When one has hot flashes during menopause

My Testimony

Several people in my circle have experienced menopause very differently. For my mother, it can be said that it went smoothly! Just like her pregnancies and deliveries, in fact. She did suffer from some hot flashes, especially at night, but nothing too debilitating. On the other hand, one of her friends really suffered, with significant sweating both during the day and at night, having to change her nightgown 2 or 3 times per night and feeling uncomfortable during the day when the heat started to rise and sweat droplets began to form. It’s not easy when you have a “public” job. And when you don’t particularly want to feel like you’re crossing a threshold!

My Tip

During the perimenopause or menopause period, I recommend taking clary sage hydrosol “long term”, by diluting 3 tablespoons of this hydrosol in 1 liter of water, to drink during the day. This tip works very well for some people, but is not always sufficient. In this case, I then recommend diluting a hundred drops of clary sage essential oil with a hundred drops of a vegetable oil in a 10 ml amber bottle, and massaging 1-2 drops of this mixture on the solar plexus (at the base of the sternum) and 2-3 drops in the lower back, under the kidneys or on either side of the base of the skull, at the occiput (these are the main anti-hot flash points in acupuncture). You can also have in your bag and on your bedside table a small spray bottle containing peppermint hydrosol, to spray on your face when you feel the heat rising. The immediate cooling effect is pleasant and reduces discomfort.

What does Phytotherapy Say?

Menopause is a significant transition period in female physiology (and psychology), due to the changes in hormonal balance and the resulting disorders, including hot flashes that occur in more than half of women, in a more or less disabling way. Phytotherapy is an effective alternative to traditional Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Clary sage is the quintessential woman’s plant. Its essential oil contains linalool and linalyl acetate, as well as sclareol which has an estrogenic activity. It is antispasmodic internally, healing externally and “estrogen-like”. It is indicated, in addition to menopause, in all cycle disorders. However, this gentle and beneficial essential oil is strongly discouraged for women suffering or who have suffered from breast cancer or any hormone-dependent cancer.

Did You Know?

Hot flashes are one of the manifestations of menopause. The hormonal upheaval of this transition period also affects the limbic system, the center of emotions, and the autonomic nervous system, which can lead to sleep disorders, fatigue, nervousness, anxiety, weight problems.

I Use Hydrosols SAFELY

The tip proposed with the clary sage hydrosol does not involve any particular contraindications, as it is a completely standard use. On the other hand, the use of clary sage essential oil is totally prohibited for any woman who has suffered or is suffering from a hormone-dependent cancer (or if there has been one in the close family).

SALVIA SCLAREA Clary Sage

Clary sage is a perennial, hardy plant with a musky scent. It is remarkable among all sages for its spikes of pale blue flowers, its size, which can reach 1.50 m in cultivation, and its large gray-green leaves covered with a down containing the essential oil. It contains sclareol, a sesquiterpene alcohol reputed to have an “estrogen-like” effect. This is why aromatherapists recommend this essential oil in the context of premenopause, in order to remedy the drop in estrogen levels and make the transition easier.