TheExerciseEffectMovement in every season is key for managing
blood sugar (and boosting your mood), so don’t
hold back! But be aware that being more active
than usual may affect your blood sugar. Long
backyard play sessions with the kids, Sunday
hikes with the family, or days spent at a theme
park all result in extra exercise that could
make you hungrier and cause low blood
sugar, depending on your medications. Pre-
pare by bringing good snack options with
you. (See page 86 for ideas.) Hot temps
call for an additional layer of caution—
be sure to stay hydrated.
If you take diabetes medications,
Soper recommends checking your
blood sugar before and after activity.
This can be a great motivator too! “If
you notice that your blood sugar went
from 180 to 120 after a 45-minute
post-dinner walk, the positive feed-
back can be really motivating to stay
active,” she says.
If you take insulin or any medication
that might cause hypoglycemia, you’re going
to want to be prepared by taking your monitor
and a source of fast-acting carbs with you, says
McKittrick. “If you feel weird—weak, headachy,
shaky—check your blood sugar. Symptoms of heat
exhaustion and dehydration are similar and can
mimic those of low blood sugar,” she says. And
problems can arise if you treat hypoglycemia when
you aren’t experiencing a low. If your blood sugar
is normal, those symptoms may be a sign that you
need to drink water and cool down in a shaded
area. But if your blood sugar is low, follow the “15
every 15” rule, McKittrick says. That means eating
15 grams of carbs (fast-acting glucose tabs, four
dried apricots, or half of a large banana), then wait-
ing 15 minutes and rechecking.
Not on insulin or insulin secretagogues? You’ll
still want to tote a healthy snack along for a burst
of energy when you need it. If you continue to feel
faint or ill after snacking, hydrating, and/or cooling
ERICKSON STOCK / OFFSET.COMdown, seek medical attention.