The attack of the COVID-19 variant, Omicron, has forced us to stay at home. Sudden changes in the original lifestyle, reduced follow-up visits, irregular living habits, reduced medication compliance, and increasingly bad mood have caused the blood sugar of many diabetes patients to rise and fall dramatically like the roller coaster.

In this special period, in addition to implementing preventive measures such as frequent hand washing, wearing masks, fewer gatherings and more ventilation, to prevent COVID infections, diabetes patients should also ensure their blood glucose levels are stable and reach the standard.

So how to control blood sugar?

01 How should I monitor my blood sugar correctly?

Patients with type 1 diabetes:

Self monitor blood glucose at least once before each meal. This is crucial for people with type 1 diabetes to decide on insulin dosage and dietary intake.

Patients with type 2 diabetes:

For these people, blood sugar levels are generally stable throughout a day, with fewer large fluctuations. The interval of blood glucose monitoring can be longer, with 2-3 times a week; monitor fasting or postprandial blood glucose within 2 hours.

Those having repeated hypoglycemia but no symptoms:

Check the blood glucose level at least 4 times a day (before meals and before bed). For patients with cold sweat, palpitation and hunger at night or unstable blood glucose level in the morning, midnight blood glucose should also be detected to see whether there is nocturnal hypoglycemia.

Health tips given by DeltaHealth doctors:

Take the HbA1c test every 3 months to know about blood sugar levels over this period. Follow your doctor’s advice and adjust your treatment to make sure your blood sugar levels are in the normal range.

02 How do I take medication correctly?

There are three options for medication therapy:

-Insulin therapy

-Oral medication therapy

-Oral medication combined with insulin therapy

No matter which therapy you choose, do not stop, increase or decrease medication by yourself. If your blood glucose control is not effective, please contact your endocrinologist to discuss the plan of medication usage. 

03 How do I have meals properly?

A concept should be given here: Glycemic index (GI) Different foods have different GI, and the GI for glucose is usually set at 100.

GI>70: food with high GI

After these foods enter the stomach and intestines, the digestion is fast, the absorption rate is high, the conversion into glucose is fast, and the blood sugar rises rapidly.

GI≤55: food with low GI

These foods stay in the stomach and intestines for a long time, with low absorption rate, slow conversion to glucose and slow rise of blood sugar. The body has enough time to mobilize the release and synthesis of insulin, so that blood sugar does not surge.

Our doctors have sorted out GI of different foods for your reference.

You are suggested to choose more low GI food and limit the intake of high GI food; At the same time, high GI food can be changed into medium and low GI one by integrating different ingredients.

04 What daily exercise should I do to stay healthy?

Indoor exercise

1. Tai Chi and Ba Duan Jin

Diabetic patients isolated at home can practice Tai Chi and Ba Duan Jin indoors. After the practice, you can not only calm down your emotions, but also get enough exercise. If you are interested, search for detailed tutorials online.

2 Walk fast indoors

Walking is a relaxing exercise, and in this special period when you can not go out, you can have fast walk at home. 30-minute walk every day can give you enough daily exercise, and effectively control blood sugar (Do not overexercise at home and please ensure your safety).

3 Resistance training

Proper resistance training can exercise muscles, enhance muscle strength and improve insulin resistance. Patients with diabetes can choose push-ups, squatting, plank and other exercise according to their own situation. However, it should be noted that resistance exercise does not need to be done every day, but 2-3 times a week (Do not overexercise at home and please ensure your safety).

05 Keep a healthy mind and stay away from rumor

Diabetes patients tend to have different degrees of negative emotions, such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, guilt, frustration, etc. During the pandemic, complicated information sources easily made patients feel bad. If you already have anxiety or depression, read this article What can we do about pandemic anxiety?. 

Health tips given by DeltaHealth doctors:

Get information about COVID-19 from official channels, do not believe or spread rumors, and avoid paying too much attention to negative emotions;

Keep a reasonable routine of work and rest and appropriately increase recreational activities. These are helpful for relieving bad emotions.

Talk to family and friends, keep communication and exchange with them;

Seek professional psychological assistance if necessary.

In short, we should not let COVID-19 make us panic, when we have already been trapped at home by it physically. 

06 Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?

While exercise and a balanced diet can help boost your immune system, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is still a better option to prevent severe illness. Except for acute complications of diabetes or other contraindications, you are recommended to get at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccine for self-protection.

Health is the foundation of everything, and sugar control is a lifelong practice.

Wish every diabetes patient to become the master of sugar control and lead a happy life.

Everything is gonna be all right!

References：

MedlinePlus: Glycemic index and diabetes

Harvard Health Publishing: a good guide to good carbs - The glycemic index

Located in the heart of the Gubei International Community, DeltaHealth Clinic · Hongqiao is an international and general clinic owned by DeltaHealth China.

Being "patient centered", it is committed to providing high-quality medical services, diagnosis and treatment, as well as modern and comfortable medical environment.