What foods trigger hot flushes and should be avoided?
Common food triggers for hot flushes include spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol, and highly processed foods high in sugar or salt. Avoiding these can help reduce symptom frequency and severity.
Detailed Medical Explanation
Hot flushes can be triggered by foods that increase blood flow or stimulate the nervous system. Spicy dishes, caffeine (coffee, tea, chocolate), alcoholic drinks, and heavily processed foods are frequent culprits. Everyone’s triggers differ, so keeping a food diary can be helpful. More at the NHS menopause diet page.
Clinical Context
Adjusting your diet and avoiding common triggers is a straightforward way to minimise hot flushes. Other healthy eating habits can help overall wellbeing.
Evidence-Based Approaches
NICE and NHS guidelines recommend dietary modification for troublesome vasomotor symptoms. See NICE menopause guidance.