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Ask The Doctor

What Can I do About Hot Flashes?

Functional Fitness Women's Health Expert,

Mache Seibel, MD

Hot flashes are one of the most common things that bring women to the doctor as they approach menopause. Not everyone has them, but the majority of women do and for most women they last from one to ten years with the majority tapering off after 3 years. Here are some things you can do that can help.

First, there are a lot of life style changes that can help. Eating healthy, drinking lots of water, and regularly exercising can be extremely helpful. Choices like Functional Fitness make it possible for everyone to exercise.  Stress reduction is also very helpful in reducing flashes. Whether it is with yoga or therapy or just taking stressful things off of your plate, lowering stress typically lowers hot flashes.

There are a lot of healthy recipes and hot flash tips in my new book Eat To Defeat Menopause like avoiding hot spicy foods and caffeine.  Other foods are helpful in lowering hot flashes. Soy is particularly helpful and recommended amounts are about 25-40 grams of soy protein daily or between 50-100 mg of soy isoflavones. Ground flaxseed, 1-2 tablespoons in your cereal in the morning is another helpful tip.  These foods have plant estrogens called phytoestrogens in them.  There are non-estrogen prescription medications available such a slower dosages of the SSRI antidepressants and Neurontin (Gabapentin) that were developed for other reasons but used to treat hot flashes.

Finally, there is estrogen, sometimes combined with progesterone if a woman still has her uterus (those who don't have a uterus do not need to take progesterone). These are called Hormone Replacement or HT.There has been a lot of controversy with HT over the last 8 years or so because studies have suggested that for some women there will be anincreased risk of blood clots and possibly breast cancer. Many women are still taking estrogen and it is still a good choice for many women. But before taking HT, just like before taking any medication, discuss with your doctor your risks and benefits. HT will almost always reduce hot flashes. But each person has to weigh the risks and the benefits.

Mache Seibel, MD is a Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School where he is Director of the Complicated Menopause Program. Prior to that, he spent 19 years on the Harvard Medical School faculty and is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas Medical Branch. He is the author of 12 books, over 200 scientific publications and 14 music CDs. Dr. Seibel is also the Founder of HealthRock, which uses original songs and entertainment to reshape how we teach people to stay well. HealthRock has won numerous national awards for consumer education including a CD of the Year. When he's not performing or seeing patients at the University of Massachusetts, you can find him at www.healthrock.com. The doctor is always in.

Functional Fitness Arthritis Expert,

Nathan Wei, MD, FACP, FACR

What Could Be the Cause of My Knee Pain?

"I've been dieting and following the Healthwise Exercise Functional Fitness Program for about 3 months now and lost 25 pounds so far. About a month or so - my femurs started feeling tired and even hurt. I've also had pain in my right knee which 1st showed up about 6 months ago while I was playing basket ball, and has been on and off since then. What could be causing this?" Beverly

"Beverly, pain in the femur can come from overuse with quadricep strain or it could be due to arthritis in the hip joints with pain referred to the front of the thigh.

One final reason could be back related ( the L3-4 level) although this is less likely (the back provides the ability to feel things in the legs.) The knee pain could be a result of osteoarthritis. A mechanical problem such as meniscus tear can also be a reason. I recommend you see a rheumatologist in your area."

About Dr. Nathan Wei, MD

Nathan Wei, MD is a graduate of Swarthmore College and the JeffersonMedical College. He completed his residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan and his fellowship in arthritis at the National Institute of Healthy in Bethedsa, Maryland. Dr. Wei is an acknowledged national expert in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis and is the author of more than 500 publications. He is a Fellow of the Amercian College of Physicians, a Fellow of the American College ofRheumatology and is the only American rheumatologist member in the Arthroscopy Association of North America. Dr. Wei is considered an expert in stem cell and platelet-rich plasma procedures. He is active in clinical research and Director of the ArthritisTreatment Center, located in Frederick, Maryland.He is the author Second Opinion Arthritis Treatment Kit. To learn more go to

http://www.aocm.org/
 

Functional Fitness Nutrition Expert

Dr. Roy Vartabedian

"Dr. Vartabedian, I'm always tired. What foods help to regain my energy?"

Optimal function means peak performance. Peak performance of every cell means peak performance of your whole body. To operate at peak efficiency, your body needs the best nutrition at the cellular level. The best way to get this is through eating foods that are highly nutrient-dense and have a low density of harmful components.

Top-Rated Foods

Let's look at some of the top-rated foods in a few of the major food groups,sports drinks, and snack bars:

High-Carb Fruits

1/4 Cantaloupe 34.0
1 Guava 29.0
1/2 Papaya 20.5
1 c Strawberries 19.0
1/2 Mango 17.5
 

High-Nutrient Vegetables

2 c Fresh Spinach 75.0
1 c Fresh Broccoli 53.5
2 c Romaine Lettuce 47.5
8 pc Fresh Asparagus 44.0
1 c Fresh Cauliflower 40.5
 

High-Carb Grains

1 c Whole Wheat Total(R) Cereal 64.5*
1 c Total(R) Corn Flakes 57.5*
1 c Product 19(R) Cereal 56.0*
2/3 c Just Right(R) Cereal 51.0*
1/2 c All-Bran(R) Extra Fiber Cereal 40.5*


High-Protein Foods

1 c Nonfat Yogurt 10.0
1 c Skim Milk 9.5
1/2 c Tuna 8.0
1 Vegetarian Burger 7.5
1/4 c Egg Whites 6.0
1/2 c Lowfat Cottage Cheese 4.5