Winter Wellness Tips for Diabetics: Keep Your Blood Sugar Steady

During winter, diabetics tend to experience higher blood sugar levels compared to the summer months. To address this, Professor Julio Weinstein offers advice on how to better maintain balanced glucose levels, even in the colder season.

Stay Active

Short daily exercise can help improve blood sugar levels in several ways. It enhances the body's sensitivity to insulin and aids in better regulation of blood sugar. It's also recommended to regularly monitor blood sugar levels, which can now be done with non-invasive continuous glucose monitors that provide real-time feedback.

Furthermore, exercise helps warm the body, offering long-term benefits for metabolism and keeping the body warm even after finishing a workout. Exercise also boosts mood and contributes positively to brain activity. If the weather keeps you from exercising outdoors, invest some energy indoors - dance, jump, do aerobics, yoga, tai chi, climb stairs a few times, or even do some housework - all these activities will get your muscles moving..

Eat Right

People tend to eat more during winter, as they consume "comfort foods," leading to more takeout orders. Moreover, the body might crave more calories to fend off the cold. This is a natural response, but it's crucial not to overeat and to focus on healthy foods. Fast foods and snacks may provide short-term satisfaction but often leave you hungry again in a few hours. Home-cooked meals and natural snacks, such as measured servings of fruits and nuts, are excellent bases for a healthy diet, regardless of the season.

Foot Care

Cracked and dry skin during winter is very common. For diabetics, maintaining foot health is a crucial daily task. Loss of moisture in the feet can lead to cracks, peeling, and even infections during the winter months.

Therefore, do everything you can to protect your feet - wear comfortable and fitted shoes, appropriate socks preferably without seams, and keep them dry from sweat if you exercise. Apply creams to your feet, but not between the toes, to maintain their health, and check for cuts, wounds, or even dry spots. If you encounter painful lesions on your feet, contact your doctor immediately to plan the next steps.

Winter Illnesses

Illness (any illness) complicates diabetes management. You'll feel worse, have less energy, and to add to the problem, blood sugar levels often rise in response to colds and viral illnesses. To prevent these illnesses from affecting your sugar levels, maintain your body temperature, eat healthily, keep an eye on your sugar levels, and track any fluctuations using a non-invasive continuous glucose monitor.

Stay Hydrated

Most people tend to forget the importance of maintaining ideal fluid levels in the body, especially in winter when the weather is cooler. Drinking water, or versions such as tea or unsweetened soft drinks in sufficient quantities, can help maintain hydration. Diabetics specifically are at a higher risk of dehydration, which can lead to dangerous issues like diabetic ketoacidosis. Therefore, it's also recommended to use a ketone meter and ensure balanced sugar levels.

Professor Julio Weinstein is the Director of the Diabetes Research Unit at Wolfson Medical Center and a senior diabetes physician at the DMC Diabetes Center.