Did you know that over 30 million Americans are living with some form of diabetes? With Diabetes, your body cannot process sugar by either not producing insulin (type 1) or by not using the insulin your body produces correctly. This condition impacts just about every system of your body including your eyes, heart, and kidneys. When working out more intensely or starting a new activity, it is important to know how to manage your diabetes to stay safe, especially in the warmer weather of spring and summer.
According to the Centers of Disease Control, persons who have diabetes experience heat more than people who don’t. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels and nerves that go to your sweat glands so your body cannot cool itself down as well. This can lead to the medical emergency known as heat stroke. Dehydration is another factor that affects people with diabetes at a higher rate than others. Not only does high blood sugar make you urinate more causing dehydration, but many water pills (diuretics) can also dehydrate you.
Some good tips for staying in control of your diabetes in the warmer weather is to make sure you drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, test your blood sugar more often, stay inside during the hottest times of the day, wear loose fitting light clothing, and have a go-bag ready for emergencies. Make sure that you talk to the front desk if you start to feel anything out of the ordinary when working out at Century Fitness.
Josh Kudo DPT, CHWS
- Statistics about diabetes. American diabetes association. 2017. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/?referrer=https://www.google.com/
- Managing diabetes in the heat. Centers for disease control and prevention. June 29, 2016. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/features/diabetesheattravel/
This article is intended to provide general knowledge of health and fitness principles and should not be taken as medical advice or used to diagnose health problems or for treatment purposes. It is not a substitute for medical care provided by a licensed and qualified health professional. Always consult your doctor or licensed healthcare provider for personalized advice on diet and exercise.
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