Diabetes Tips for Warmer Weather

Posted in Uncategorized on May 22, 2019

Diabetes and Hot Weather Poses a Frightening Combination

Diabetes can make it much harder for the human body to handle extreme heat and high humidity. Temperatures that register 80°F or higher mixed with humidity, may seriously affect testing supplies, diabetes medications, and most importantly, your health.

How to Minimize Your Risks

For those who manage diabetes, particularly people taking medications and insulin, here is a list of tips to minimize risk during hot weather:

• The warmer weather can adversely affect your glucose levels, and may also increase absorption of any fast-acting insulin. This means you’ll likely need to test your sugar levels more than usual. It might also result in adjusting your daily intake of food, liquids, and insulin.
• Stay hydrated! Always drink more than enough fluids, primarily water so you can avoid dehydration. Sugary drinks should be avoided (this is a good tip for any time of year, but especially summer).
• Clear with your primary care physician how much liquid you should be drinking to combat the higher temps.
• Verify all inserts in your medications to see how warmer temperatures can affect them. Keep your medications on or near you when you’re away from home, and keep them protected them from extreme heat.
• Don’t store insulin in an area of direct sunlight or inside a hot car. It’ll stay cooler if it’s in a cooler, but be careful not to keep it too close the cooling source. This way it’ll maintain its consistency and effectiveness.
• Check your glucose meter and test strip packages for directions that mention summer heat and high humidity. Don’t ever leave them in a hot car, a pool deck, or on a beach.
• Heat can severely damage pumps and other equipment. Don’t ever leave a disconnected pump or your supplies in direct sunlight.
• Try to ensure all of your physical activity is in an air-conditioned area. Or you could exercise outside earlier or later in the day when it’s not so hot.
• Use your air conditioner or go to air-conditioned buildings in your community.

By following these tips and your doctor’s orders, you’ll be able to minimize any risk of overheating or affecting your doses of insulin.