A More Supportive Summer With Autoimmune Disease
Updated: Sep 11
Summer may bring gatherings, travel and more time outdoors—but heat, sun exposure and disrupted routines can also ask more of a body living with autoimmune disease.
You do not need to avoid the season or force yourself to keep pace with everyone else. A little preparation can help you participate in ways that respect your body’s needs.
Add Hydration Before the Day Gets Busy
Heat and increased activity can make it easier to fall behind on fluids.
As a practical starting point, many adult women may aim for approximately 9 cups, or 72 ounces, of beverages each day, while many adult men may need approximately 13 cups, or 104 ounces. Water-rich foods contribute additional fluid, and needs may increase with heat, sweating, fever or physical activity.
You do not have to drink the entire amount as plain water. Water, sparkling water, herbal tea, broth and other appropriate beverages can all contribute.
Consider drinking regularly throughout the day rather than trying to catch up after becoming depleted. Bring water when you leave home and place it somewhere visible and easy to reach. If you expect prolonged heat exposure or heavy sweating, ask your healthcare professional whether an electrolyte drink would be appropriate.
These amounts are guidelines, not rigid requirements. Kidney disease, heart conditions, blood-pressure concerns and certain medications may require different fluid or electrolyte limits. If your healthcare professional has given you an individualized hydration plan, follow that guidance.
Add Shade and Cooling Before Exhaustion
Some people with autoimmune disease find that heat intensifies fatigue, dizziness or other symptoms. Sun exposure can also trigger symptoms in conditions such as lupus, while certain medications may increase sun sensitivity.
Before spending time outdoors, consider adding:
A shaded place to sit
A wide-brimmed hat and UV-protective sunglasses
Lightweight clothing or UPF-rated layers
Broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher
A cooling towel, fan or cold pack
A shorter visit or an easy way to leave early
Mineral sunscreen may be a comfortable option for sensitive skin, but it is not necessary to avoid every chemical sunscreen. The most useful sunscreen is one you tolerate, apply generously and reapply as directed.
A pharmacist can help you determine whether any of your medications may increase sensitivity to sunlight or heat.
Add Nourishment Before Restriction
A summer gathering does not need to become another list of foods you are supposed to avoid.
An Add Before You Remove™ approach might mean adding protein, produce, a satisfying carbohydrate or nourishing fat to what is already available. A cookout plate could include a burger, grilled fish, beans or another protein alongside fruit, vegetables, potatoes, bread or a familiar side dish.
No single food automatically causes an autoimmune flare in every person. Dairy, gluten, corn, soy and other foods should not be removed solely because they appear on a general “inflammatory foods” list.
Your symptoms, diagnosis, medical needs and lived experience deserve more consideration than a universal restriction plan.
When organic foods are accessible and affordable, they can be a thoughtful option for reducing exposure to certain pesticide residues. When they are not, conventional fruits and vegetables remain nourishing choices; the label should never become a barrier to putting more nutritious food on your plate.
A balanced, sustainable approach matters more than pursuing perfection.
Add Recovery to the Plan
Sometimes the hardest part of a summer activity is not the event itself. It is the energy required to prepare, travel, socialize and recover afterward.
You may choose to:
Rest before leaving home.
Bring food or medication you know you may need.
Tell someone you might leave early.
Protect the following morning from unnecessary commitments.
Decline an invitation when participation would cost more than you can comfortably give.
Changing the plan is not the same as failing to participate. It is one way of remaining in relationship with your body.
Pay Attention to Heat-Related Symptoms
Move to a cooler place and seek guidance if heat brings headache, nausea, dizziness, unusual weakness, heavy sweating or worsening symptoms.
Confusion, fainting, seizures or a very high body temperature may indicate heat stroke and require emergency medical attention.
A Note From Coach Winona
Summer does not have to be something you endure—or an experience you earn by ignoring your limits.
Add what helps you feel supported: hydration, nourishment, shade, flexibility, recovery and people who understand when the plan needs to change.
You are allowed to enjoy the season in a way that includes your body rather than leaving its needs behind.
– Coach Winona
Continue Your Support
If food and chronic-illness care have become an exhausting collection of rules, Add Before You Remove™ offers a more grounded beginning—building nourishment, steadiness and choice before asking you to restrict something else.
IndigoKoi Wellness, LLC
Educational only — Not medical advice. This article provides general wellness education and is not a substitute for diagnosis, treatment or individualized medical or nutritional guidance.
Sources
Evidence reviewed September 2026.
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