Hot Flashes: a Good Thing?

February 15, 2011 The Power of Pink

One of the funniest things about my mom is when she gets a hot flash. I even bought her a portable fan that says: “Use in case of hot flash.” We all know what hot flashes are and we can all joke about them. But now according to USA Today, hot flashes may be a decreased risk for breast cancer.

The publication stated in January that women between the ages of 55 and 74, who experienced higher rates of hot flashes, were at a fifty percent lower risk of breast cancer. And because high levels of estrogen may contribute to breast cancer risks, the hormonal changes that hot flashes cause are actually a good thing.

According to BreastCancer.org, a hot flash is defined as a “sudden, intense, hot feeling on your face and upper body, and could be accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and sweating, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, headache, weakness, or a feeling of suffocation.”

Doctors want to better understand hormonal and biological changes before they add ‘menopausal symptoms’ to the list for lowering breast cancer risks, but ladies I think a lower breast cancer risk is something you can thank your hot flashes for.