Just breathe
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuq7RYQ8Wa0]
Are you having hot flashes? If you are like about 75% of menopausal women, you’re likely to experience a hot flash in some form or the other. In fact, researchers say that some women only have 5 a year while others might have as many as 50 a day. Yikes – that’s some serious flashing.
I’ve spent a lot of time in search of alternatives to hormones for you women out there who are flashing regularly. And more alternatives. The one consistent factor in all of these solutions, whether it’s yoga, black cohosh, acupuncture or hops, is that some women respond and others don’t. What’s also consistent is that there are few really well designed clinical trials examining alternative therapies.
The latest strategy that I’ve run across is slow, deep breathing (also called “paced respiration”). In three separate studies, women who practiced slow, deep breathing over a period of six to eight weeks experienced a decline in the frequency of their hot flashes by as much as 50% compared with biofeedback or muscle relaxation exercise. Another study showed that when deep breathing was combined with mental focusing, the intensity of the flash also declined.
About paced respiration
Paced respiration, slow, deep, controlled breathing from one’s diaphragm is a painless, relaxing approach to controlling hot flashes. Experts recommend that women find a quiet, private place.
1) Keep the rib cage as still as possible and inhale slowly for five seconds using the stomach muscles.(You should notice your abdominal muscles extending and distending, not your rib cage or shoulders.)
2) Exhale slowly over five seconds, again, using the stomach muscles.
3) Practice twice daily, preferably in the morning and evenings for at least 15 minutes. The focus should be on the breathe and nothing else.
When you feel a hot flash coming on, start inhalation and then exhalation slowly until the flash passes.
Interestingly, experts who have studied this technique are unsure why it works in some women. However, I do like the idea of using relaxation and focus to stave off a hot flash. Have you tried this? Does it work? I’d love to know!
Read MoreHope for hops: hot flashes and night sweats
Do you remember last August’s post about beer and bone health? If not, research suggests that beer boosts bone density, or more specifically, a certain component in hops — namely female flowers — have high estrogen properties that help bone formation. More recently, researchers have been evaluating a standardized hop extract (8-prenylnaringenin) for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes. Among the many phytoestrogens contained in the female hop flowers, 8-prenylnaringen has been associated in laboratory studies with the highest estrogenic potency compared to others.
In a small, randomized, scientifically-sound study, researchers assigned menopausal women to either a hops extract 8-prenylnaringenin for eight weeks or placebo for 8 weeks; then they switched. Although both groups showed modest reductions in mild vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats) during the first 8-week period, only women taking the hops extract after first taking placebo experienced higher average reductions in their flashes and sweats. Although these changes were not considered “significant” they did lead the researchers to conclude that preparations containing 8-prenylnaringenin might offer an alternative to hormones for women who experience mild vasomotor symptoms.
Are hops completely safe?
Most people do not experience side effects when taking hops. However, like any herb or drug, reactions are individual. In some people, hops can cause allergic skin reactions (e.g. rash) when handled. Hops can also cause mild drowsiness, which is why hop extracts shouldn’t be taken with sedatives. In some cases, hops has been shown to lower blood sugar levels. And of course, as a phytoestrogen, it should not be used at the same time as hormone replacement and only under doctor supervision if you’ve had breast cancer.
So, it’s too soon to tell. But indeed, there’s hope for hops!
Read MoreWednesday Bubble: 5-HTP
With increasing evidence that hormone replacement therapy significantly increases the risk for breast and ovarian and deaths from lung cancer, as well as heart disease, stroke and other conditions, researchers are constantly looking for effective replacements to address the troublesome symptoms of menopause. Any regular reader of this blog knows that I wholeheartedly support the quest and devote my time to providing evidence-based information on alternatives.
Of late, there’s been a lot of interest in the use of antidepressants, in particular, the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), in managing hot flashes. Study results vary, although paroxetine (better known as Paxil) has been probably studied most extensively and shown to reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes. On the other hand, SSRIs have also been possibly implicated in heart disease during menopause. So, it is a crapshoot.
Is there a safer form? For example, is the herbal form of the precursor to serotonin — 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) – as effective SSRIs in reducing hot flashes?
Evidently, the answer is no.
In a very small study among menopausal women who reported hot flashes, researchers compared the effects of 5-HTP (150 mg taken daily) to placebo on hot flash frequency. At this particular dose, no significant effects were seen. In fact, on average, women had about the same number of flashes before and after the study.
Sad to burst this bubble because I am a fan of 5-HTP. At the moment, however, it looks as though you’ll need to try a prescription antidepressant if you choose to go that route to address hot flash symptoms.
Read MoreShe’s hot. She’s cool…
St. John’s Wort can cool down those hot flashes?! Yes, you may want to pay attention as a new study appearing in the February issue of Menopause, may help to cool those hot flashes.
If you’ve been following this blog for awhile, you may recall that I wrote previously about St. John’s Wort and its potential role for improving quality of life, sleep disturbances and hot flashes. The latest bit of information suggests that daily use of St. John’s Wort extract among menopausal women resulted in significant declines in the number of daily hot flashes by as much as 50% through eight weeks of treatment compared to women taking only placebo. Daily St. John’s Wort also reduced both the length of time that flashes lasted as well as their severity. At the start of the study, women were experiencing moderate to severe hot flashes at least once daily. Importantly, women taking placebo also experienced declines in hot flash frequency, although not to the same extent as those taking St. John’s Wort.
What you should know…
St. John’s Wort, while generally considered safe, should be used cautiously. As I wrote last year, experts recommend against taking St. John’s Wort at the same time as alcohol, narcotics, amphetamines, tyrosine supplements, flu medicines and foods containing tyramine (e.g. yeast, aged cheese, eggplant, soy sauce). St. John’s Wort can also interact with prescription antidepressants, oral contraceptives and certain medications that thin the blood. More information about St. John’s Wort, its side effects and risks can be found here.
As with any herbal preparation, it’s critical to speak to a healthcare practitioner before embarking on therapy.
For more information on this study, as well as some comments by the researchers, check out Reuters Health’s coverage of the same study.
Read MoreKeep it cool: Sheex
[Image: sheex.com]
I am a huge fan of innovative solutions to keeping cool. Which is why I am a huge fan of Sheex. Disclosure: the company did not contact me to write about them nor have I tried the sheets. However, I have written previously about alternate use of fabrics that were originally developed for athletes to promote a cooler, more comfortable sleep for flashers and sweaters.
According to the website, the technology breathes twice as well as more traditional bedding and transfers body heat twice as effectively as cotton does. It also claims to have three times the drying power of cotton. I also like the fact they’ve taken the time to develop sheets for travel, so that you can keep comfortable wherever you are. What’s more, the company is owned by two women who were former basketball coaches, so clearly they understand women’s needs.
Granted, the sheet sets are expensive. But can you really place a price on comfort and a good night’s sleep? I’d rather spend a bit more money and a bit less time changing sheets or clothing because I’m drenched.
Hat’s off Sheex! Thanks for thinking of us! And let us all “sleep fit” and not fitfully.
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