If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back?
-- Steven Wright, comedian
I guess by now we are all up on the fact that it's hot outside. Sadly, it's also hot in my car and my house, since the air conditioning in both places is on the fritz.
As a result, I've noticed that I feel cranky and drained of energy by evening.
That made me wonder whether the heat causes special health problems for diabetics.
Dr. Harwan Hamaty of the Cleveland Clinic (health.clevelandclinic.org) contends that out-of-control blood sugar numbers -- either too high or too low -- can put us at an even higher risk of problems when combined with heat.
How the heat affects blood-sugar levels depends on what we've eaten, our level of hydration and how active we are. If the heat and activity make you sweat profusely, dehydration can follow, leading to a rise in glucose levels. This increase can lead to frequent urination, which leads to higher blood sugar levels and so on, and so on, and so on.
If your treatment includes insulin, dehydration can reduce blood supply to the skin, which means less of your injected insulin is absorbed.
Hamaty offers these tips for managing diabetes when the heat is on:
• Drink plenty of water.
But what is plenty of water? The amount advised is all over the map, so consider the basics: The more you weigh, the more water you need. Same goes for activity level. If you are extremely active you need more water. If you live somewhere with a drier climate, you need more water. And folks with fast metabolisms need more water than those with slow ones.
Factor in your diet, too. Foods that contain water add to your daily fluid intake. Apples, yogurt and ice cream, for example, all contain water.
Also consider your health. If you get a fever, add 3.5 ounces of fluid for each degree your temperature rises. And replace any lost fluids with light broths or gelatins instead of sugary sports drinks.
They say it's hard to drink too much water, but if you do, it can cause nausea, headache, confusion, lethargy and even seizures.
• Test blood-sugar levels frequently. Since very high temperatures can cause levels to fluctuate, it's a good idea to test more frequently than usual.
• Adjust insulin as needed. But it's probably best to do it with your doctor's input.
• Protect your medicine and supplies. Extreme heat can alter or damage oral medications, insulin and blood-glucose monitors. There are small coolers that plug in like a cellphone charger available. But don't leave the meds in a car cooler inside a hot car for hours. If you are going to be out of the car for a while, take the cooler with you.
• Avoid sunburn. Of course, you can get sunburned while skiing in the cold, but no matter how it happens, it stresses your body and can raise blood-sugar levels.
• Watch for signs of heat exhaustion. They include feeling dizzy or fainting, excessive sweating, headache, muscle cramps, cold or clammy skin, rapid heartbeat and/or nausea.
• Exercise in a cool place. Try an air-conditioned gym or your home. If you exercise outside, make it early in the morning or later in the evening.
The American Diabetes Association recommends improving blood-sugar levels before engaging in heavy physical activity, regardless of the climate or temperature.
Email me at:
rboggs@arkansasonline.com
ActiveStyle on 06/20/2016