8 ways to deal with hot flushes

• Sip a cold drink. If you feel a hot flash coming on, this could help lower your body’s temperature.
• Pay attention to what you eat and drink. Hot and spicy foods, caffeinated drinks and alcohol can all be triggers.
• Breathe. Anxiety over the hot flash can actually worsen it. Work on steadying your breathing; practice yoga, meditation or other helpful relaxation techniques.
• Don’t smoke. Tobacco use is linked to an increase in hot flashes.
• Wear layers of clothing so you can peel them off when a hot flash hits.
• Consider complementary or alternative treatments. Many women successfully manage their hot flashes with soy, flaxseed, herbal remedies, acupuncture, vitamins, mild sedatives or medications that are used to treat depression or high blood pressure.
• Freeze something. An ice-cold washcloth taken from the freezer and placed around your neck can cool you off in a hurry. There are also products on the market that contain tiny crystals inside a swath of fabric that you can drape around your neck. Or do as my mum does—open your freezer and stick your head right in!
• Lose weight. Losing excess pounds can significantly alleviate—or even eliminate—hot flashes. Researchers found that each a few kilo decrease in weight can greatly decrease the possibility of hot flashes. It’s not entirely clear why overweight women suffer more; some theorise that excess fat traps heat, leading to more sweating and flushing to cool the body; or that obese women’s blood vessels react differently to heat or stress.

Stay cool!