Hot Flashes: What Causes Them and Why Your Husband Wants to Take the Next Flight Out of Town

Judd's note: Most of my clients I've worked with are female, but there are plenty of males I have had the privilege of helping over the years, some of whom are on my wellness email list. And while hot flashes are for the most part a female problem, it no doubt affects their respective male counterparts who do their part to stand by them the best they can when hot flashes occur. Books could be written on hot flashes and hormone imbalances, but this quick post should explain in a fairly simple way why hot flashes occur. Thanks to Reed Davis, my mentor and creator of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition for helping me explain....

Most hot flashes are caused by the vasodilatation effect of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). In menopause, estrogen levels naturally dip below a certain point, and FSH is released into the bloodstream by the Hypothalamus/Pituitary in an attempt to whip the ovaries into producing more estrogen.

Because the ovaries are basically non-responsive after menopause, the FSH level gets even higher. This will decrease as the person adjusts to the lower estrogen levels. In the meantime, the vasodilatation effect of FSH means the little capillaries under the skin are dilated, holding more of the core temperature blood, resulting in a "hot flash". The allopathic (western medicine) remedy is a small amount of natural estrogen, lowering the FSH, to get the patient through this difficult time.

For those looking into more natural holistic health solutions, I recommend a couple simple lab test kits that will show you the following:

• Level of adrenal stress (this will affect your hormones)
• Sex Hormone levels (3 different estrogens, testosterone)
• Melatonin (the sleep hormone, also a clue into digestive function and chronic infection)
• Liver function
• Cellular oxidation level
• Protein digestion

For those that suffer from hot flashes, and for the men that indirectly suffer from them, simple lab test kits are the only way to know for sure what's going on in the body. Don't pop a pill or take a cream without first knowing if your hormone levels are balanced. This is akin to taking the bandaid approach to wellness.

Call me at 858.442.6861 or Skype: KungFuSurfer to discuss these simple lab test kits and to alleviate hot flashes. Like headaches, hot flashes are common--but not normal!