80 to 85% of menopausal women experience hot flashes, night sweats, irritability and anxiety. Each year about 1.5 million women reach menopause. That’s 1.2 to 1.275 million unhappy, flashing, irritable women every year. Since menopause symptoms can go on for several years, these women can reach numbers high enough to qualify for a minority group status.

But help may be as simple as regular exercise, and it doesn’t have to be heavy-duty aerobic classes or powerlifting. In a study of 164 sedentary menopausal women who did no additional exercise for four months, but began either a walking program or a yoga program, the symptoms of menopause reportedly decreased and the women reported generally better health and mood.

The bottom line is that physical activity can lessen symptoms and increase quality of life for millions of women who suffer from the symptoms of menopause.

Walking, Yoga May Enhance Quality of Life During Menopause

Okay, I read an amazing (and comforting) thing today. Apparently, it is not necessarily a bad idea to maintain a little extra weight during menopause. The reason? Hot flashes.

Now there are many hypotheses on why hot flashes occur and the best ways to combat them. What no one disputes is that 75% to 80% of women experience hot flashes during menopause. Mild flashes last a few minutes, severe ones can last up to 30 minutes and be followed by a chilled feeling.

Diets high in fiber and low in fat are recommended to lower the incidence of hot flashes. B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and potassium, can be depleted during hot flashes, so taking supplements of these nutrients can be helpful. Soy has been suggested as a preventative due to the phytoestrogens contained in soy.

But what I read today states that thinner women may have a higher incidence of hot flashes. This is because hormones secreted by the adrenals are converted into estrogen by fat cells. So having a few fat cells on hand is not a bad idea.

If anyone asks, that hot fudge sundae I had for dessert was simply medicinal.