How to Beat the Summer Heat with Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism!

Heat intolerance can be a major symptom of Hashimoto’s & Hypothyroidism in the summer months!

If you’re anything like I was not only are you struggling to keep warm for the majority of the time but you can’t stand the heat either!

When I was at my worst with Hashimoto’s I spent about 90% of the time freezing my ass off and the other 10% so hot I felt like I’d combust!

Seriously having to spend the summer indoors whilst everyone else was basking in the sun was pretty lonely.

They’d be out on the beach or exploring new places on their holidays whilst I was hiding indoors.

And if I did summon the courage to head out in the heat I’d very quickly find myself struggling with unpleasant symptoms.

Common symptoms of heat intolerance:

weakness, intense muscle fatigue
shakiness and tremors
all consuming fatigue
heat exhaustion
blurred vision
nausea
increased heart rate and breathlessness

It was pretty crap!

Now that I have the auto-immune attack under control I no longer experience any of this and can spend the entire day wandering around on my holidays in the sun! But more importantly I actually feel part of things again, I can join in with all the stuff I was missing out on before.

A day at the beach with friends! No more hiding away indoors to avoid the heat!

6 tips to help get heat intolerance under control:

1. Balance Blood Sugar:

Ditch the sugar, refined white carbs and the processed foods in favour of real whole foods! Eating these are keeping you on that blood sugar rollercoaster and are causing you to overheat!

2. Up the water intake:

Dehydration can make you feel the heat much more intensely. And whilst you’re at it avoid the caffeinated drinks as they act as a diuretic and will increase that feeling of dehydration. If you’re sweating a lot adding in an electrolyte to your water will help too.

3. Get Thyroid Levels Checked:

There can be a variation in seasonal thyroid medication dose requirements (1). If you’re still on your winter dose, it may be a little more than you need during the summer, this can impact temperature regulation. I have to adjust my dose very slightly from winter to summer and vice versa). Speak to your doctor about trialling a change from summer to winter. It can be a minute change that makes the difference; an extra quarter tablet a week in winter is a sufficient increase for me.

4. Improve Stomach Acid Levels

These can be low in those with Hashimoto’s and Hypothyroidism (2). Low HCL levels can lead to EFA, mineral, electrolyte, and fat soluble vitamin deficiencies all of which are needed to help regulate temperature. You can improve stomach acid levels by improving eating habits and with vagus nerve stimulation (3).

5. Practice Stress Management Techniques

Low adrenal function due to chronic stress can cause you to sweat and feel the heat more. Introducing breathing techniques, meditation and mindfulness will help. Stress causes changes in gastrointestinal secretions and can lower HCL levels (4).

6. Support Liver & Gall Bladder Function

Temperature regulation issues and flushing are a sign of poor liver and gall bladder function. The liver filtrates and detoxifies microbial products, harmful bacteria and their metabolites received from the digestive system (5). Low HCL can lead to dysbiosis in the gut, increasing the burden on the liver and gall bladder. Introduce liver and gall bladder supporting foods, i.e. bitter greens, green leafy veggies, bright coloured veg and fruit, green tea, herbs and spices, lecithin containing foods and healthy fats.

Need help incorporating these changes?

That’s where I come in!

I don’t only focus on diet and the gut but on the whole system, including looking at lifestyle interventions.

How does spending time in the sun with the kids, your partner or your besties with no more shakiness, fatigue, nausea or breathlessness sound?

Good right!

A day at the waterpark in the baking sun & no sign of heat intolerance symptoms!

Living without all those symptoms is completely doable!

Go ahead and Book a free 30 minute Hashimoto’s Health Discovery call to find out how the 1:1 Hashimoto’s Healing Programme can help you break out of that loop & get rid of the heat intolerance & many other symptoms too!

Want to know more about me and my journey?

You can find more details here.

Hey Sam

I have the all clear to use the photo, my friend Lulu, had everyone sign off all use of photos taken at the retreat to be used in public domains

Yeh so if you send the last draft I will read and I think we are good to go

Xxxxx

References

Main – Photo by Herbert Goetsch on Unsplash