Cooling strategies will not reduce the frequency or severity of your hot flashes. They will, however, make the flashes you do have more bearable.
1. Wear cotton instead of synthetics or wool.
2. Wear layers of clothes and the types of clothes that you can easily shed"sweaters that button and sweatshirts that zip rather than pullovers.
3. There are 2 companies that make sleepwear from a fabric that wicks the sweat away from the skin. These wicking fabrics are also odor resistant. I’ve used products from both companies and they work. www.hotcoolware.com and www.wildbleu.com.
4. Carry a pocket fan. Recently I saw a woman in a pricey restaurant using a beautiful pocket fan. I’m sure the other menopausal women in the restaurant knew why she was fanning herself; to everyone else she looked elegant and exotic.
5. Place fans in strategic places in your home and workplace.
6.- 8. Meditation, yoga and adjusting your attitude about menopause may make your hot flashes more bearable.
9. BeKool Hot Flash are soft gel sheets that you place on your neck, forehead, chest or wherever you need immediate cooling. They are convenient, disposable and don’t need to be refrigerated. The cooling effect lasts for about 5 hours. You can buy them in most of the large drug store chains. I’ve tried them and they work.
10. Fold a Kleenex into quarters and place it inside the middle of your bra. It will absorb sweat and you can replace as often as necessary.
Don’t forget your regular check-ups, pap smears and breast exams.
My new book, "Hot Flashes: 21 Non-Hormonal Strategies to Put Out The Fire" also describes 11 other safe and effective strategies to put out the fire.
Julie A. Calligaro, a former nurse and practicing attorney, is the author of Hot Flashes 21 Non-Hormonal Strategies to Put Out the Fire and numerous books on estate planning. To discover the 21 practical ways to stop hot flashes and receive a free ebook of the classic, The Science of Being Well, visit http://www.stophotflash.com
