Spring and Summer Self-Care Tips - Accu-Chek, Diabetes Information, Learn More About Diabetes

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Spring and Summer Self-Care Tips

Warm weather and the summer months may mean you're more active, going to cookouts or the beach, or taking a road trip. See how to fine-tune your self-care for spring and summer.

Keep snacks on hand. When you're outside gardening, walking, swimming, and so on, it's easy to be more active than you expect. Check your blood sugar often, and have a snack ready so you can treat low blood sugar if you need to.¹
Drink lots of water. We're always losing water -- especially if you're active or have had any alcohol. It's especially easy for anyone to get dehydrated on hot summer days. But if you have diabetes, you can also become dehydrated if your blood sugar isn't under control. So keep water with you all the time, and make drinking it a habit.^2,3
Test your blood sugar often. Heat can cause your blood sugar to fluctuate,³ and there's only one way to know your levels for sure.
Watch out for the sun. Everyone needs to be cautious about protecting their skin from the sun. Wear sunscreen of 15 SPF or higher, a hat, and sunglasses. And try to be out of the sun when it's at its most intense.⁴ Keep in mind that if you have fair skin, tend to burn easily, or are on some oral diabetes medications, you can be even more sun sensitive.⁵
Grow something delicious. Gardening (as we mentioned above) can be good exercise. But it's also an opportunity to eat healthier. Make summer fruits and vegetables -- whether you grow them or buy them at a farmers market -- the centerpiece of your warm-weather meals. Summer is also a great time for trying fish and leaner cuts of meat on the grill.⁶
Protect your feet. While going barefoot or wearing high heels or sandals may be tempting, avoid the urge. Always wear comfortable shoes and socks -- even at the beach. Hot sand and pavement can cause burns. And check your feet daily for cuts, blisters, and other problems.⁷
Be careful at cookouts. Not only are summer weddings, parties, and cookouts opportunities to overeat (or eat without regard to your health), they tend to offer beer, wine, and cocktails as the drinks of choice. If your diabetes is under control, it's okay to have an occasional drink. But make sure you understand that alcohol increases your risk of low blood sugar. So never drink on an empty stomach, and limit yourself to one drink for women, and two for men. Plus, remember that glucagon shots don't help if a severe low blood sugar is caused by drinking.⁸
Keep insulin and supplies cool. You don't need to keep things refrigerated, just cool and dry. Extreme temperatures can cause trouble for you insulin, meter, and strips. So never put them in the trunk or glove compartment of your car -- especially in hot weather. An insulated pack will help avoid temperature fluctuations.³
Make your infusion set stick. If you use an insulin pump, extra perspiration in the summertime can loosen the adhesive on your infusion set. Use a spray of antiperspirant on the insertion site after you've prepped the area to help keep it dry.³

¹ American Diabetes Association. Hypoglycemia. Available at: diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/hypoglycemia.jsp. Accessed March 30, 2007.

² American Diabetes Association. Essential Water. Make Sure You Get Enough. Diabetes Forecast, August 2005. Available at: diabetes.org/diabetes-forecast/aug2005/healthyeating.jsp.Accessed March 21, 2007.

³ Joslin Diabetes Center. Diabetes-Friendly Tips for Handling the Summer Heat. Available at: joslin.org/managing_your_diabetes_3587.asp. Accessed April 5, 2007.

⁴ American Cancer Society. Play it Safe in the Sun. Available at: cancer.org/docroot/COM/content/div_NE/
COM_1_1x_Play_it_Safe_in_the_Sun.asp?sitearea=COM. Accessed March 30, 2007.

⁵ American Cancer Society. Are Some People More Susceptible to Sun Damage?Available at: cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/
ped_7_1x_Are_Some_People_More_Susceptible_to_Sun_Damage.asp?
sitearea=&level=. Accessed March 30, 2007.

⁶ American Diabetes Association. Making Healthy Food Choices. Available at: diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/healthyfoodchoices.jsp. Accessed March 30, 2007.

⁷ American Diabetes Association. Foot Care. Available at: diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/well-being/foot-care.js. Accessed March 21, 2007.

⁸ American Diabetes Association. Alcohol. Available at: diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/alcohol.jsp. Accessed March 30, 2007.