Diabetic patient have high Hba1c during winter than summer; Dr SK Varun

Dr SANJAY KUMAR VARUN

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

During the winter season people of all diabetes types tend to have higher HBa1c levels than the summer season.

With snow, ice and frost all threatening, sugar levels can creep up whilst the temperature drops. In view of this, we’ve compiled some tips to help keep your blood glucose levels under control during a cold snap. The cold weather can leave you with cold hands which can make blood testing more difficult. Don’t let the cold put you off doing your tests though.

Regular testing will help you to catch any highs or lows and keep your sugar levels under control. If your hands are cold, try warming them up on a warm mug or on a radiator with a towel or thick clothing over it, before doing your test.

Even just a little physical activity each day can help your glucose levels in a number of supporting ways, Increasing insulin sensitivity, Keeping you warm and Good for the mind. A little activity each day will help with insulin sensitivity (in all types of diabetes) which can help the body to better regulate sugar levels. Particularly if you are using insulin, keep a watch of your blood sugar levels in case your insulin requirements go down.

Bear in mind that activity can affect blood glucose for up to 48 hours. A little bit of exercise helps to keep you warm. We all know that whilst exercising we heat up, but the effects don’t stop as soon as we stop exercising. We may feel cooler after stopping, if we’ve built up a sweat, but the longer term effects of exercise is to help with metabolism which can help to keep our body temperature up even hours after exercise and helps improve fitness levels. If you tend to feel cold during the winter months, a little more activity in your day could be just the thing. The saying ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ rings true. If you keep your body active, you’ll find the mind stays more active too. With a fresh feeling mind you’ll be able to cope with more of the rigours of the day and be in a better position to make decisions in the management of your diabetes.