Some of you might be wondering, what is the Menopod™?

The Menopod ® is a hand-held miniature refrigeration unit operating on the principle of the Peltier Thermoelectric Cooler. When activated it’s copper cooling plates immediately drop to 41 degrees F (5 degrees C). Menopod™ is small enough to carry in a purse and discreet to use. It works by counteracting what happens during a hot flash. When we suffer menopausal vasomotor instability (hot flash), our surface blood vessels dilate causing a flush and sensation of heat. Press the power button when the discomfort starts and place the Menopod™ on the back of your neck, where your thermoreceptors are most sensitive. Ice cubes or a bag of frozen peas might work too, but they are not instantly available and horribly messy and inconvenient.

The Menopod™ is the result of several years of extensive research and design by an experienced team of professionals. We wanted to create a product that would provide relief from menopausal hot flashes to be effective with no known side effects.

Our team looked to medical experts in the field too. Dr. Vivien Brown MDCM, CCFP, FCFP, NCMP renowned in her field, saw a real need for this kind of product. Brown says she has seen a slew of products for menopausal women introduced over the last few years -ranging from herbal remedies to sleepwear to hygiene items.

“More women are experiencing menopause today than at any time in history, with some starting to have symptoms as early as 40 years old,” said Dr. Brown. “Natural, convenient products such as the Menopod™ are an excellent choice for menopausal women providing relief from hot flashes and improving their quality of life without hormonal intervention and its potential side effects”. Hormone replacement therapy has been shown to reduce hot flashes; however, it has the stigma of potential long-term side effects, including an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Dr. Karen Snow, a Barrie-based Naturopath points out that the Menopod™ can be used in conjunction with prescribed natural supplements or on its own. “The market is ready for an effective non-evasive treatment. The fast relief from Menopod™ will give women confidence knowing they have a safe solution right in their hand,” she said.

For most women, non-medical solutions are sufficient to manage the symptoms of menopause. “About 80 percent of women will have symptoms – even 90 percent,” says Dr. Brown. “But only 20-30 percent will be disabled by their symptoms. And that’s a question I ask my patients: Are you disabled? Or can we just mitigate this by various things?”

Many of these options are straightforward: dressing in layers, not drinking alcohol and avoiding spicy foods or hot beverages can all help.

Some herbal supplements have proven popular as well, but Dr. Brown doesn’t recommend them. “Studies on some of the herbal remedies – like black cohosh, evening primrose and red clover – are inconclusive. They don’t look to be any better than placebos.”

Menopod™ customers have also reported that its cooling effects are useful for symptoms of migraine headaches, fever, hyperthermia (overheating) and may other. If cooling is effective, then Menopod can help!