Today’s blog post is a Parkinson’s public service announcement.

I am really dragging myself through the hours of the past three days of unprecedented triple digit heat where I live. I’m trying to stay hydrated and am not exerting myself but it’s a big, scary struggle to manage how the heat is affecting me. This heat wave is expected to go another 5 days!

The ADPA (American Parkinson’s Disease Association) states, “Our bodies are programmed to keep our internal temperature at a near-constant point, using very complex mechanisms. Parkinson’s disease (PD) can unfortunately interfere with this regulation, and it can significantly affect quality of life when these mechanisms don’t work well. Without proper temperature regulation, a person may feel that they are too hot or too cold. They may sweat too little or too much.”

I fall into the “sweat too little” category. You may think that’s not as bothersome, but it can be more dangerous. According to the APDA “sweating too little can lead to overheating since the purpose of sweating is to remove heat from the skin surface as the sweat evaporates. Heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses can result.”

My biggest problem is keeping my dog cooled off. She runs very hot and ALWAYS wants to sit in my lap. So, I am sandwiching her between ice packs while she sits with me. Later she’ll have a dip in a tub of cool water. I need 1-2 cool showers a day.

Here’s a full article with tips and links about managing heat with PD.
https://www.apdaparkinson.org/article/temperature-dysregulation-and-parkinsons/

So, my friends, stay hydrated, find AC if you can. No AC? Dowse yourself with cool water, wet your hair, park yourself in front of a fan, and move outside when it gets cooler. Don’t forget to open the windows and slider doors in the evening to cool off the house. Of course, if you have access to a pool or a lake or swimming hole… slather on the sunscreen and get in that water! Iced tea, iced coffee and a mint julep helps too!