My DH often tells me that my face is red and that I need to stop and rest. He used to mention 'blood pressure' until I showed him it was not elevated. You might want to get an inexpensive little blood pressure machine at the drugstore and check it occasionally yourself.

You already know about staying hydrated by drinking ample fluids. I've found that I can do more work if I work in short stretches and come inside and get cool -- check GW for new posts, look up plant information, do some laundry or dishes. I do most of the yard work except the work that is done on a tractor, like mowing and moving brush.

I wear a hat and under the hat I wear a bandana to cover my ears because the gnats just drive me crazy when they get around my ears. I always wear shoes that lace up, and socks.

Do you feel okay at the end of the day?

Nell

Wanttoretire,

Does the red in your face stay for a few days? I get terrible rosacea sometimes, and it is very much exasperated by wearing sunscreen and sweating in high heat and humidity. Last week I had several welts on my face because of the reaction to the sunscreen.
I do get red without sunscreen, but mainly just from sunburn (all on my back today! I didn't have time to get from church to work and butter up, so I had to work in church clothes and "naked" of sunscreen).
I use a dusting of mineral makeup to hide the redness when needed. DH has to deal with the lobster face if he wants his maters!!

GGG

Nell and GGG - I'm glad I'm not the only one! I'm on low dose of BP med, have rosacea and must wear sunscreen because of the past skin cancers. Good idea to check BP during yard work time.

I tend to stay out to "get it done" before it gets too hot, then quit for the day. If it's not too bad, like yesterday, I'll push it but feel fine, tho tired, once I'm inside and cooled down. I'm not a real fussy gardener, but when the lawn needs mowing I can't stand it and have to get it mowed. I'm slowly making more lasagna beds, but at 1/3 acre, there's still plenty to mow!!

Thanks for your input and I will check my BP.

Carol

I have always gotten a very red face from any exertion, even as a kid (I am 53 now). I have fair complexion/blonde/green eyes, but I tan easily without burning. I don't have high blood pressure, in fact, mine tends to be too low at times which tends to cause a faster pulse. I do have mitral valve prolapse (born with it), but I'm now off the beta blockers that I had to use for a few years after a virus triggered lots of palpatations.

I also stay outside to "get it done" as on Friday when I mulched from 9-4. I also weeded for 3 mornings prior to that from 8-noonish.

The red face usually lasts for about 2 hours after exertion. I bike 10 miles at a time, walk 5 miles at a time and kayak for several hours at a time, so I'm accustomed to exercise besides all my extreme gardening. I drink a big bottle of San Pellegrino during/after any activity as I think dehydration is a problem for me.

Cameron

Carol,

If you buy an at home blood pressure monitor, be sure and take it to your next doctor's appointment so that you can be sure that it is in sync with your doctor's monitor.

We own one, and it was recommended that we do that to be sure that our monitor was calibrated right and that we are using it correctly.

Just a little hint for you!

Marilyn

Hmmm...I tend to get red-faced when I'm overheated, regardless of sun issues. When I cool off, it goes away (assuming I'm not *also* sunburned, of course). It started when I was a kid. But of course, that's just my experience...

Irene

Oh, I am so glad that I am not the only one that turns beet red when I get hot. Not only my face but arms as well. Goes away when I cool off. I feel normal knowing that someone else is experiencing this also.
Barb

My face gets red when I get hot and sweaty working outside and goes away when I cool off. If I keep drinking water and sitting down occasionally, I can work in the garden most of the day. Unless it is much over 90 and muggy- like most of July and Aug here in MD. Sue

I also get very red in the face as soon as I go outside to do any work in the garden. My blood pressure is just fine and I drink lots of fluids. This happens even when I wear sunscreen and wear a hat. It only lasts about 30-45 minutes after I come in when I put cool cloths on my face or get in a cool shower. I am also very fair skinned with light hair. I think it is just the way my body is trying to get rid of the extra heat by dilating the small blood vessels (capillaries) of my face. Maybe because I am so light skinned it is more noticable.

I haven't tried this yet, but somebody somewhere on gardenweb had a great-sounding tip:

drape a wet towel around your neck, pausing every so often to freshen it, or, better yet, lay the damp towel flat, put crushed ice on the center part of it, roll it up, & *then* put it around your neck.

I've found that I can endure the heat better if I start early, in the cool of the morning, & adjust to the temperature as it rises.

If I'm indoors until, say, 10 AM, I can't manage it very long at all.

New evidence is coming out that sunscreens are not actually protective. They screen the rays UVB that cause sunburn but allow the rays that cause cancers, UVA, to penetrate. I personally don't wear any sunscreen at all and am out for hours every day. What I do is stay out of the sun during the high radiation time, say noon to 4 pm. I arrange my day to work earlier and then as much time as possible between 4 pm and dark, 9:30 pm at present. Dr. Mercola has a lot of info on his site.

Sunscreens also block Vitamin D formation in the skin, which is very important as Vit. D is protective against skin cancer, and an article I read recently said may be protective against childhood autism, which may be fostered by lack of sunshine/Vit. D formation, as parents think they have to protect their kids from the sun and slather them with sunscreens or stay indoors. They also should be out without ss in the low radiation parts of the day.