ENJOY THE SUMMER BY STAYING HEALTHY AND SAFE

• Make sure you are in a shady and cool place.
• Drink water often, even if you don't feel thirsty.
• Beware of coffee, soft drinks with a lot of sugar, alcohol and juices, even natural ones. They are dehydrating and do not help people with diabetes, since they spike glucose, causing fluid loss and an increase in blood sugar. Prefer water, tea and unsweetened lemonade or carbonated water with fruit flavors.

• Plan your activities for the cooler hours of the day
• Prefer places with air conditioning and avoid staying in the sun for long periods of time, especially on hot days and during midday hours.
• Wear high-protection sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses with a filter that protect the eyes from the sun's ultraviolet radiation.
• Symptoms such as headache, dizziness, excessive sweating, low blood pressure, and rapid heartbeat may indicate heatstroke and you should take appropriate measures to treat them. Try to find a cool place to lie down with your feet elevated, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, take a cool bath or apply cold compresses, and remove your clothes if you can. If you do not feel better after taking these measures, you should seek medical attention.

• Plan light meals with a low glycemic index that require minimal preparation, such as salads with fish or vegetables.
• Choose fruits with high fiber content, such as berries and citrus fruits
• Avoid juices and dried fruits that can cause sudden increases in blood sugar.

• During the summer, avoid wearing very open shoes, especially on the beach, and never walk barefoot.
• Also be careful of the very hot sand and floor around the pools
• Check your feet daily for possible injuries and do not neglect to contact your doctor if you feel numbness or have open wounds that do not heal.

• Do not leave them exposed to the sun and do not forget them in the car, because they lose their effectiveness.
• Store them in a cool place and use special cases to protect them from heat. This applies not only to insulin, but also to other medications, as well as blood sugar test strips, meters and insulin pumps. If you are away from home for a long time or traveling, keep your insulin in a special case with an ice pack, so that it is not exposed to high temperatures, as it is extremely sensitive
• When traveling by plane, always carry your supplies in your hand luggage, which you should make sure are in sufficient quantities to cover all the days of your vacation and any unforeseen events that may occur.

• Enjoy exercise and contact with nature safely and with company! Avoid solitary explorations and make sure your friend/partner knows what to do in case of hypoglycemia
• If you exercise outdoors, choose times with lower temperatures, such as morning or evening, to exercise or prefer indoor spaces with air conditioning.
• Check your blood sugar levels before, during and after exercise, as heat and exercise can lead to hypoglycemia, even long after exercise has ended.

Watch out for hypoglycemia if your activity increases during the holidays. Consult your doctor in case you need to adjust your insulin dose or some medications. Extreme temperatures, increased activity and dehydration can cause significant changes in blood sugar levels and you should monitor this with frequent measurements.

• Always carry water and glucose tablets with you, or some juice or candy, so that in case of low glucose you can treat hypoglycemia immediately and safely.
• It is also a good idea for your friend/companion to know the symptoms of hypoglycemia and how to help you.
• A glucagon injection to treat severe hypoglycemia should always accompany you when traveling, if you are taking insulin.

• www.CDC.gov : Managing Diabetes in the Heat
• Diabetes UK: Summer Eating and Diabetes
• Healthline: Diabetes and Heat