Summer can be a challenging time for everyone. The scorching heat can affect both your mental and physical health. With the temperatures soaring high, people with diabetes should take extra care of themselves during the summer season.
If you are on insulin or your blood sugar levels are unregulated, you can be at a higher risk during the summer season. The summer heat can cause a lot of skin problems including rashes, burns, etc. It can also cause extreme fatigue for some individuals because of dehydration. In this blog, learn about how people with diabetes can deal with the summer season.
Summer Tips For People With Diabetes
Follow these easy tips to keep your sugar levels within the target range, this summer season-
- Eat A Lot Of Fruits
While some fruits and vegetables are not advised for people with diabetes because of their sugar content, some fruits and vegetables can be extremely beneficial. A person with diabetes can enjoy fruits like papaya, jamun (Indian gooseberry), peaches, plums, berries, kiwi, etc. These fruits act as antioxidants and also do not lead to a spike in your sugar levels. While selecting fruits for a diabetes diet, you should make sure that they have a low glycemic index.
- Stay Hydrated
Keeping yourself hydrated is a good way to get rid of the extra blood sugar in your body and also it helps avoid the complications related to dehydration. Women are advised to drink 1.6L of water a day and men, on the other hand, are advised to drink 2.5L of water a day. It is also recommended that you avoid carbonated beverages and those which contain high amounts of sugar. You can replace them with herbal teas, infused water, etc.
- Keep A Regular Tab On Your Sugar Levels
The scorching summer heat can cause fluctuations in your sugar levels. Therefore, it is important that you keep a regular check on your sugar levels. It will help you in assessing the effectiveness of your diabetes treatment and it will also help you in taking the right corrective measures to bring your sugar levels back to the recommended range.
You should have a good sugar checking machine for this purpose. With a blood sugar monitor, you can quickly get your sugar reading within seconds. The whole process of monitoring can be conducted from the comfort of your home and you do not have to worry about skipping your blood sugar monitoring on an everyday basis.
- Care For Your Feet
The unwanted sweat during the summer season can negatively affect your feet. It can cause infections that are induced by harmful bacteria. Therefore, you need to take extra care of your feet during the summer season. It is recommended that you wear comfortable and breathable footwear in the summer months.
Apart from the above-listed points, you should also avoid sunburn and tanning, avoid going out if not needed, keep your medicines in a cool and dry place and keep a diabetes emergency kit with you at all times. All these measures can help you avoid sudden fluctuations in your blood glucose levels. If you want more information on how to manage your sugar levels during the summer season, you should always speak to your doctor or health coach.