What are hot flushes ?

During menopause hot flushes are such a common phenomenon that a vast percentage of women have come to regard them as an inevitable cross to bear at this time of life. Unfortunately, a lack of understanding of the processes which underlie the problem often lead people to take inappropriate action to ‘cool themselves down’. Even those with some understanding of Ayurvedic principles often believe that as excess heat is due to excess Pitta the solution must lie in pacifying Pitta. In fact, in my own practice I have repeatedly found that hot flushes are just as likely to be accompanied by a cold pulse as by a hot one, so that hot flushes treatment plans require being adjusted accordingly.

What causes Hot Flushes?

Ayurveda has a simple explanation for hot flushes causes. Hormone levels are naturally falling during menopause and when this happens a chain reaction ensues. The resulting depletion in the function of the mitochondria (the energy centre of all cells) causes all physiological systems to be compromised. As there is a severe drop in availability of vital resources a situation arises where every organ tries to look after itself, often stealing nutrients from other organs in the process. The system is eventually drained so the fight-or- flight response of the adrenals kicks in. The adrenals try to remedy the situation by taking energy from the bone marrow, but as they work on an all or nothing basis, lacking any form of regulatory mechanism, the excess energy released produces hot flushes. When the temperature becomes very high the body senses an emergency and stops the process. This explains why women often experience periods of extreme cold after a hot flush. The adrenals, however, sense this and when they react to try and correct the situation the whole cycle is repeated.

Hot Flushes Treatment:

Women often seek relief from the symptoms of their hot flushes by consuming something cold such as ice cream. This can in fact make matters worse as it causes the adrenals to work even harder. The Ayurvedic approach here, if the pulse is cold, would often be to prescribe heating medicines. In the event that is the pulse is hot, however, Pitta reducing medicines would be utilised.

Contact for help if you need hot flushes treatment in Australia:

It is therefore very clear that’s a one-size-fits-all approach is not appropriate in tackling the problem of hot flushes. If you would like individualised help with this issue please call us at Yatan Holistic Ayurvedic Centre on 1300 552 260.