Fun in
YOUR GUIDE TO
SUMMER SAFETY
It’s the season of BBQs, picnics, vacations,
and pool parties. Don’t miss a beat (or the
beach!) with these healthy strategies.
BY JESSICA MIGALA
S
ummertime can be kind to diabetes management.
“You’re eating lighter, fruits and vegetables are
fresher, and you’re naturally more active, so blood
sugar tends to improve,” says Tiffany Soper, FNP,
a certified diabetes educator in the Diabetes Self-Management
Education and Support Program at Massachusetts General Hos-
pital. But here’s the rub: the heat may affect people with diabetes
more than those who don’t have it. Diabetes complications like
nerve damage can impair sweat glands’ ability to sweat and keep
you cool; high blood sugar and certain medications can make
dehydration more likely; and the heat may affect insulin needs.
But that doesn’t have to stop you from having a summer that’s
filled with activities you enjoy.
56 DI ABETIC LI VING / S UMMER 2 019
