It's one of the most unpleasant side effects of menopause: Sudden hot flashes that can have you sweating bullets at work. Or on the train. How embarrasing!
But many women don't want to turn to hormone replacement therapy -- and rightly so -- to ease the discomfort. If you're one of the women looking for a natural remedy for hot flashes, then listen up. The answer may be as simple as your weight.
Researchers say that menopausal women could ease -- or even stop -- hot flashes by dropping some extra pounds.
The results of their six-month trial in 338 women who were overweight showed that for each 11 pounds in weight lost, there was a 32% increased likelihood of an improvement in hot flashes, compared with controls.
In contrast, changes in physical activity, calorie intake, blood pressure, and physical and mental functioning were not related to any improvements in hot flashes.
