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This month I'm pleased to welcome guest blogger Rebecca Hulem, a certified menopause clinician and widely known as “The Menopause Expert” as she discusses menopause and a New Year New Year. Be sure to enter to win fabulous prizes. Contest ends January 27th.
As the calendar flips to January and I look ahead to a new year – full of possibilities and opportunities – I find myself asking, “What can I do differently to make the next 12 months even better than the last 12?”
If you’re a woman in your 40s and 50s, it’s likely that you’re in the midst of perimenopause or
menopause. And, experiencing those exasperating hot flashes! This year, let’s resolve to do everything we can to help control and alleviate hot flashes – one of the most common, negative symptoms of menopause. Without hot flashes, you’ll feel like an entirely new you.
When making your resolutions, it’s important to keep in mind that different treatments work for
different women. However, one common ground many women find in their hot flash treatment plans is that we want natural options. Natural remedies typically involve plants or habitual lifestyle changes that help alleviate hot flashes.
For your 2013 New Year’s resolutions, consider incorporating one or all of the ideas below for natural hot flash relief:
1. Focus on Nutrition – The right kind of diet is full of fruits, vegetables and plant-based proteins
such as beans, lentils, legumes and soy. For some women, certain foods trigger hot flashes.
Common triggers include coffee, spicy foods or alcohol. I recommend avoiding caffeine or
alcohol within three hours of bedtime to decrease the likelihood of night sweats interrupting
sleep.
2. Exercise Regularly – Exercise has been shown to reduce hot flashes as well as a host of other
menopause-related issues women face, including sleep disturbances. However, to reap the full
benefits, it’s important to incorporate a variety of techniques including aerobic, weight-bearing,
strength training and relaxation exercises like yoga.
3. Take a Supplement based on Nature – Supplements containing soy isoflavones rich in
genistein, naturally-occurring compounds with a chemical structure similar to estrogen, have
been scientifically proven to reduce the frequency and severity of menopausal hot flashes by
approximately 20 to 30 percent. To make sure the supplement contains the right amount of
soy isoflavones, just look for the green NovaSoy® brand leaf on the labels of over-the-counter
supplements widely found in drug, grocery, and health & nutrition stores.
4. Deflate Stress with Therapy – It’s been proven that lowering stress levels helps decrease
menopausal hot flashes. There are many ways to alleviate stress, such as deep breathing,
meditation and yoga exercises. Some women are turning to more creative therapies such as
hypnotherapy, herbal therapy and aromatherapy.
To help you stick to these New Year’s resolutions, I’m helping give away four New Year, New You prizes. You have from today until Sunday, Jan. 27, to enter for a chance to win. One winner will be selected each Monday in January. Prizes include NovaSoy product samples, a copy of my book, Feelin’ Hot?, a Yoga for Beginners DVD, a personal fan and the Power Foods cookbook from Whole Living magazine.
To enter, simply visit www.NovaSoy.com/NewYearNewYou.
I also invite you to join a community of women discussing hot flash relief and our menopause journeys on the NovaSoy Facebook page. Discussion topics include menopause-related New Year’s resolution tips, exercise inspirations, healthy recipes, and menopause blogs, videos and cartoons. Plus, there’s an interactive symptom checker to let you know if you’re experiencing menopause.
It’s a new year, so why not enjoy a new you, too?
*It’s important to remember that you should still consult your health care provider if you are using nature’s remedies. You should discuss your symptoms, treatment plan and how it may impact your overall health.
Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post, only samples of products. The opinions in this post are solely that of Rebecca Hulem.
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One thing here. Not every woman can use soy products. I've got Hashiamoto's disease and it messes with the function of my thyroid. It can also cause cancer.
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly