Taking care of diabetes while playing Pokemon Go
Originally published Wednesday 20th July 2016
Article by Sara Crowley
With the summer holidays here, the latest craze finding its way to our smart phone and tablet devices is Pokemon Go. Children (and Adults) are playing the game, heading outside and searching for Pokemon creatures hidden amongst real life landmarks, streets and outdoor areas, catching them and then training them to virtually fight each other in Pokemon Gyms.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget when you’re engrossed in fun and games that whilst playing this new app, you may also be using more energy than usual walking around on the hunt to catch them all. (The NSPCC has produced some important general tips for playing Pokemon Go safely.)
Having type 1 diabetes shouldn’t be a reason to stop you from enjoying playing Pokemon Go, but here are a few handy tips to remember so that you stay safe and help your diabetes management:
- Walking around hunting for Pokemon is a form of exercise, which may affect your blood sugar levels. Always carry your blood sugar kit and check before, during and after playing if you’ve been playing for a long period of time.
- Take notice of your carbohydrate intake to be sure you’ve eaten enough to cover the amount of walking you will be doing.
- If you start to notice a difference in how you feel, stop and check your blood sugar.
- Carry a snack and hypo treatment with you just in case you need to take on some extra carbohydrates or treat a hypo while you’re out and about.
- Warm weather can also affect your blood sugar, so take that into account if it’s sunny.
- Have fun and stay safe!