Hot Flashes: Causes and Treatments

It’s much more common for women to experience hot flashes during menopause than not. It’s also not uncommon for hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause to last for several years—like seven to ten years, not just a couple years like your girlfriends might have told you. Women experience menopause in different ways, so chances are that you’ll probably have a different menopause experience than your friend—especially if she’s a gym rat. Studies have found that women who work out regularly, maintain a healthy body weight, and have other healthy habits tend to experience less severe menopause symptoms than women who don’t have the best health habits. Lifestyle factors like alcohol consumption and cholesterol levels seem to play a role in determining the severity and duration of hot flashes, and this information may help in determining a plan for both treatment and prevention. Read more…