You shouldn't completely avoid the sun with MS, as safe exposure helps with Vitamin D (crucial for immune health) and mood, but you must be cautious about overheating, which temporarily worsens symptoms (Uhthoff's phenomenon). Aim for short, safe sun exposure (like 15 mins/day in winter) to build Vitamin D and support circadian rhythms, but avoid peak hours (10 am-2 pm), cover up, stay cool with cold drinks/light clothes, and cool down if you overheat, as this doesn't cause new damage.
Activities such as sunbathing, exercising and taking very hot showers or baths may affect your MS symptoms. Usually, heat only worsens symptoms temporarily. It does not cause more disease activity or additional damage. Symptoms should improve after you cool down.
Foods to avoid with MS
You should limit foods and drinks that cause inflammation, such as: Red meat, processed meats, high-fat dairy products, and other foods high in saturated fat or cholesterol. Sugary drinks and foods. Ultra-processed foods, such as cookies, chips, and fast food.
There's also an association between sunlight exposure and the risk of MS . Sunlight is the body's most efficient source of vitamin D. The farther away from the equator a person lives, the higher the risk of MS . This suggests that exposure to sunlight may offer protection from MS .
Small increases – as little as ½ºF – in core body temperature can increase MS symptoms. Nerves that have lost their conductive coating (myelin sheath) become more sensitive to heat, and the nerve signal slows down or is blocked, resulting in an increase in symptoms.
However, triggers that may provoke or worsen a multiple sclerosis attack include: Heat. Poor sleep. Stress.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
You can spend it on whatever you need, such as paying for support to remain independent during relapses, or to help with extra costs such as heating, transport or help around the house. Some people with MS assume they can't get PIP because they're 'not disabled enough'.
Lifestyle and home remedies
While UVB exposure suppresses immune responses in healthy individuals, it is a well-described trigger of skin manifestations in numerous autoimmune diseases including systemic and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SLE, CLE), dermatomyositis (DM), and Sjogren's syndrome (SS).
Fatigue in MS is not just an ordinary tiredness, like you might get at the end of a hard day's work. People describe it as an overwhelming sense of tiredness with no obvious cause.
The exact cause of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is unknown, but it's triggered by a combination of genetic susceptibility, environmental factors (like low Vitamin D, infections, smoking, and stress), and immune system dysfunction that leads the body to attack its own nervous system. Triggers that can worsen existing MS include heat, infections, stress, lack of sleep, and childbirth, while factors like smoking, obesity, and low sun exposure increase risk or severity.
As well as disability benefits, there's other financial help out there that might make living with MS easier. Find out more about free public transport, disabled facilities grants, help with keeping warm in winter, prescription charges and dealing with debt.
Caffeinated drinks like coffee and energy drinks may irritate the bladder, potentially worsening MS-related bladder issues. Sugary sodas and artificially sweetened beverages should also be limited, as high sugar intake can contribute to inflammation, weight gain, and energy fluctuations.
Eating foods high in saturated fats can harm your health. Red meat and full-fat dairy products should be eaten less. They can cause inflammation, making MS symptoms worse. says, “Dietary changes can significantly impact the management of MS.”
A photoallergic reaction can develop one to three days after exposure to the sun and the photosensitizing substance. It occurs when the body's immune system recognizes changes caused by sun exposure as a foreign threat. The body produces antibodies and attacks, causing a reaction.
Symptoms of advanced MS
The "worst" autoimmune diseases are subjective but often cited for severity, impact on life expectancy, or organ damage, with top contenders including Giant Cell Myocarditis (highly fatal), Vasculitis (damages blood vessels), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus) (multi-organ), Multiple Sclerosis (MS) (nervous system), and Type 1 Diabetes (pancreas, life-long management). Other severe conditions include Scleroderma and Myasthenia Gravis.
Causes of sun allergy include immune system reactions to sunlight, certain medications and chemicals that make the skin more sensitive to the sun. It isn't clear why some people have a sun allergy and others don't. Inherited traits may play a role.
Ways diet can help improve your condition
For many, fatigue is considered to be the single most debilitating symptom, surpassing pain and even physical disability. Fatigue also imposes significant socioeconomic consequences, including loss of work hours and in some instances, loss of employment.
The Four Stages of Multiple Sclerosis
With MS, you may have periods of remission where your symptoms go away, and you feel more like yourself. You might even forget you have MS until symptoms flare up (return) again. This feeling of normalcy, and the degree of normalcy, can vary by type and stage.
The SMI Council Tax discount tends to include those impacted by the likes of dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, severe learning difficulties, multiple sclerosis, complications from cerebral palsy and strokes. However you might have one or more conditions that fall into both categories.
There are two main types of government support available for eligible people who are aged 65 years or older and living with MS in the community: Home care packages. Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP)
5 Tips for Living Better with MS: Patients and Caregivers