Herewith, we look at the foods you can eat to keep the hot flashes at bay.

Tomatoes
High in Vitamin C, levels of which drop during recurring hot flashes, tomatoes can help prevent hot flashes altogether. If those aren’t your favorite, try bell peppers, broccoli, papaya, jicama, strawberries, mango and/or kiwi instead.

Salmon
A veritable panacea for so much of what ails, salmon is also a tasty way to stave off hot flashes thanks to its high vitamin B content. Foods that also use vitamin B to blast away flashes include tuna, lentils, potatoes, chili peppers, turkey, oats, Brazil nuts and avocado.

Sesame seeds
These tiny seeds contain lignans, which are fibers that boost vitamin E and reduce cholesterol. Toss them onto salads or meats for an easy way to incorporate them into your diet.

Citrus fruits
Oranges, tangerines and grapefruit are all fun of bioflavoids, which tend to lessen the frequency of hot flashes.

Wheat germ
Rich in nutrients like Vitamin E, zinc and folic acid, wheat germ wards off hot flashes by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and giving your nervous system a boost.

Soy
These foods contain phytoestrogens, which mimic female hormones, and can reduce the severity of symptoms. It’s also a great way to get protein in your system.

Herbs
Whether you sip them in a tincture or tea or use them to flavor up your favorite dishes, herbs like cohosh, ginseng, primrose oil and licorice root help relieve hot flashes.

Really want to ensure that you keep your cool?

Maintaining a healthy weight is the number one way to go. So remember to eat cleanly, exercise daily and stay well-hydrated. It’s also helpful to avoid certain foods that are known to trigger hot flashes, including caffeine, alcohol, red meat, garlic, chocolate, aged cheese and foods with high amounts of sugar. And while you’re at it, avoid smoking, hot showers, hot tubs, diet pills, hot weather, stress and anxiety, which can all also exacerbate hot flashes.

A Better You Weight Loss can help you lose up to 20 pounds in one month alone! Email or call 888.373.THIN/8446 for the details.

Ch-ch-ch-changes—when it comes to a woman’s health, they are never ending.

Just when we settle into each phase of our lives, a new one rolls around to throw us for a loop.

What can we do? Well, we can start by getting educated on what to expect and how to handle what’s coming our way. After all, forewarned is forearmed, right?

On Thursday, October 20 at 7:00 pm, in conjunction with CentraState Medical Center’s Live. Laugh. Learn.: Ladies Wellness Workshop, Healthy Woman’s own Dr. Susan Pacana dishes on the many splendored changes you’ll go through from adolescence to menopause, including the latest ways to deal with heavy periods, fibroids and endometriosis.

Join her for this not-to-be-missed open and honest seminar.

It’s more girl talk than lecture, so come prepared with questions!

See you at the Star and Barry Tobias Ambulatory Campus 901 West Main Street in Freehold!

For more information, go to www.centrastate.com/livelaughlearn or call us at 732.431.1616.

Okay, so maybe the lyrics don’t go quite like that, but for women of a certain age, it’s the burning question—and not just because of hot flashes. Wondering what to look for when it comes to perimenopause? Here are some of the telltale signs:

Hot flashes. This hallmark of perimenopause—a sudden feeling of warmth, usually around the face, neck and chest—got its reputation for good reason, as up to three-quarters of perimenopausal women will get them at some point.

Irregular periods. As your body prepares to stop menstruating completely, your periods could become more erratic. They may become shorter, longer, heavier, lighter, closer together, farther apart, or just completely unpredictable.

Breast tenderness. About a third of women in the early stages of perimenopause will experience tender breasts, but it often subsides later on.

Mood swings. Feeling sad, irritable or just plain blah could be a sign that menopause is on the horizon.

Decreased sex drive. A lack of libido can have many different causes, but the hormonal changes your body goes through as it prepares for menopause can zap some of your desire, as can other symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and fatigue from lack of sleep.

Bladder issues. Needing to urinate more often, leaking when you cough or sneeze, and urinary incontinence (leaking randomly) are three of the ways your bladder control might change with perimenopause.

Every woman is different and might experience all or none of the above signs. If any symptoms are interfering with your well-being or you have questions about perimenopause, contact your Healthy Woman doctor.

Whether it’s a time of love or a time of hate, a time of war or a time of peace, a time you may embrace or a time to refrain from embracing, it’s a time that—turn, turn, turn—comes for every woman, in every season.