Inability to cope with heat


(Mary) #1

We’ve got some pretty smart people on this forum so I though I’d throw it out here - yes, I’m in the middle of menopause (well, started 8 years ago; maybe I’m past the middle?), and yes, we’re coming into some pretty hot weather here in Edmonton but honestly, this being too hot all the time is impacting my life. I like to get out for a long walk every day but am finding if I don’t get out by 7am, it’s just too damn hot to get out at all. Hubby and I are making plans to travel in retirement but when any place warm gets mentioned (Spain, Australia, etc), I feel nothing but dread because I know how miserable I’ll be once the temps get over 20C. I spend all day wearing as little as possible and staying under a fan and it’s only May!!! Googling hasn’t given me any answers and I’m getting worried enough that it’s time to ask my buddies on the keto forum.

Is anyone else dealing with a body that can’t cope with normal summer temps?

Thanks!
Mary


(Omar) #2

is your thyroid ok ?


(Raj Seth) #3

Sounds like the setup for a XXX movie :rofl:

Seriously, my wife has rebuilt her metabolism on keto. Now, she can’t remember when she last had cold extremities. At night she is such a hottie, that if togetherness is to happen, must have fan and lighter covers.

Am I complaining about it - yes but with tongue firmly in cheek. If the price for metabolic repair is being hotter - so be it! Heck when I was 300lbs, I just needed to tie my laces to break into a sweat - so I’m ahead of the game in the big picture!!

I would say that your “hotness” is a symptom of metabolic health and go with that!

(BTW - my wife also about that long into menopause)


(Mary) #4

I haven’t been to a doctor in over 2 years but in 2015 I had a thorough physical, which included checking thyroid. At that point, there were no concerns.
Thank you for your response.


(Mary) #5

I’m so glad this computer doesn’t have a camera… :grin:

I hope you’re right about metabolic health but I’m almost 5 months in and have yet to lose a pound :disappointed:. Still, perhaps I’m on my way (towards metabolic health) and just need to be patient.

But I sure wish we were coming into winter instead of summer…


(Raj Seth) #6

Thank whatever lord you pray to that you’re not pregnant and coming into summer!!


(Mary) #7

Ah, yes - it could always be worse…


#8

This is going to to sound miserable…but hot yoga helped me reset my thermostat (These are my unscientific findings). I slowly built up my tolerance level to the heat (the first three times I left the class to get air which is a no no). However, after about a month…I started craving the heat and I was able to manage warm to hot days fairly easily. I was always the lady in the corner in a sweaty puddle if it was over85 degrees, but now I just bring a visor and can stay pretty ok.


(Mary) #9

You’re right, Bella - that does sound miserable. I spend all my time trying to stay cool; I can’t imagine deliberately putting myself in a hot environment.
However, your suggestion had me googling “building up heat tolerance” and I came across someone saying that iodine can raise body temperature :man_facepalming:. I’ve been supplementing iodine as we never eat fish and live a million miles from the ocean. Perhaps I wasn’t low after all… (puts bottle back in cupboard).
Thanks so much for your suggestion!


#10

Hi Mary
how long have you been eating the keto way? I entered the menopause nearly 3 years but only into my 14th week of keto. Hit the fat adaption about 8 weeks ago and strangely the increasing temperatures don’t bother me now, have sat outside or gardening over the long weekend in UK with good temps for the first time in nearly 3 years.

For me, the test will be in 6 days time when we go to Egypt on holiday. I couldn’t have contemplated this 9 weeks ago (booked 3 weeks ago!). My body has changed in such a positive way its quite astounding. I felt old until 8 weeks ago, now I have a real zest for life.
Ali


(Mary) #11

Hi Ali,
I’ve been strictly keto for nearly 5 months.
I’d be interested in how you manage the heat in Egypt, if you’d be willing to send a note when you return. I imagine it’s much warmer than any place I would contemplate! It’s truly wonderful to hear that you’ve had such wonderful changes - I’m noticing a few small positives myself, but nothing yet in the weight loss department. Hope on, hope eternal…
Cheers,
Mary


(Terence Dean) #12

We live in Adelaide, South Australia which has a similar climate to Arizona so I’m told, its hot but dry in Summer, mild winters. Regularly hits 40 deg C especially around Jan-Feb. Only way to cope with hot weather here is to drink water and lots of it. I worked for a guy once who had us working out of a tin roofed building on a 45 deg day, and he coped by drinking beer all day while he worked. He was sweating so much that he never got drunk, it was truly amazing to witness but some Aussies are crazy like that. Most of the guys working there drank upwards of 4-6 litres of water a day.

So that is the secret that Aussies have to cope with the heat, its called hydration and believe me there have been plenty of tourists who’ve been caught out going into the outback with not enough water on board. Adelaide is relatively cool compared to the centre where it hits 50+ in summer often, your dead very quickly without water if you breakdown on some of those roads, golden rule is stay in the shade and do not move away from your vehicle, you won’t make it. Of course the other thing to take into consideration is acclimatization, you do get used to higher temperatures after a few years. So you can walk in high temperatures so long as you hydrate before hand and take plenty of water. I’ve worked in 50 degrees C and survived by drinking H20 all day, no problem but you’re wet with sweat which is fine and the way the body stays cool.

Here’s a link to articles regarding water requirements for the Australian Army while they were in Vietnam, just reading through it confirms that the required intake was 3-5 litres a day, rising to 10 litres if the soldier was working very hard.


#13

Hi Mary

Yes, I’ll mail you to let you know if my body copes with the Egyptian heat when I return. I’m sure you’ll see the changes you’re looking for, just may take longer. Those NSVs are really important. Good luck!

Cheers

Ali


(Mary) #14

Thanks Terence - I’m sure I don’t drink enough water, even through I’ve upped it from PK (pre-keto).


(Terence Dean) #15

You’re welcome Mary, oh and yes we had the same problem with needing to get up early for walks too but we’ve finally solved that issue by getting a treadmill, its been fantastic. Doesn’t matter whether the weather is too hot, too cold, too windy, too late, we get to walk any time of the day or night.


(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #16

I live in Queensland and if you cannot tolerate hot and humidity then this is not the state for you, perhaps Melbourne, they experience 4 seasons in one day there lol.

I’m born in the heat and even I can’t stand it. I live in air con during summer if i’m not at the beach!


(Edith) #17

Mary,

You might want to read up on iodine deficiency. I hadn’t lost weight for many months and after reading about iodine I started supplementing with it. About two weeks after beginning the supplementation, the scale started moving downward again.

I’m 52 and perimenopausal.


#18

If it’s any comfort, I had several months of frequent thermal sensations and extra sensitivity to heat (from about month 5-8 keto) - and for me it correlated with a lot of fat burning as well as nourished brainz. And it passed - it’s gotten much easier now. But I empathize, as the excess heat can feel claustrophic, and one’s mind can get agitated about it.

You mentioned being 5 months in and having ‘yet to lose a pound.’ I wonder, are you measuring yourself? Ketosis is about fat burning & lean mass restoration and recomposition, not necessarily about some idea of body mass weight. Some gals may have no weight change - but lose sizes in clothing and have much leaner bodies, etc. You may well find proof of some wondrous changes happening that way and it can be really encouraging, as for non-obese females who are rebuilding lean mass & connective tissue, the scale may be maddening. Personally I avoid the scale at all costs, because of the psychological issues some of my family members have had with their weight on the scale.

I was amazed when during a 6 week period recently I had 1.5 inches disappear from EACH of my upper legs! For women, there are also fat stores on our backs and lower bellies specifically related to cortisol levels over the years. Keto combined with good stress management and/or certain supplements can unlock those areas and expedite lots of ch ch ch CHANGES.

A goddes-send for the short term could be to get you some personal air coolers - the “Arctic Chill” small swamp cooler fan box chills the air in a 2-3 metre area away from where you are sitting or laying (it doesn’t chill entire rooms, just your personal space). It lowers the temperature good 10 degrees fahrenheit, and the chill is very nice. A similar device helped me SO MUCH when undergoing thermal flushes (which are quite different than hot flashes, when one compares the symptoms) while working at my desk with warm computer, etc. They’re available on Amazon for forty bucks or so these days. I currently have one on my desk, and one on my nightstand.

It’s also possible that you have co-arising thermal flushes + hot flashes + night sweats - and a heckuva a lot of metabolic healing and/or detox going on. The LCHF/keto way of eating will no doubt speed and support your processes.

Other help can be found in having a nice spritzer bottle of rose water or cucumber water or lavender water - I love spraying in on my brow and the top of my head and back of neck, very soothing. There was a time when I was spritizing myself several times in the afternoon/evening. Also, of course, making a point to cool your insides by enjoying one avocado a day, and/or fresh coconut or coriander/cilantro added to your meals - as well as certain kinds of keto treats like frozen coconut milk or dairy cream with berries & erythritol, etc. Another self-care remedy is to keep ice cubes in your freezer ready for moments when you need help - and then grab a small bowl or towel (to catch the drips) and one icecube. If you sit and hold the ice cube in your palm, it will distract you with a nice chill and also begin to hurt if you hold it long enough. You can practice breathing into and through the sensations, it’s sort like travelling to a high snowy alpine place. It can be quite distracting from the heat, lol, and the ice melts so it’s a limited time only anyway :smiley:

KCKO%20avo


(Terence Dean) #19

Yep I’d second that…pretty tropical up there alright. :tropical_fish: I’d trade your 38 deg C days for one of my 40+ days though, hot and dry here :sunny: .

Refrigerative Reverse Cycled :cool: Air Conditioning all the way for me! Stuff the greens they don’t have to pay our electricity prices!


(Mary) #20

Morning guys! Thank you so much for all the replies…

@SlowBurnMary - I’m afraid I’m not losing inches, either. Everything fits exactly the same way, which is infuriating. I just have to keep remembering that weight loss is a nice side benefit; it is not the reason for eating keto. I’m hoping the metabolic healing/detox you mentioned is happening and once that’s well on it’s way, weight loss will occur. One thing I have noticed is that my skin looks younger and the wattle I had going on is starting to shrink. I’ll take the positives where I can…!
Mary