Diabetic? Here’s How You Can Have A Safe And Happy Summer

Summertime means increased heat and humidity. The high temperature undoubtedly affects people suffering from chronic conditions such as diabetes more than other healthy folks.

If you’re a diabetic, just follow these simple tips and preventive measures to keep yourself safe during the summer.

How The Summer Affects Diabetics

Diabetics who are exposed to the heat for prolonged periods of time without enough water intake can experience heat exhaustion.

Certain diuretic medications like metformin also cause dehydration. As the blood supply to your skin reduces, the absorption of injected insulin goes down as well.

What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

Stick to the shade - Try to find shaded spots when you’re outdoors.

Dehydration - Drink plenty of fluids. But avoid fruit juices and cool drinks that are filled with sugars. Instead, stick to unsweetened lemonade, buttermilk and coconut water. You can also have watermelons, which are high in water content.

Food - Avoid oily, fried, spicy and non-vegetarian dishes. They’re difficult to digest and produce more heat, leading to dehydration.

Exercise - Regular walks and jogs help control your diabetes. Just exercise during the cooler hours, when it’s late in the evenings or early in the mornings.

Dressing - Wear loose, comfortable clothes that can absorb sweat. Put on a cap to protect yourself from direct sun.

Test your blood sugar levels - Both high and low blood sugar levels are dangerous. Your blood sugar levels keep fluctuating due to the heat and it’s important to keep a tab on them.

Carry emergency food items - Low glucose levels can be problematic. Better carry some chocolates with you all the time.

Protect your medications and testing kits - Store your diabetic medication and testing strips in a cool place away from heat and humidity. Otherwise, they can lose their potency.

Foot care - Don’t go out barefoot and regularly check for foot sores.

Summers needn’t be dangerous to diabetics. You can enjoy your summers and prevent heat stroke by just taking the right precautions.