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Diabetes and Heat: Safety Tips
If you have diabetes, be extra careful
during hot weather. Temperatures of 80°F (about 27°C) or
above, especially with humidity, can affect medication,
testing supplies, and your health.
If you have diabetes, it is harder for
your body to handle high heat and humidity. The heat
index, which measures how hot it really feels by
combining temperature and humidity readings, advises
caution starting at 80°F with 40 percent humidity.
Here are suggestions from CDC’s Division
of Diabetes Translation on taking care of yourself
during hot weather:
-
Heat can affect your blood glucose
(sugar) levels and also increase the absorption of
some fast-acting insulin, meaning you will need to
test your blood glucose more often and perhaps
adjust your intake of insulin, food and liquids.
-
Drink plenty of fluids, especially
water, to avoid dehydration. Avoid sugar-sweetened
beverages such as sweet tea and sodas.
-
If your doctor has limited how much
liquid you can drink, ask what to do during times of
high heat.
-
Check package inserts with
medications to learn when high temperatures can
affect them. Take medications with you if you will
need to take them while you’re away from home, and
protect them from the heat.
-
If you’re traveling with insulin,
don’t store it in direct sunlight or in a hot car.
Keep it in a cooler, but do not place it directly on
ice or on a gel pack.
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