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Dealing with diabetes is a little difficult because it is a continuous process. There is no cure for this disease. But you have to continuously put in efforts to maintain your blood sugar level.
Do you know that your blood sugar level spikes during the winter season?
Yes, it’s true!
Most diabetic patients frequently visit their doctors due to elevated sugar levels. And, there are some reasons behind the same. Before discussing the tips to control sugar levels during winter, let’s find out the reasons for elevated sugar levels during winter.
Reasons For Blood Sugar Level Spikes During Winter
Limited Activities
The first and main reason is reduced exercise or regular walking during the winter season due to uncomfortably cold weather.
Changed Eating Habits
The second reason is changed eating habits. During the winter season, our appetite grows due to reduced temperature and we tend to eat more. Consequently, our cravings start growing and it leads to more calorie intake. Excessive eating can also lead to spikes in blood sugar levels and it is very hard to manage.
Hormonal Level Variations
Reduced atmospheric temperature during winter triggers stress-related hormones such as cortisol. These hormones act counter-regulatory to insulin. Ultimately, it leads to an increase in blood sugar levels during the winter season.
Vulnerability To Flu & Colds
During cold weather, we are highly susceptible to flu and colds. Falling ill leads to the generation of inflammatory hormones that can trigger blood sugar levels. Therefore, it can also be one of the reasons for the spike in blood sugar levels.
So, paying attention to your blood sugar level during winter is highly important. Let’s discuss some simple techniques to control your blood sugar level even when outside weather is chilling cold:
Tips For Diabetic Patients To Control Their Sugar Level
Regularly Monitor Blood Sugar Level
As it is explained cold weather can trigger sugar level spikes, therefore, regularly monitoring your blood sugar level is important. Regular evaluation will help you to determine whether your blood sugar level is maintained or spiked. In addition to this, you should also watch symptoms of increased sugar levels.
Some of the symptoms are dry mouth, unwanted weight loss, bladder infection, skin infection, blurred vision, and feeling fatigued. By monitoring your symptoms, you can keep control of your diabetes, even during the shivering cold winter season.
In case you observe any rise in blood sugar, then you can adjust your diet and medication accordingly. Make sure you discuss it with your doctor by adjusting your diet or medicines. Regular visits to the doctor are necessary for a diabetic patient.
Try To Keep Yourself Warm
Weather changes can be alarming for diabetic patients, especially when there is a shift from hot weather to cold weather. Therefore, when the winter season arrives, diabetic patients need to be extra cautious. They should keep themselves warm to prevent unwanted increases in blood sugar levels.
There are different ways to keep your body warm. Wear warm clothes and layer up to prevent yourself from shivering cold, consume hot and healthy beverages, and try to do indoor activities. Also, you can start doing yoga at home to keep your body warm and healthy.
Prevent Yourselves From Cold-Related Problems
When you fall ill, your body starts producing inflammatory hormones and it becomes difficult to control blood sugar levels. Cold, virus, or flu are quite common during the winter season. If you get affected by any of these winter-related health issues, then your body starts developing ketones. You need to follow specific guidelines to quickly recover from health issues.
To prevent yourself from winter-related problems, you should do the following:
- Get flu shots at the start of the winter season
- Must have sound sleep for 7 to 8 hours
- Frequently wash your hands
Keep Check On Your Feet And Skin
The winter season is associated with cold and dry wind. Also, continuous use of heaters in the rooms and cars can make the indoor ambiance extremely dry. It can adversely affect our skin and can lead to cracks in it. Therefore, you should keep checking on your entire body and skin, especially your feet.
During winter, our feet are highly vulnerable to cracks and these cracks make an easy way for microbes to enter our skin and lead to health problems. Any kind of infection can elevate your blood sugar level and make it difficult to control it.
Therefore, all diabetic patients should pay close attention to their skin, especially feet during the winter season because prevention is better than cure.
Start Doing Indoor Activities
Staying active is a must for diabetic patients to keep their sugar levels in control. Excessive cold weather during winter makes us lazy and makes it difficult to do regular exercise. Going outside for a walk may not be an ideal option during this weather. But you can start doing indoor activities. Yoga is the best way to keep your body active.
Spend 20-30 minutes a day doing yoga in the morning or evening. Yoga will not just help to control your blood sugar level, but also enhance the strength of your entire body. Including yoga in your daily routine will improve your physical as well as mental health.
Don’t Let Your Insulin Shots Get Freeze
Maybe diabetic patients know very well, that it is important to keep insulin shots cool because they are temperature-sensitive. But only a few of them may know that freezing insulin shots is a big no-no.
Once the insulin shots are stored at 0°C, then they will become useless, even if you place them at normal temperature for some time. Thus, you should keep in mind that you have to keep your insulin shots cool, but not freeze them.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
Consumption of water automatically reduces during the winter season due to cold weather. However, maintaining the right water consumption throughout the year is very important. Reduced water intake makes it difficult to remove toxins from the body. Accumulated toxins lead to unwanted spikes in blood sugar levels. Thus, you should keep your eyes on your regular water intake and ensure you are consuming enough.
Final Words
Diabetic patients should be very cautious and always take care of their health. They should never show any kind of negligence toward their health. Winters can be very harsh for them and that’s why they should be extra careful during shivering cold weather. To ensure their good health, they should stay active, watch their eating habits, and ensure sufficient intake of water. By implementing all the tips and tricks mentioned above, a diabetic patient can lead a normal life, even during harsh weather in the winter season.
