The weather is getting warmer every day, which means that we have to prepare ourselves for outside activities. What do you think about hiking and trekking?
What can be more amazing than beginning the spring with a breath of fresh air in the mountains?
However, these activities require special management for people with diabetes.
We hope that the information below will help you to have an amazing trip in the mountains!
Storing insulin:
Hot weather - the insulin had to be kept in the coolest place of your bag. Also, keep it out of direct sunlight.
Cold weather - at temperatures near or below freezing, keep insulin in a jacket, pants, or a coat pocket.
Needles - be sure to bring enough injection needles for your entire trip, as well as a suitable box to store your used needles. Do not reuse needles.
Medication:
People with diabetes who go hiking or trekking will discover what sort of drug treatment works best for them by trial and error. It's difficult to determine a general plan since it may or may not be accessible to everyone. There are some basic guidelines for first-timers that can be useful.
Insulin Changes - After you've made some healthy changes in preparation for your holiday, you'll probably find that reducing your insulin doses makes your blood sugars more stable. Talk to your doctor before making any major adjustments to your insulin regimen if you're not used to hiking. Many people discover their own way of medicating by trial and error. You shouldn't go on your first hike or trek by yourself, particularly if you've been approved to make drastic insulin changes.
Low Blood Sugar - Strenuous days of burning calories for people with diabetes on insulin, sulfonylureas, or glinides can result in daily fights with low blood sugar that take several breaks to correct. On a longer trek, exercising with low blood sugar can be difficult, and it can lead to fatigue as the days pass. Because of the number of calories, you'll be burning, you won't take as much insulin. Checking the blood sugars regularly is recommended, as identifying high and low blood sugar symptoms can be challenging while exercising at a consistent pace.
Food:
Replace snacks that rely on sugar with whole grains products, because they digest more slowly, providing a more stable energy level on your trip.
Water:
Keeping hydrated will help you maintain all of your endocrine functions.
Blood testing:
Some blood glucose meters, especially those that rely on a glucose oxidase reaction, can under-read at high altitude, and blood thickening due to dehydration is also a possibility. It's crucial to keep your meter and test sticks warm, which you can do by wearing insulated pouches under your clothes and close to your skin. Cold hands can make blood testing difficult, so keep them warm during your journey and use a big drop of blood to stop the test strip from drying out too quickly. Heat your meter under your armpit for a few minutes if you don't think your reading is right, then try again. Alternatively, since meters can be inaccurate at altitude, test the urine for glucose. It's a good idea to bring a backup meter and batteries, as well as more test strips than you think you'll need.
Protect your sensor:
Fixic libre freestyle sensor covers protects your sensor during all your favorite activities. Our adhesive patches by Fixic will keep the sensor for over two weeks! It has been tested successfully - patches stay on the skin even over 14 showers!