Flaxseed Fights Hot Flashes

Mayo Clinic findings published in the Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology, summer 2007 issue, indicate that flaxseed could be an effective herbal medicine for postmenopausal women suffering from hot flashes.

Frightening news reports earlier this year related to the dangerous side effects of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) sent many women searching for natural cures to menopause’s irksome symptoms.
Hot flashes often occur randomly and can be accompanied by intense sweating and reddening of the skin.

Other natural cures for menopause that have been investigated by leading experts in the field include soy, vitamin E, and black cohosh.

The Mayo Clinic research team chose flaxseed as the herbal medicine of choice in this study due to its phytoestrogen components and because it also contains lignans and omega-3 fatty acids. And though the results were extremely promising in proving flaxseed as a natural cure for hot flashes, the team emphasizes the fact that this is still only a pilot study; more definitive research is still needed.

Participants in the Mayo Clinic study cited a dangerous increased risk of breast cancer from HRT as the main reason for seeking out alternative medicine treatments for hot flashes.