Q: Can a change in my diet help my hot flashes?
A: To ease the symptoms of menopause, eat calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese as well as dark green, leafy vegetables including broccoli and spinach. Eat fruits, vegetables and whole-grain cereal products, especially those high in vitamin C and carotene such as oranges, grapefruit, carrots, winter squash and tomatoes. Soy helps too, as a replacement for HRT (hormone replacement therapy), although there have been no controlled studies on its benefits. It may not preclude going on hormone replacement therapy, but I recommend giving it a try to see if it works.
