(Health Korea News / Hyo-sun Chu) As the hot summer approaches, diabetic patients are having difficulty managing their disease. This is because the hot and humid weather makes it difficult to manage blood sugar levels and increases the risk of complications.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that causes high blood sugar levels. Blood sugar refers to the concentration of glucose in the blood, and various hormones are involved in blood sugar control. Among them, the type of diabetes varies depending on whether a hormone called insulin is secreted. Type 1 diabetes is a type that does not produce insulin properly at all, and type 2 diabetes is a type that occurs when insulin action is reduced or the secretion ability is reduced. Type 2 is much more common than type 1, and is caused by various reasons such as excessive food intake, lack of exercise, obesity, and genetic predisposition.
#food intake
For diabetics who need to manage their blood sugar all year round, the most difficult season is summer. The first thing to pay attention to is food intake. Although eating regularly and evenly is the basic principle, I would like to emphasize the lifestyle of excluding foods that are harmful to blood sugar control. You should also avoid soft drinks such as cola and cider, sports drinks, vitamin drinks, juice, coffee with added sugar, and sweet snacks such as shaved ice, ice cream, and tang-hulu.
Fruits are like a double-edged sword for diabetics, so rather than completely excluding them, it is better to limit their intake. These days, many patients visit hospitals because their glycated hemoglobin levels rise due to eating summer fruits such as watermelon and melon. In addition, as summer approaches, peaches and grapes are in abundance, but moderation is needed, such as consuming two peaches and no more than twenty grapes.
It is best to avoid eating fruit by grinding or juicing it, as it raises blood sugar levels more quickly and reduces fiber intake. Juice is often made with added sugars such as syrup, so it is not recommended for many reasons. Noodles such as cold noodles and kongguksu, which are commonly eaten as summer meals, also raise blood sugar levels rapidly.
#work out
The second thing that diabetics should be careful about is exercise. It is good to do moderate intensity exercise regularly every day. Exercise after a meal is good because it can prevent blood sugar from rising rapidly, but exercise before a meal (fasting) should be checked for the risk of hypoglycemia. For example, when exercising at dawn, which is a typical fasting exercise, it is recommended to eat a light snack before exercising because of the risk of hypoglycemia. In the summer, you should avoid 13:00 to 15:00, which is midday, and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. At this time, you should of course avoid electrolyte drinks with added sugar.
#insulin management
The third thing that diabetic patients should pay attention to is insulin management. Due to seasonal characteristics, special care must be taken when storing. Insulin pens that diabetics generally use in an opened state should be stored at room temperature below 30°C. However, in the summer, temperatures often exceed 30°C, so to maintain the efficacy, they should be stored in a cooler bag with ice or a cooler tumbler. Therefore, insulin should never be left in a hot vehicle. Unopened insulin can be stored in the refrigerator as usual. Insulin can deteriorate due to changes in ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure, so when taking a vacation flight, it is recommended to carry insulin on board rather than storing it in the hold, even if you are not going to use it right away.
#body injuries
Another thing that diabetics should be careful about is injuries to the body that can easily occur due to wearing short clothes in the summer. Diabetics should be especially careful when playing in water. If possible, it is recommended to wear aqua shoes or shoes to prevent injuries to the feet at water parks, and after playing in water, you should carefully check to see if there are any injuries to the feet.
Summer is a dangerous season for diabetics in many ways, but if you think about it differently, if you get through summer well, you can get through other seasons better. Proper diabetes management will play an important role in preventing complications and managing blood sugar levels. (Written by Dr. Hyo-sun Chu, Department of Family Medicine, Daejeon Seon Hospital)
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Source: www.hkn24.com
