You may be teased if you want more or less covering than others. But having a body that changes quickly with even a small change in temperature can mean you feel the distress of being overheated, or feel far too cold. People often do no believe you can have your driving experience upset by air flow that is no bother to them. Or you notice a draught of air from a window open at night that others insist is closed. If your child is temperature sensitive you will learn to carry more clothes when the late afternoon temperature drops, or your child becomes distressed and then irritable, or his symptoms, whatever they are – not just asthma – become more likely. This sensitivity is worse before you respond to the Low Chemical Diet, and when reacting, or when you have an infection or you are on antibiotics.
Airconditioning is usually set too low
You may find air-conditioning that is often so low you need to bring an extra jacket to wear when shopping or visiting friends in hospital. If you are ever a patient you need to be assertive and ask for more blankets as you will be lying still.
When you sit still your temperature may drop, and with any activity it may rise quickly
You may notice that when you sit for any length of time such as at the computer, working on a hobby or taking time to talk to friends, you get cooler and cooler. On the other hand you may warm up with any exercise. So your day can involve having layers of clothes you can adjust for your activities.
You may notice is how fast your temperature changes
I remember being cold working at the computer then going into the sun while having a hot coffee with my husband. Within 10 minutes I was hot enough to take off a layer or go inside, while my husband happily sat on much longer. My patients have told me similar stories.
Hot sun or a cool change may be a problem
I have heard of people who can work early or late in the day, or if it is cloudy, but not in hot sun or they have symptoms. And there are others whose asthma, migraine or chronic fatigue increases with a fast drop in temperature. Many sneeze or have their gut or bladder urgency happen when they turn back their blankets in the morning. This may interact with their usual 24 hour cycle of symptom change.
How can you use these ideas to help yourself?
The fastest way to change you temperature from the distressing end is to have a drink that corrects the wrong temperature. This includes having a hot drink at the same time as putting on an additional layer of clothes when cold. Just adding clothes does not provide the “deep heat” needed to relieve your distress. At the other end having iced water helps you cool when you feel feint, or about to develop a rash, or tip into a migraine or headache when too hot.
The temperature of your climate and of your food can produce symptoms
A lady reported gut discomfort to milk as warm desserts: creamy rice, or crème caramel. However she tolerated cold milk from the fridge or an ice cream just fine. Another lady reported a reduction in symptoms when she moved from a very cold climate to a warm one.
Wise words from an old allergist
Forty-five years ago an wise old allergist, Dr Ian Morrison, explained to me that most people with allergy have a “faulty heat regulatory mechanism”. (He added that they also had a “faulty pain regulatory mechanism” which I have discussed in the article “Pain as a symptom”). In those days food-sensitive people were not a separate group and most of them do have some allergy in the family. I was clearly reminded of this by the outspoken children in my ADHD research group who were quite clear about the room or the food being too hot or too cold to eat, and their complete refusal to eat food at the temperature wrong for them.
The range of temperature for feeling well is narrow
My ADHD patients, and the adult food sensitive patients, clarified something else that was important. That was just how narrow is the range of temperature of food that can be managed without complete food refusal, or how narrow the air temperature range is before function – that means doing what you need to do – before the temperature rise or fall stops you doing what other people can manage easily.
Watch how temperature affects your children
Listen to children when they complain about the temperature. Adjusting it in some way may make a great deal of difference to their mood and so to yours! They can seem fussy as they wait till warm food cools or allow ice cream to melt so it is not so cold. It does mean it is a good idea to serve new foods to a baby at different temperatures and notice acceptance.
Learn more!
You can look in Tolerating Troublesome Foods, in the section “What to expect when you are reacting” for other interesting ideas about tolerance of food, such as milk, with a change of season, how temperature affects, or even causes, sleep problems, or other symptoms. See https://foodintolerancepro.com/product/fussy-baby/
I remember one mother who had a baby that she had to wrap to “within an inch of his life” so he slept well. And her second baby, who was hyperactive, kicked off any covers and then slept happily. If you are parents of a fussy baby do look in Fussy Baby for all the issues that affect tiny babies, and older kids, that make them seem fussy. Understanding them can help you and baby enjoy meals. See https://foodintolerancepro.com/product/fussy-baby/
Overall temperature change is one of the less discussed but important factors we need to consider in the Total Body Load of factors that affect symptoms. You can read about it in any of my books.
Do add a comment to share your own experiences so food sensitive people can feel supported. Everyone is different!
Leave a Reply