Labor Day means fun activities like pool days, picnics, parades, and more. For someone with Lupus, it can be hard to manage symptoms in conditions that trigger flares. So this week I decided I would share all my favorite tips, tricks, and products that helped me avoid lupus flares while still having fun in the sun.
While I’m on my journey of healing my Autoimmune diseases I still want to share all the tips, tricks, and products that I lived by when actively battling lupus symptoms and flare-ups. If you want to learn more about my healing journey click here.
When planning on being in the sun with lupus there are a few non-negotiables that must be done; talking with your doctor, staying hydrated, and keeping up with your basic needs. If you have been struggling prior to a planned activity in the sun – which is a known trigger of Lupus. I would check base with your doctor before possibly exacerbating your state further.
Before putting myself in the position of a known trigger I make sure I already have a healthy terrain so to speak. Aka meeting my basic needs which are hydrating, eating a clean diet, managing/regulating my emotions, exercising regularly, and doing my self-care. All things that require lifestyle changes that I have incorporated over time. Learning my triggers came from months of research, trial, error, and diligently tracking all components that affect lupus(diet, emotional regulation, element exposure, etc). You can grab a copy of our free medical binder printables which are the ones I use by clicking here. Everyone’s basic needs and triggers are going to look a little bit different. Known triggers are the easiest ones to manage; it is the personalized unknown triggers that you have to discover that are tricky. But learning what hurt vs helped my Lupus was the first step of my healing/ managing journey.
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Hydration
Hydration does not start the day of, it starts days before. I make sure to hit my water goal for 1-2 weeks consistently before planning on being in the sun. Talk with your doctor about what your personal water goal should be if you haven’t already! The type of water also matters when it comes to hydration. I no longer drink purified water because, during the purification process, the water is stripped of all the minerals and electrolytes, unlike spring water. Purified water is a great option if the water source near you is contaminated otherwise it leaves most people feeling dehydrated due to the purification process. You can add electrolytes to the water to replace the vitamins and minerals that were stripped. I just prefer to drink spring water. I will link my favorite electrolyte drinks below if you’re interested!
Diet
Diet directly affects the state(severity/symptoms) and progression of Lupus (SLE).1 Making it extremely important to eat a diet that heals not hurts your disease. For me, that means a Paleo diet. Check out our post “Why I Chose a Paleo Diet to Heal My Autoimmune Diseases”, for more on that. It is thought the Mediterranean diet is optimal for people with lupus to manage symptoms and minimize disease progression. Always talk with your doctor so yall can decide what’s best for you!
Before researching how diet directly affects the state of lupus I had already come to that conclusion myself after I had started tracking my symptoms. The data clearly showed when I ate a Western diet of high sugar low fiber (mainly processed foods). I was constantly in pain, symptomatic hourly, weak, and overall very sick constantly teetering on the verge of a flare-up. After just a few weeks of changing my diet, I started logging less and less symptoms, more energy, less brain fog, reduced pain/inflammation, etc. This is why I make sure to eat a clean diet filled with anti-inflammatory foods before putting myself in a position of known triggers like the sun.
Products for Lupus
Now we can take a look at the products that help make time in the sun with Lupus easier. These are just the products I love and use. Leave a comment with your favorite products!
Sunscreen
Protecting your skin is important for anyone – Lupus or not. But Lupus causes the cells to be more sensitive to damage caused by UV radiation. Making sunscreen non-negotiable. I recommend this brand because it’s affordable, works with sensitive skin, and hasn’t made me break out. For your face, I recommend the Elta MD sunscreen. It is one of the top facial sunscreens recommended by dermatologists and my all-time favorite.
Spf shirt
SPF clothing has to be one of the best inventions and a great resource for people with lupus. SPF clothing can block harmful radiation and UV rays which is also helpful in preventing skin cancer. For Lupus, it can offer protection from the sun which is a known trigger. I have noticed I’m able to stay in the sun longer and be more comfortable when I wear SPF clothing. There are numerous options like long sleeves, zip-ups, and t-shirts that offer SPF protection. I linked my favorite shirt I wear often if you want to check it out!
Mini-fan
I write about this mini-fan in every lupus outdoor-themed post. If you haven’t gotten one already what are you doing? A mini fan is a MUST for me because a little breeze can be the blank in me not getting overheated. This is my favorite one because it’s rechargeable, affordable, and has been the most reliable of the handful of mini-fans I have tried out.
Portable beach fan
This is one of my recent finds that I’m obsessed with. It’s a portable fan that is perfect for any outdoor activity. I know we already went over the mini fan but this bigger one is great to cool down a crowd. It’s rechargeable, easy to carry, and perfect for any outdoor activity. I have been using it in my garden recently and will never go back to spending time outside without it! It might be a little extra but hey if it keeps you from getting overheated/ going into a flare it’s worth it.
Tent/ umbrella
Depending on how long you plan to spend outdoors I would recommend looking into either a UV umbrella or a portable tent. Staying in the heat all day is hard on anyone’s body but especially someone with Lupus. I like to keep my UV umbrella in my car just in case I need it because it has allowed me to stay outside longer countless times before. But if I was planning on spending all day in the sun away from home I would invest in a pop-up tent. An affordable UV umbrella comes in at just under $20 but your arm will get tired holding it up and it provides limited shade. The tent I linked is the best bang for your buck. Think about getting a tent if you’re going to be spending hours in the sun.
Spending time in the sun with Lupus is doable; it just takes planning and a few tools out of a Lupus toolbox! I will link our other lupus-related posts below if you want to check them out! Make sure to leave a comment with your favorite Lupus hack below.
Lupus related posts:
- “Lupus and Sun Exposure”
- “5 Products to help prevent a Lupus Butterfly rash from the sun”
- “How to Support Someone with Lupus”
Citations:
- NAGARKAR, AKANKSHA. “Does the Food We Eat Impact Lupus?” UMass Chan Medical School, 28 May 2023, www.umassmed.edu/lupus/blog/blog-posts/2023/05/food-for-thought-does-the-food-we-eat-impact-lupus/. Accessed 18 July 2023.
