Feeling the heat
The heat and humidity of summer can sometimes play havoc with blood sugar levels. Here are some tips for getting through a hot summer.
Whichever type of diabetes you have, summer heat and humidity can bring challenges. Some people with diabetes find heat has their levels sitting higher than normal. Others, expecially those with type 1 or who have type 2 and are on insulin, find lows become more common. It can also simply be harder to cool yourself down.
What’s going on?
There are three key factors that on their own or in combination with each other can affect those with diabetes during summer:
Dehydration can make your blood sugar levels rise, and rising blood sugar makes you urinate more often, so it becomes a vicious circle.
Some complications of diabetes, such as blood vessel and nerve damage, make it harder to sweat and cool yourself off.
High temperatures can change how your body uses insulin.
Stay hydrated
Upping your water intake during summer is a good idea for everyone and especially those living with diabetes. Also avoiding, as much as possible, drinks that dehydrate you – such as alcohol. Be aware, too, that some diabetes medications such as Metformin and Jardiance may have a dehydrating effect. Drink plenty of water to make up for this. Waiting until we feel thirsty often means we’re already about 2% dehydrated.
Milk, soft drinks, juice, and smoothies might seem like good thirst quenchers but save them for after you’ve drunk some water. Your body needs the water first.
If water is boring to you, add in a splash of fruit juice or even slices of fruit to your glass. You can infuse a jug of water with herbs such as lemon balm, lemon verbena, or mint and leave in the fridge overnight. We have pages of recipes for infused water in our Autumn 2021 issue.
Another drink that can be made in the fridge is Mugicha. This drink is very popular in Japan and South Korea and is simply roasted barley so has a delicious nutty flavour. Drop a teabag into a glass jug of cold water and leave in the fridge for an hour. Mugicha or barley tea can be easily found in any Asian food store, or try this simple recipe for homemade Mugicha.
Homemade Mugicha (Japanese Roasted Barley Tea)
Makes 8 cups
1⁄₃ cup uncooked pearl barley
8 cups water
Put the barley in a large dry frying pan and toast over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring the grains and shaking the pan occasionally so that they toast evenly, until the grains have turned a dark rich brown color.
Remove from the heat and pour out into a bowl to cool.
Bring the water to a boil in a pot, add the cooled toasted barley, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let the barley continue to steep as the mugicha cools, for about 5 minutes.
Strain out the barley, pour the mugicha into a jug, and chill.
To see how hydrated you are, look at the colour of your urine.
Check out this handy chart, previously published in the 2019 Summer issue.
Know the signs of heat stroke
Heat stroke and heat exhaustion happen when your body temperature gets too high due to being exposed to too much heat.
Once your temperature rises to over 40°C, you will have heat stroke.
Heat stroke is an emergency and needs to be treated immediately.
Signs to look for:
Weak or cramping limbs
Not sweating despite being very hot
Dizziness
Seizures
Collapse or loss of consciousness
Feeling sick or vomiting
Severe headache
Confusion or agitation
Fast pulse
Shallow and fast breathing
Hot and flushed skin
Sweat
Sweating is vital to help cool yourself off. It’s harder if you have some nerve or blood vessel damage that affects your sweat glands. Cooling yourself off can be difficult when humidity is in the mix. The moisture in the air means any sweating isn’t such an effective way to cool yourself down as it would be on a dry day.
If you suffer from nerve damage that affects your temperature control, cool your body by moving to an airconditioned space, sitting in the shade, sitting in a cool breeze, wearing lightcoloured clothes made of breathable fabric, wearing a ventilated widebrimmed hat, and using a spray bottle to spritz water on your skin. Use cool damp cloths and drink cool water.
Protect your kit
Don't forget to protect your insulin and kit from the summer heat.
Consider a car cooler that plugs into a 12-volt car adapter to keep your supplies at the right temperature.
This will keep the temperature stable for some time.
There are many other insulin coolers on the market, so hunt around and find something that works for you.
If you are using an insulin pump, be sure to protect your pump from high temperatures.
Check the tech specs for your pump to ensure you know the types of conditions your insulin pump system can withstand.
Insulin and blood sugar levels
Many people with diabetes notice that the heat of summer changes how their body uses insulin, and research backs this up.*
If this is the case for you, test your blood sugar more often than usual and adjust your insulin dose, what you’re eating and drinking, and how much you’re exercising. You might find that it works best for you to make sure you exercise in cool, well ventilated places, and at cooler times of the day.
Wearing lightweight, loosefitting clothes can help a lot.
Always take care when outdoors to avoid sunburn, which stresses your body and can raise blood sugar levels. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen, wear protective eye gear, and pop on a hat.
If you’re in any doubt at all about how your blood sugar levels are tracking, see your health care provider for advice.
It’s especially crucial for those with diabetes to take precautions to stay cool and hydrated in summer – but even those without diabetes can benefit a lot from it, so see if your friends and family will join you in trying to stafe safe and well throughout the hot summer months.
*Managing Diabetes in the Heat: Potential Issues and Concerns. https://doi.org/10.4158/EP09344.RA
First published in the Summer 2022 issue of Diabetes Wellness. Our quarterly magazine is available in both print and digital; subscribe today!