Advanced Medical Support offers the following tips for people with diabetes during hot summer days. Keep hydrated. Dehydration, or loss of body fluids, can happen on hot summer days whether you have diabetes or not.

If you have diabetes, dehydration also can occur when blood glucose is in under control. When blood glucose is elevated, this can lead to an increase in the body’s excretion of urine. To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of caffeine-free fluids such as water, seltzer, sugar-free drinks like ice tea and lemonade. Limit your intake of alcohol.

Exercise in a cool place such as an air-conditioned gym: or if outdoors, exercise early in the morning or later in the evening.

Watch for signs of heat exhaustion, especially if you are working or exercising outdoors. People with diabetes, and other chronic diseases such as heart disease, are more susceptible to over heating. Symptoms include: feeling dizzy or fainting, sweating excessively, muscle cramps, skin that is cold or clammy, headaches, rapid heart beat, and / or nausea.

A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that families on weight loss programs not only lost weight, but also lowered their food bill.

The saving resulted from reduced portion sizes and the elimination of high-calorie foods.

The key to success, is in the planning:

Planning: Plan your meals in advance: check your recipes, take stock of what is in your cupboards, and make your shopping list. Most importantly, STICK WITH YOUR SHOPPING LIST. Choose fruits and vegetables that are in season. You can take advantage of these items by buying a bilk quantity and freezing or canning them for later use. Purchase a whole chicken or a lean cut of beef and divide it into smaller portions for a meal.

Leftovers: When planning meals, think about how to use your leftovers. If you plan right you may only have to prepare dinner 3-4 nights per week. Using frozen vegetable allows you to only use the amount you need and will eliminate waste.

According to research published in the Mayo Clinic Women’s Healthsource, if everyone participated in the following health prevention strategies over 100,000 lives could be saved each year.

Stop Smoking Discuss with your doctor the medications and resources available for smoking cessation. Over 42,000 lives could be saved each year if smoking cessation medications and resources were provided.

When you refer a QUALIFIED diabetic friend or relative …We will send you FREE OF CHARGE one of the following gifts: