HYDRATION ✨ PACE ✨ GRACE: (June heat survival guide)
- Jun 5
- 7 min read
Yep...A new month, we knew it was coming. June is here, and bringing a forecast of 100 percent SUNSAUCE.
Apparently, the internet is having one of those Hot Girl Summer moments...Again. Ugh. I thought we were done with all that but nope; hot girl walks. Run clubs. Pickleball post. Meanwhile our autoimmune bodies are over here like... CAN I SIT THIS ONE OUT?
I FEEL YOU. YOU KNOW I DO.
So this month we are talking about movement. Not the "earn your body back" kind. Not the "summer shred" kind. The kind that actually makes JOY in our cells and lets us dance through the heat like it's purposeful...because it is.
WHY MOVE AT ALL?
Real talk. I don't move because I love sweating. In fact I hate, well I don't hate anything, but I strongly dislike the icky sticky feeling of sweat. Especially in my perimenopause state. I move because the science behind movement is wildly inviting.
When we move, our bodies make JOY chemicals. Endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. Movement also regulates the stress response system in our brains AND reduces inflammation. Read that again, Magnet. MOVEMENT REDUCES INFLAMMATION.
Active people show 20 to 33 percent lower odds of depression. A single 10 minute walk creates measurable mood improvement. You do not need a rigorous six day a week gym schedule. You just need to move 1 time today, and then again tomorrow, and the next day.
SOME AUTOIMMUNE ADVICE IS ANTIQUATED (OLD)
A lot of the advice we got at diagnosis was REST. AVOID. STAY STILL. That narrative did a number on our communities, because in recent years the science has consistently said MOVE! If your neurologist is not emphasizing movement...you may want to consider a new neurologist.
Movement is safe and beneficial across MS, lupus, RA, IBD, fibromyalgia, scleroderma and more. Movement INCREASES the anti-inflammatory cells in our immune system. Movement REDUCES fatigue. Two things we all want. And for women with an autoimmune disease, resistance training appears to be the golden ticket with programs of 8 weeks or more delivering the biggest payoff.
I know I know....
BUT KELLYE... IT'S SO HOT
I hear you. June is no joke. And July isn't any better. The heat index in Chicago is already side-eyeing us all. I went for a walk yesterday and had to stop in the shade multiple times.
Here is the part the autoimmunity community needs to say out loud. Heat is not neutral for our bodies.
Between 60 and 80 percent of MS patients experience worsening symptoms when body temperature rises by less than half a degree. That phenomenon has a name. Uhthoff's Phenomenon.
For Lupus Magnets, heat + UV can trigger symptoms.
For RA Magnets, dehydration amplifies joint pain.
For pretty much every autoimmune Magnet, heat asks more of the nervous system.
So no. We are not pretending heat does not matter. AND we are not sitting out the summer. We are moving smart and staying cool.
Six cooling tips I am personally using this summer:
🌞 Move EARLY or LATE. Before 10am or after 7pm. Avoid the heat window (11am to 5pm) like your auntie avoids her ex at the family BBQ. Take a short walk/roll when you first get up or an evening stroll when the sun goes down.
🌞 Pre-cool. A cold drink. A cool shower. Or soak your hands in ice water for a few minutes BEFORE you start. Lower your baseline so you have more margin. I personally LOVE running my hands under cold water when I come in from the heat. It really does work. Side Note: Running your hands under cold water when you are feeling uneasy or overwhelmed also brings great relief.
🌞 Cool the right spots. Cold water towels on the neck or ice packs on the back of the knees. Even put a wet bandana in the freezer and tie that on your head once it's cold. Bonus tip... your inner wrists are thermoregulation gold, rub ice cubes on them and feel some inmediate cooling.
🌞 Hydrate or DIE-DRATE. Add electrolytes if you sweat a lot. Dehydration amplifies every autoimmune symptom we have. Drink water...I know, the whole bladder conundrum, believe me...I feel you. If you know you'll be home or near a restroom, load up on some good ole' H2O. Don't be a thirsty magnet.
🌞 Get IN the water. Pool walking and Water aerobics - My mom just started doing this at the YMCA and I couldn't be prouder. It's low lift. The water is doing the work. Maybe some gentle floating in a lake (though I wouldn't dare put my locs in lake water 🙄) Any water-based movement is the GOLD STANDARD for autoimmune bodies in summer. Cool, low impact, and Joyful.
🌞 Move indoors when you need to. Mall walking (do malls still exist?), dance breaks in your living room, gym time, gentle stretches at work. The AC is your friend. Indoor movement counts, however small. Up and down those 6 steps to the laundry room is a win.
And if your body says today is a chill body day... that ALSO counts as honoring the practice. Skip. Rest. Try tomorrow. Just don't skip the whole week. Move a smidge.
BONUS TIP: Salty snacks on super hot days can help retain water and help us stay hydrated from sweating so much. But also...be mindful of salt intake always, that can be a trigger for inflammation. Find your balance. Pick your pace. Give yourself grace.
JUNE'S JOY MOVE CHALLENGE
For the next 7 days, move your body for JOY once a day. Not for weight loss. Not for guilt. Not because some influencer told you wellness requires suffering. Just for the joy of being in your one and only body.
It can be a 5 minute dance break. A 10 minute walk before the sun gets ugly. A pool dip. A bodyweight circuit. A slow yoga flow with a fan blowing on you. Move at YOUR pace. Give yourself grace.
Cool yourself before, during, and after. Drink the water. Honor a chill body day if needed.
On day 8, look back and notice how a week of moving for joy shifted your energy.
I am doing it with you, Magnets. Movement is medicine.
-Kellye 🧡🌻
In other news...
IMPROV FOR ADVOCACY & CONFIDENCE (IFAC) FALL SIGN-UP'S ARE NOW AVAILABLE
IFAC is now a 12-month program that builds month by month on the skillsets of improv and comedy to teach advocacy and confidence. I know you're like what...a year long commitment? Okay, let me clear up some pressing questions:
Do I need to attend every session?
NO! It would be nice and each session will build month by month, however nothing will be so advanced that if you miss one, or two, or even three, you'll be lost or out of the loop.
Should I plan to attend every month?
YES! For three main reasons:
ENGAGEMENT - our community has a habit of avoiding functions to regulate our nervous system, I do it, too. This is an invitation to at least connect once a month with a group of people who understand what you're going through.
Improv and comedy is one of those skills that build over time. The more you do it, the more confident you become at doing it. So, the more IFAC workshops you attend, the easier it will become to advocate for yourself in ALL settings. The great thing about being a comedian, is we know MOST of this crap isn't that serious. This is what improv and comedy helps you to embody on a cellular level the more you do it.
It is sure to bring you more JOY. I can almost guarantee it.
Do I have to perform everytime?
Of course...not. Would we like you to get involved? Sure. However, we will never make you feel guilt or shame by just observing. We also know there's no way to witness the fun without craving to join in, it's infectious.
How much does it cost me?
Your time and energy. That's it that's all. We try to make all events affordable or FREE. A community of like minded individuals shoudn't break the bank. We joyfully accept any donations/support you offer towards our programmng efforts, and we love and welcome you all the same if you don't.
Sign up below for one or all the workshops. We will have different instructors over the course of the program, so it'll never feel stale or redudnant. :)
Oh and we read the reviews...there will be small snacks available moving forward.
ONE MORE THING (A NEW PLACE TO FIND ME)
I have news. I just launched a personal Substack called (A) Philosophy of Joy.
The "A" is on purpose. Not THEE. This is my personal journal. Meandering thinking. Parenthetical asides. Deeper, weirder, more personal explorations of what joy actually means in my life.
This blog and the monthly newsletter will still come to you from MS-ing Around. The Substack is the extra space I needed to think out loud.
First post drops next week. It is called A Philosophy of Joy.
Ha. Go figure.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
What is your June Joy movement going to be? A dance break? A pool dip? A real long walk in the morning before the sun starts showing off?
We want to know. Reply, comment, slide into the MS-ing Around IG/Facebook DM's.
btw: are you following us there? If not our IG is @ms_ingaround and our Facebook is @aphilosophyofjoy.
We are not promising movement makes life easier or the hard things any softer. But if the choice this June is between MOVING WITH JOY or NOT MOVING in addition to all the hard things, we'll take the movement every time.
Keep sweating glitter and dignity, and dancing through the heat like it is nobody's business.
See you out there, Magnets.
With Joy always, MS-ing Around! 🧡🌻
Comments