여자로서 특정 나이대에 들게되면 낮이나 밤에 이상한 “열기”를 느끼게 되는데, 이것이 특별한 현상은 아닙니다. 즉, 폐경기에 들어서면 나타나는 일반적인 현상입니다.
폐경기에 들어서기 전까지 난소활동과 호르몬 생산활동이 저하하게 되는데, 이 결과로 호르몬 불균형이 일어나면서 신체의 온도가 불규칙적으로 변화되는 것입니다.
이러한 전환기를 접하면서부터 호르몬 생산 역할은 부신(Adrenal glands)에서 맡게 됩니다. 우리 몸에는 2개의 부신이 신장(콩팥)위에 위치하고 있어 호르몬을 분비하고 스트레스한 상황에 몸이 적응하도록 화학물질을 생산합니다.
부신은 몸이 이러한 역할과 환경에 적응할 수 있도록 스트레스 호르몬을 생산합니다. 하지만 호르몬 분비가 과다해지면 부신도 상당한 부담을 느끼게 되는데, 특히 스트레스 호르몬인 코르티솔(Cortisol)이 급상승할 때 체온불균형이 일어나게 되어 수면장애로 잠을 못이루는 경우가 있게 됩니다.
이러한 스트레스에 도움이 되는 천연 허브를 섭취해보세요. 강장제(Adaptogens)로 알려진 허브군으로 우리 몸의 신경계에 도움을 줄 수 있습니다. 이러한 허브의 지원효과는 몸을 좀더 이완시키고, 균형있게 조절하며, 스트레스와 관련된 부신의 역할을 경감시켜주는데 도움을 줄 수 있습니다. 홍경천(Rhodiloa), 위타니아(Withania), 바코파(Bacopa) 등의 허브가 특히 몸의 신경계 균형 및 이완에 좋습니다.
특히 카페인은 부신기능에 매우 안좋기 때문에 커피, 홍차, 녹차, 술(알코올) 등은 우리 몸내에 열기를 발생 또는 가속 시킬수 있습니다. 반대로, 체내에 비타민 C를 많이 섭취하면 부신기능 강화에 도움을 줄 수 있습니다.
이 모든 것을 감안할 때, 몸의 체온급변은 폐경기시 나타나는 여러 증상중 하나라는 것을 이해하셔야 합니다. 이 외에 수면장애, 흥분, 손바닥이 축축하게 젖는 현상 등도 나타날 수 있습니다. 이런 경우 여성에게는 따뜻한 사랑과 관심이 최고의 치료제일 것입니다.
영문원본
Feeling the heat even when it’s cold out?
As a woman, when you reach a certain age, it is not uncommon to experience the odd “tropical moment” either during the day or, more frustratingly, during the night. This is one of the challenges that can occur when you reach menopausal transition.
Once you have passed your reproductive years, activity in your ovaries declines and hormone production starts to slow; this can lead to hormone levels becoming out of balance, often resulting in bodily temperature fluctuations. Once you reach this transitional phase and for the remainder of your life, hormone production is taken over by your adrenal glands. Your body has two of these and they sit on top of your kidneys releasing hormones as well as chemicals that help your body to adapt to stressful situations.
Many women find themselves juggling a variety of roles in life during this time, such as being a mother, partner and sustaining their career or employment throughout. Your adrenal glands may be working hard to produce stress hormones to help your body cope and adapt during this time. Combine this with the fact that the adrenals are now the main producer of what little female sex hormones that continue to be produced, and you’ll see that these hard-working little glands are under considerable pressure to perform! Surges of stress hormones, particularly cortisol, can lead to temperature imbalances and can disturb your sleep in the night, often making it hard to get back to sleep or to get a full night’s rest.
For some women, this menopausal transition can last years, so supporting your body throughout this time of change is hugely important. Nature has provided a number of herbs that help support your body with adapting to stress; these are a part of a group of herbs known as adaptogens, which support your nervous system. The support provided by these herbs enables your body to move into a more restful, balanced state where it needs less support from your adrenals glands surrounding stress. Herbs such as rhodiola, withania and bacopa are particularly useful to support a balanced nervous system and support relaxation.
There are also a number of lifestyle factors that can influence the effects of stress on your body. Caffeine, for instance, can aggravate your adrenal glands, so drinking coffee and black or green tea can often lead to a heat serge shortly afterwards. Similarly, alcohol can also make overheating more of a challenge at this time. It can also be beneficial to increase your vitamin C levels as vitamin C is heavily used by your adrenal glands during times of stress.
With all of this in mind, it is important to understand that temperature changes are only one symptom of this transitional period. During your menopausal transition, you may find that you experience other symptoms such as disrupted sleep or feeling wired, or you may find that your palms are often damp. If you find you are experiencing any of these factors then your adrenal glands may be feeling the heat and may need a little love and attention.
