Legumes, vegetables and soy foods are safe, nutritious and good for you, whether you're having hot flashes or not. Caused by hormonal surges, hot flashes usually last for three to five minutes, but they can feel like an eternity. Some women get flushed, sweat profusely and even have heart palpitations. Other women have flashes so mild that they barely notice them. About 80 percent of all women going through menopause have hot flashes at one point or another.
Studies show that thin women are more prone to hot flashes than heavier women.
This is because even after the ovaries slow their hormone production, fat cells continue to produce small amounts of estrogen. So women with a lot of fat cells go through less drastic estrogen withdrawal than their leaner sisters. Vitamin E can act as an estrogen substitute, explains Dr. Lark. Studies have shown that it can relieve hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and even vaginal dryness. Vitamin E is really an essential part of a supplement program for women during the menopause years, she says.