Seasonal Changes and your Diabetes control.

I have researched this subject on Google and there does not seem to be any definite medical reason or advise on what to do when you blood sugar is doing strange things in the move from Winter to Spring and visa versa.

I decided to look at it logically and try and account for some changes and how they can affect your BG control.

Winter to Spring 

1. The warmer weather triggers a want to get outside and participate in more physical activity- Lower blood sugar.
2. You have not yet started on the oh gosh I must drink more water plan - This can lead to dehydration which increases you BG which increases your need to pee, which increases your dehydration. Also when dehydrated your blood supply to your skin is less,so this will affect your insulin absorption. - Higher Blood Sugar
3. The heat (29 c at present) makes us eat less and healthier foods like a salad if you are not doing a correct carb. count it will - Lower blood sugar
4. Your body is not using the same amount of energy to keep warm, have the same meal on a warm day that you had on a cold day in winter and inject the same - Higher blood sugar

I have tried to think of more reasons but I am hitting a blank wall. I wish there was an easy fix or a formula for this but there is not. (Let me know if any of you find it.)

What we should do?

1. Test more get back to the 6 or so tests a day. (Pin cushion time.)
2. Because you are testing more you can now adjust your insulin as need be.
3. Drink more water. (I always find this hard.) Maybe get a soda stream to make some sparkling water and add some fresh fruit or lemon to make it more appealing.
4. Re stock your at home, in the car and in the handbag low kit. (The other day I went low and I looked in the handbag and all I could find was mints from a restaurant outing. Need to restock.) What to have in these kits - First of all the kit should be off limits to the children. 

          Car kit -  Nothing that will melt. Nuts are good so try a nut and dried fruit trail mix. Woolies has small lunch box packets get more than one.(From past experience some sweets also melt.)
           Handbag Kit - You car glove box has more space than your hand bag so limit the bag to one item that has about 15g of carbs. That is all you need. (I know it sounds crazy at the time but be patient.) Non Melty, Some thing different to the Car kit. Woolworths has vegetable chips a packet of these will be nice. I like these maybe too much and might eat them before a low takes place so be careful.
            Home Kit- This is where you can pack a nice variety of emergency goodies in a tin or box but remember that 1 small Liquifruit box should be enough to save you. At home you should be able to find something and not be stranded but keeping it readily available in a tin will be useful when you are stumbling around at 2am trying to make a peanut butter sandwich while the government are load-shedding your electricity.

I don't know maybe we are so happy that the warmer weather is finally here that we forget to start doing these things at the beginning of the change of seasons. I think I am going to save a calendar entry on my phone for next year.

   My Non Scientific ,Scientific reason for all this- in Spring we are over producing endorphins and are happy and all smiley so we think we are untouchable. In Autumn we are getting depressed and going into hibernation mode so the last thing we want is someone to remind us we are Diabetics.

 

Lets all do this it is the most important advise to Diabetes control I can give you.

Finally some good news Google are teaming up with Sanofi to help out us Diabetics. (See article below.)

http://goo.gl/YnpPku

Stay strong, 

Kim

       

A bit of this and a bit of that.

I decided today that I would just share some wonderful Diabetes sites and other things I have found while surfing the web.

First up is the very talented Kerri who writes the blog "Six until me", She also wrote an e-book called "Diabetes terms of endearment." I have posted the link to the whole book but here are my favorites:

• BS-Brain - Blood Sugar brain , the fog all day after a low blood sugar
• Carbage - Collective Carb count of an item of food. eg "How much carbage is in that donut"
• Insulint- Having a bad attitude while also being a diabetic.

http://www.sixuntilme.com/blog-mt2/blog_images/Q12011/SUM_Diabetes_Terms.pdf

And did you know that I am a PWD no not a "Public Works Department " or  "Print Working Directory command"but "Person with Diabetes".

Some Diabetes humor

Some Diabetic Pick Up Lines

"How about we go back to my place, I now a way to make your blood sugar drop."

"My low blood sugar isn't the only thing that makes me sweat, You are HOT!"

What I have found in the shops.

Recently I have found a new range of sugar free cool-drinks in Woolworths , they have Sugar Free Creme Soda, Sugar Free Grapeade, Sugar Free Gingerbeer and Sugar Free Passionade. This must be great for young diabetics that now can enjoy similar drinks to their friends. (Oh between you and me I love them as well,for 30 years I have been waiting to drink a whole glass of Fanta Grape again and this version is everything I expected.)  Thanks Woolworths. PS Woolworths have had a special on these recently at R30.00 for 3 x 2L bottles so it is also as cheap as chips.


Scary diabetic stuff

There are people with Diabulimia - This is a Diabetic with a condition where by they don't inject too much insulin so they can remain skinny like most type 1's are when they are first diagnosed because of Uncontrolled diabetes. Read the article, I was totally shocked when I heard about this, this kind of thinking is crazy and scary.

http://insulinnation.com/living/recovering-from-diabulimia/

That's all for now, hope some of these put a smile on your face.

Bye.

Kim