With rains bringing relief from the scorching summer heat, comes a whole different set of health issues that diabetics have to cope with. There are various factors, like changes in climate, high humidity levels, vulnerability to infections and interference with daily activities, which affect diabetes in many ways.
Dr Shalini Jaggi, Consultant Diabetologist & Director, Lifecare Diabetes Centre, New Delhi, said that diabetes management is gradually evolving from a reactive approach to a more proactive one. With more than 77 million adults in India living with diabetes, understanding how seasonal shifts can affect glucose management is becoming increasingly important for maintaining long-term health and avoiding complications.
When rains disrupt routine, monitoring matters
During the rains, maintaining a routine can become harder. Heavy showers can limit outdoor activity, travel disruptions can affect meal timings, and changes in food choices or seasonal illness can influence glucose levels.
Yet these fluctuations may not always be obvious. A glucose reading taken at one point in the day provides useful information for that moment but may not show how levels are changing across the day or in response to meals, activity, stress or illness.
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) can provide a broader view by tracking glucose throughout the day. Sensor-based systems can provide real-time, minute-by-minute glucose information on a compatible smartphone, helping people see not only where their glucose is, but also the direction in which it is moving. Optional alerts can notify users when glucose is too high or too low, adding another layer of visibility during busy or disrupted days.
What Dr Shalini Jaggi says about glucose monitoring
Dr Shalini Jaggi, Consultant Diabetologist & Director, Lifecare Diabetes Centre, Kirti Nagar, N Delhi, said diabetes management is gradually evolving from a reactive approach to a more proactive one.
"For people living with diabetes, a single glucose reading tells us what is happening at one moment, while continuous glucose monitoring can help reveal the pattern across the day. Seeing how glucose responds to food, activity, stress or illness, along with real-time trends and alerts for highs or lows, can give people useful context, particularly when routines change during the rains. These insights can support more informed conversations with healthcare professionals and a more personalised approach to diabetes management."
Moving beyond individual readings to understanding patterns
Diabetes treatment has evolved, and the attention has been directed away from individual measurements to a greater insight into the patterns and trends of glucose. Information about the minute-to-minute glucose values can enable patients to gain knowledge on how their glucose levels react to certain things like diet, exercise, and even stress or sickness.
Information about the trend will add another dimension because it will indicate whether the glucose level is increasing, decreasing, or not changing at all.
How connected digital tools can support diabetes care
As access to digital health tools continues to expand, there are opportunities to make diabetes care more personalised, data-informed and responsive to each individual's lifestyle and circumstances.
Also, connected digital platforms can improve the use of glucose data. Secure data sharing between healthcare professionals and, in certain cases, with relatives or caregivers allows for more meaningful discussions and provides a better understanding of glucose trends between appointments.
Developments like long-wearing sensors, real-time glucose monitoring, and optional high and low glucose notifications are making these insights available for everyday use and can allow people to gain a greater understanding of glucose trends and get insights that could allow them to understand the influence of their daily behaviours and habits on diabetes management.
Managing diabetes during rainy seasons
Though the rainy season makes routines a little harder to stick to, the process of managing diabetes need not become any more difficult. With greater awareness, glucose insights and collaboration with healthcare professionals, people suffering from diabetes will be better equipped to handle seasonal changes and the daily challenges of their disease.
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.
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