Exercise & Weight Loss Dramatically Reduce Hot Flashes

Masha Novoselova, UK Elle June 2010 photographer David SlijperI recall having one hot flash in my life and calling my doctor immediately. The head of OBGYN at Ohio State, he recommended that I enroll in a pilot project on bioidentical hormones. Following his advice, I haven’t looked back and believe that bioidentical hormone therapy is another reason why I’m Superyoung.

HRT is a choice that women in developed countries can make about their health care. It’s expensive and not always covered by insurance.

The two core ‘isms’ of being Superyoung are frequent responsible sexual intimacy and exercise.Every woman entering menopause can exercise.Every woman entering menopause can exercise.

Preparing to post these fashion shots of Masha Novoselova from UK Elle June 2010 over at Sensuality News, I noticed that we used her fashion photos in our discussion of female sexuality:    .

We love Masha Novoselova’s healthy, fashion-model body, one that reminds us of the 80s supermodels.

Muscle lust isn’t reserved for the days when supermodels ruled the runways. Just as we’re fighting back against a fashion philosophy dictating that anorexia and loss of sexuality is a standard of beauty for women, we embrace vigorous exercise for women of every age.

We like hot bodies on 50-year-old women. And we prefer that young women have healthy bodies like Masha Novoselova. If a woman commits to frequent exercise and weight control, those inevitable hot flashes won’t be so daunting.

Masha Novoselove UK Elle June 2010, photographer David SlijperSlijper

Weight Loss Reduces Hot Flashes

The benefits of exercise in menopausal women are many, and weight loss is key. Hitting the gym with a vengeance was another reason I became Superyoung.

It’s true that I immediately went on bioidentical hormones after that first hot flash. But exercise and a strict diet were also part of my anti-aging defense strategy. A hot flash has a way of communicating a “it’s now or never” message, should you wish to pay attention.

I shaped up.

Losing excess pounds through diet and exercise appears to significantly alleviate hot flashes or even eliminate them, according to a study published Tuesday in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Obese women tend to have more frequent or severe hot flashes. Doctors aren’t sure why. It’s possible that obese women’s blood vessels react to heat or stress differently. We assume that circulation is poorer than in a non-obese woman.

The women who underwent intensive counseling lost an average of 17 pounds over six months compared to about 4 pounds for the control group, and they were more than twice as likely as the control group to report relief from their hot flashes. “In general, each 5-kilogram [11-pound] decrease in weight was associated with a 33 percent greater odds of improvement in hot flashes,” says Huang, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “This study provides good evidence that losing excess weight through diet and exercise can improve those hot flashes.” via US News and World Report

More Reading:

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Bioidentical Hormones Have Redefined Me