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Friday, 8 July 2022

It's hot - heatwave health alert and ways to cope with Type 1 Diabetes in the heat

The UK has been experiencing HOT weather recently, with more to come, and a heat-health alert has been issued for parts of the UK. A UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warning will be in force from Monday 11 July until Friday 15 July for affected areas,(this could be updated). The agency suggests people shade or cover windows exposed to direct sunlight, check fans and fridges are working properly, and that medicines are correctly stored.

It reminded me of a blog-post I originally posted in 2018. But what was written then is still very relevant today...

Emma Baird (a type 1 diabetic ) writes:
"If you’re a type 1, what special precautions do you need to take when the mercury rises? I prepared this handy infographic to help…


Please note—if you have neuropathy (nerve damage) this can affect your ability to sweat and therefore cool down. Go out early in the morning or later in the afternoon if you can, drink water to stay hydrated and exercise in air-conditioned gyms. Cut down on drinks with caffeine and alcohol, and take care of yourself as best you can."
This and more from Diabetes Diet Blog here


Of course wherever you live some days can just be too hot, and on these sort of days it is important to stay hydrated. Sometimes the easiest way is to use water from your kitchen tap, but bottled water can also be a great help. Of course on a hot day, why not boost your hydration with juicy foods. The ones shown on the post called 'When its hot stay hydrated' are around 80-90% water by weight, and you can read the post here

Are you experiencing hot weather at the moment? How do you stay cool?
Please share your thoughts in the comments.

This blog brings a variety of articles and recipe ideas, and it is important to note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use a reliable meter. If you have any concerns about your health it is always advisable to consult your Doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan

18 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

I feel for you. I do have neuropathy and in our summer I pretty much turn into a troll and try and only come out at night.
Stay cool, stay hydrated and stay safe.

Margarida Pires said...

Aqui por por Portugal 41ª é hidratação pura!
Um beijinho!
Gratidão!
Força!
🌼🌼🌼Megy Maia

Tom said...

...and it will only get hotter.

Christine said...

It is not so bad here in the evenings

Practical Parsimony said...

This sounds like good advice for type II diabetics, generally for older people and everyone. The "feels like" temperature is 105 today.

Kay said...

Thank you for the reminder to drink some water which I just did. :-)

Margaret D said...

Heard it was a bit warm over your way.

J.P. Alexander said...

Gracias por los consejos. Te mando un beso.

Barwitzki said...

More relaxation and more shade... when it gets hot again.
And yes, exactly... drink a lot, non-carbonated water. I put vegetables or fruit in the water, they look good, taste good and upgrade the water.
Greetings to you. I wish you a happy weekend.
(Here with us we have this weekend around 65 Fahrenheit, 14 - 18 degrees)

eileeninmd said...

Take care, I hope the heat wave does not last too long.

Take care, have a happy weekend.

Divers and Sundry said...

It's dangerously hot here, too, though we're getting a bit of rain today and we may not break record highs for the day.

Jeanie said...

These are excellent tips. Thank you, Jan! Happy weekend.

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Taking precautions and being informed about high temperatures is very important. Thank you, Jan

Lorrie said...

No hot weather here, but it's mostly pleasant. Good tips to drink more water and take it easy when it's hot, diabetic or not.
Happy weekend, Jan.

DVArtist said...

Great post. Have a nice, cool day.

José Antonio Sánchez Rumí said...

Very interesting and very helpful information, here we have a fairly hard wave, it will reach 46 degrees and nights that will not fall below 25 - 26 degrees, difficult to cope.
Best regards.

William Kendall said...

We are used to hot summers, and while there have been some hot days, there hasn't really been a heatwave.

Teresa said...

Por aquí hoy se esperan 40 grados centígrados. Me parece muy interesante tu entrada. Besos.