My guest blogger today is Katie Brind’Amour. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist and freelance health and wellness writer based in America, and loves learning about natural ways to live well. She enjoys writing for Healthline.com and WomensHealthcareTopics.com:
Perhaps it’s wishful Spring thinking, or perhaps it’s the knowledge that year after year it does eventually get warmer, that makes me turn to thoughts of sun and heat. When fighting MS, however, warm weather is not all good news.
Most people with MS have something in common: myelin sheath that has taken a permanent vacation. This means your nerves are extra sensitive to temperature changes, and flare-ups can happen.
Dealing with MS When It’s HOT (or if you’re in the UK….’a tad warm’)
- Make the air conditioner your best friend. Hang out together all the time—whether it’s at your house or the local grocery store, mall, or movie theater. Becoming best mates means lots of quality time in a cool, comfortable climate (and less quality time feeling the burn!).
- Invest in ice packs. These frozen heroes can be frozen overnight and taken with you for a day trip, picnic, or even a hot car ride (if your car can’t handle your air conditioner best friend). They are super cheap and stay cold for many hours—wrap them in a towel for long-lasting cold presses. Otherwise, be old-fashioned and just run a washcloth under water to use to cool your skin during walks or outdoor time.
- Be cool: use water. This means drink it (cold!), swim in it, and bathe in it wisely. Add ice to beverages to keep your core a bit cooler, enjoy a cool pool for exercise, and take a cool bath. Hot water only tends to aggravate MS symptoms. Although you can sub out other cold liquids for the drinking bit, substituting other liquids for swimming and bathing may not be quite as feasible…
- Protect that body! Be smart about your exposure to sun and heat. This goes for clothing (dress lightly and protect your skin from sunburn) as well as for finding shade. Short of investing in one of those giant retractable awnings they show on TV, you might try finding a shady park for morning walks or wearing a super fashionable baseball cap.
Just remember: to beat the heat troubles of MS, it doesn’t take pure genius, just common sense. Enjoy the coming warm breezes with a totally chillaxed mind (and body—MS or no!).
p.s. the totally gratuitous image of a lovely young man cooling down was taken by Graur Razvan Ionut and is available free (the image, not the man) at http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/agree-terms.php?id=10019970
Everywhere I have been in the US has air conditioning as standard, but it is really needed. We don’t have the heat for long enough to warrant the cost in our homes in the UK, or the temperatures, although I am sure there are some that do have it.
When it is very hot though (our hot – not Arizona hot!), Tesco (large grocery store) becomes rather appealing because it does have air con which is a relief. Trouble is the journey to get there, my old car doesn’t have air con!
hi Julie!
I treated myself to a huge fan last year and it’s been an excellent friend. It means I can cool down rapidly rather than waiting hours.
Know what you mean about supermarkets. Cinemas are good too!
X
This is a great tip from Alan – Hi, as a fellow MSer here is my tip for keeping cool in the hot weather…
Fill a large plastic bottle with water, place it in the freezer overnight… then the next day when things are warming up stand the frozen bottle in front of your fan & hay presto you have home made air-con. Be careful tho as the bottle sweat’s & may make the floor wet!
Keep up the good work & keep cool.
Fantastic tip – I will be trying this in the summer! Thanks Alan. x
Ummm, what was this post about? Totally distracted by man and fan.
🙂
I purchased one of those cool (but def. not “cool”) vests; it’s not the most glam of accessories, but it’s really helped on some broiling hot days when I couldn’t avoid being outside.
I’ve heard about those vests – may need one if we do actually have a summer this year! It’s funny, but I used to hate the cold, lol.
X
p.s. a rather nice young man, shame my fan didn’t come with one…
Once you get over looking like Steve Irwin minus the lights and cameras, and thousand-dollar bills falling out of your pockets, they’re not so bad, really. A rather jaunty “adventurer-about-town” look. At least, that’s what I tell myself.
You should return that fan and complain.
You wear them OUTSIDE your clothes??? I thought it was a discreet little mini-vest you slipped under a t-shirt!
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