No one wants to be laid up with the sniffles or, worse, the flu. But when you have diabetes, a winter bug is even more of a hassle- it means monitoring your blood sugar more often, checking your urine or ketones and making sure any meds you take are sugar-free. That said, you’ll want to steer clear of germs altogether. Of course, you know washing your hands frequently and getting a flu vaccine are your first lines of defense. But why stop there? Read on for the collective wisdom of some pros with the inside scoop on staying healthy.
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
If you’re not sure how to eyeball six to 10 feet, use a yardstick to help you figure it out, says Philip M. Tierno, PhD, clinical professor of microbiology and pathology at New York University’s Langone Medical Center. “That’s the ideal distance I always keep myself away from anyone who has signs of being sick,” he says. This will keep you outside the immediate spray of their germs and outside that person’s ‘touch zone.’ And 80% of all infectious disease is transmitted by touch.
By NUNA ALBERTS, Diabetes, Vol. 17, NO. 5