1. Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is important for everyone during physical activities, and it’s especially critical if you have diabetes.
2. Avoid becoming dehydrated. Pack water and Pedialyte.
3. Adjust your insulin as needed. Ask your doctor about how to adjust your insulin so you can prepare to be physically active in the summer months.
4. Test your blood sugar levels frequently. Make sure to test more often when being active in the heat.
5. Keep items to treat low blood sugar with you. This includes glucose tabs or glucose gel and/or a glucagon kit.
6. Eat regular meals. Don’t skip meals.
7. Take snacks with you.
8. Protect your medication and supplies. Take proactive steps to protect your insulin, glucagon kit and other supplies before you head outdoors, regardless of the temperature. Most types of insulin can tolerate temperatures up to 93 degrees to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Exposing your supply to anything higher than that will make the medication quickly break down. Bring a cooler if needed. Don’t forget the weather also can affect test strips and monitoring devices.
9. Avoid sunburn: Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen when outdoors. Sunburn can be a stressor and can raise blood sugar levels.
10. Limit how much time you spend outside in extreme temperatures.
