Being in the Southern Hemisphere we’re heading into the depths of winter with snow/ cold aplenty.
It looks like we’ll be heading into the mountains for a snowy adventure this weekend & it got me thinking about better T1D management when there’s a combination of activity & extreme temperature changes.
I’m expecting something like this:
Being warm & inactive in our van for the drive to the mountains.
Being cold & semi-active while getting geared up in the carpark.
Being in the snow/ cold while burning loads of energy going up. (The skifields haven’t opened, so we’re going to be going uphill under our own power).
Being in the snow/ cold + extra wind chill while using less physical energy (but a lot of adrenalin) going down.
Being cold, semi-active & post-exercise while changing for the van.
Back in the van for warmth & inactivity on the drive home.
Which is a lot of changes over the course of several hours!
Any tips on how people manage their BG during winter activities would be appreciated.
That’s awesome!! Can’t wait to hear how the winter adventures go
As a Canadian (now living in California), I sure have my fair share of experiences in winter and snowy conditions!!
The main tips that we share here, based on the AID and exercise position statement that we published earlier this year:
Tips
Keep insulin and glucose gels close to your body to stay warm
Use glucose tablets instead of gels or other treatments that can freeze
Warm up devices before using
Consider setting higher CGM alert, where possible
Hope that’s helpful! I have done some very fun, snowy camping trips in British Columbia with a non-profit T1D group called “I Challenge Diabetes” and we made sure to keep insulin vials and pumps close to our skin, especially overnight when temperatures were REALLY cold!
During the winter I typically make sure I do 1 thing. With my Tandem X2 Pump I ALWAYS wear the CGM on the SAME side that the pump infuses into in..For example the phone stays in the right pockets, the insulin pump is under my snowsuit on the Right side, and the CGM is connected to my Right Arm. I have had nothing but problems with wearing anything not on the same side, CGM timing out, phone timing out, CGM app on my phone “sensor loss of signal”
Sounds like an awesome trip! Layer up and keep your gear and insulin warm body heat or insulated pouches help. Cold and adrenaline can both raise BG, while activity drops it, so frequent checks and small carb snacks are key. Enjoy the adventure!
