You are still hot but now it just comes in flashes

Let’s chat about an oldie but goodie – HOT FLASHES!

75% of you will experience some sort of hot flashes in life. BUMMER! A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat that may be followed by redness and flushing in your face AND sweating which is all caused by a decrease in your female hormone called ESTROGEN. That’s the hormone that comes from your ovaries and it’s also the hormone that makes you beautiful- curvy full hips, thick long hair or short if you cut it off- it’s your prerogative, and pretty glowing skin. And by the way-Estrogen also protects your bones, brain, and heart.

When hot flashes first happen, you ladies get anxious because you think MENOPAUSE is around the corner.

Sad face…Sometimes it is. I know what SOME of you are thinking…OMG I AM GETTING OLD! Don’t sweat this! No pun intended. LOL. You are more “seasoned” now. Sidebar-You know what menopause means right? Auntie Flow is not coming anymore. Ladies in order for you to be in menopause, you can’t have a period for at least 1 FULL year.

Ladies- you are at RISK of having more extreme hot flashes if you smoke- so stop it, “fluffy”- diet now, if you don’t exercise so get a gym membership, or if you are African American-you can’t change that. Hot flashes can cause you to not sleep well because they can wake you up which over time will lead to memory problems, anxiety, and depression. You need to fix this problem, especially if it’s causing a disruption in your daily life. Stop being so stubborn!

In the office, I always check your thyroid gland during the exam and also by ordering a blood test; sometimes, if it’s overactive, hot flashes can occur.

See…So hot flashes don’t always mean you are getting OLD. LOL!

You should try non-hormones first only after you have changed your lifestyle-watch your diet, exercise, and no more nicotine. Flaxseed- I love this, Effexor (if you are not on tamoxifen for breast cancer), and Gabapentin are a few options. Talk to your doctor! Keep cool- open the window, start the AC, get a fan, AND sip cold water. Avoid hot and spicy foods, caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea, or soda), and booze (alcohol). Relax- learn to meditate or try yoga- not hot yoga of course. LOL! And don’t smoke cigs. Try acupuncture! Even hypnosis may help. You will get through this just like everything else in life. You have made it this far! You are fierce because you are one of Dr. Drai’s Gyne Girls. By the way, hot flashes generally don’t last past 5 YEARS! I know that’s still a long time.

Remember Gyne Girls, you are still HOT, but now it just comes in FLASHES! Until next time!

[#GYNEGirls]