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Foods That Affect Hot Flashes

Certain foods can prompt hot flashes--also know as vasomotor flushes--whereas other foods can prevent then. The majority of American women, who are peri-menopausal or fully menopausal, experience hot flashes at one time or another.

  1. Foods to Avoid

    • Avoid hot spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine if you suffer from hot flashes. These are warming foods and will make your flashes even more intense. Stay away from foods that contain sugar, animal fats, garlic and red meat. Foods such as chocolate, acidic products (vinegar), aged cheese, spicy items and saturated fats can raise your internal temperature and trigger a hot flash. Any food or drink that makes you feel hotter--such as a hot pepper or coffee--can provoke or worsen a hot flash.

    Soy

    • Foods that contain soy will help cool you down; they contain isoflavones, which are called phytoestrogens because they closely resemble the natural hormone estrogen that women produce prior to menopause. However, phytoestrogens can sometimes have the opposite effects of estrogen. Too much estrogen can lead to breast cancer, which is why doctors no longer consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT) the standard for treating menopausal women who are symptomatic.

    Barley Etc.

    • Eat barley, wheat germ, black sesame seeds, yam, corn, soy flour, tofu, almonds, soy beans, apples, cashews, wheat, oats and peanuts. All of them help ward off hot flashes. Soy, for example, is considered an antioxidant and helps lessen the effects of menopause, as well as lowering cholesterol, warding off free radicals and keeping your bones strong so you won't develop osteoporosis, according to Crumcreek.com. Sesame seeds contain lignans: fibers that prevent high blood pressure, lower cholesterol and increase vitamin E. Wheat germ improves the function of the nervous system and also lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. These foods keep a woman's body in balance, which lessens the chances of hot flashes.

    Culture and Estrogen Levels

    • Women living in non-western countries experience fewer hot flashes. This may be due to their diet, which is low fat, high in soy products and high in fiber, according to Power-surge.com. It may also be due to the fact that they have lower estrogen levels to begin with, and thus do not experience the drastic drop in hormones that western women do.

    Try This ..

    • Try flaxseed oil, celery, parsley and fennel and see if your hot flashes calm down. Flaxseed contains high amounts of lignans, which normalize levels of estrogen. Celery, fennel and parsley also make good sources of phytoestrogens.

    Citrus Fruit and Vitamin E

    • Eat citrus fruit daily, including as much of the white inner peel as possible. They contain bioflavoids, which create phytoestrogenic activity and lessen the frequency of hot flashes. You might also consider taking vitamin E supplements.

    Other Things to Avoid

    • Factors that you should avoid include smoking, hot showers, bedrooms (and hot rooms in general), hot tubs, diet pills and hot weather. Stress and anxiety can also exacerbate hot flashes.

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