anti-hypertensive and mood altering drugs such as anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medications can also cause hot flashes. Each prescription drug you are taking should be checked to see if hot flashes or night sweats are a known side effect. Over-the-counter medications and supplements should also be examined for possible side effects.

Many systemic conditions can also produce flushing such as carcinoid syndrome, systemic mast cell disease, and pheochromocytoma, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid, pancreatic islet-cell tumors, renal cell carcinoma, hyperthyroidism, neurological flushing, emotional flushing, and spinal cord injury. These conditions are thought to secrete chemicals into the blood stream that can stimulate the nerves or blood vessels of the brain.

By far, the most common cause of hot flashes is a stress reaction that causes epinephrine and norepinephrine release into the blood stream. This in turn causes increased blood flow and thus increased heat. A hot flash may ensue to get rid of the heat. The trigger can even occur during deep REM sleep (presumably from dreaming).

The next most common cause of a hot flash is just simply that the body is too warm. This can happen at night with thermal blankets or by just sitting with a portable computer on your lap. Radiant heat panels that overshoot the thermostat can cause night sweats.

How to lessen or stop hot flashes or night sweats that are not due to low estrogens?

Avoid any foods, alcohol or caffeine within 3 hours of going to bed.

Avoid exercise, hot liquids or smoking within 3 hours of going to bed.

Drop the evening thermostat by about two or three degrees without adding more covers.

Wear light bed clothing.

If you feel stressed out from daily work or family events, take at least an hour before bedtime for some relaxation activity (if you cannot “afford” an hour before bedtime to do this, there’s your problem).

Examine and try to avoid strong emotions, caffeine, alcohol, cayenne, occlusive clothing and heat.

Use fans during the day.

Wear clothing made of natural materials like pure cotton.

Practice deep, slow abdominal breathing, taking six to eight breaths per minute. Practice 15 minutes in the morning and evening and use this technique in conjunction with “premonitions” of hot flashes. This can produce a 50% decrease in hot flash frequency. (See Breathing Exercises)

Exercise or walk, swim, dance or bicycle every day for 30+ minutes but not within 3 hours of bedtime.

If the above measures are not successful to stop night sweats and hot flashes almost entirely, then you should see your doctor to be evaluated for menopause or thyroid disease as well as other possible conditions.

Endometriosis can be a very nasty inflammatory response in and around the uterus, through the fallopian tubes, and even on the ovaries. It causes very painful menstruation and stabbing pains that come and go on an irregular basis.

Pure Silver Concentrate Concentrate can be taken orally, take 1-2 droppers of Pure Silver Concentrate Concentrate 3x daily. It can also be used as a douche by mixing 3 droppers of Pure Silver Concentrate Concentrate in 2 0z. of distilled water and pumping that solution intravaginally with buttocks elevated and rolling from side to side, holding it for 12 minutes, and then releasing. This will kill bacteria and viruses in and around the cervix.

In short, a mind and body that is completely balanced will not be bothered with menstrual and PMS symptoms. Good diet, good supplements, regular exercise, good thoughts and getting rid of excess toxins are the answers.

The health of the mind affects the body and the health of the body affects the mind. Learning to vibrate at the frequencies of joy and love will cure a myriad of problems. (See Joy and Love)

Toxins and lack of minerals are a major cause of stress both physically and mentally. Improving your diet and taking ShopFreeMart products will help to cleanse toxins and provide lacking nutrients that are at the core of these problems.

(See Diet)

Proper breathing exercises combined with moderate physical exercise will have a major impact on reducing PMS and menstrual symptoms. (See Breathing Exercises)

ShopFreeMart Pure Copper Concentrate, Siaga and Vitalize may help balance the hormones and may relieve menstrual symptoms, hot flashes and PMS.

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