The seasons come, and the seasons go. Most people just simply adjust – they put extra clothes on in the winter and take extra clothes off in the summer. When a cold or the flu strikes, they simply go to the corner drugstore and pick up a well-advertised cold and flu symptom reliever. No sweat! No problem! But which cold and flu remedies are safe for diabetics?
The world is a little different for those with diabetes. All of those over-the-counter cold and flu symptom relief products simply aren’t safe for diabetics to take.
Before continuing, it’s important to know the different types of cold and flu products are available, then you can decide if they will meet your needs. Only then should you look at the ingredients to see if they are diabetic friendly.
Diabetics MUST know what’s in that “stuff” before they take it. The trick is to understand what ingredients are in the medications that are out there, and how they will affect diabetes.
If sneezing, runny nose and itching eyes are bothering you, then an antihistamine is what you need. You can simply take these on their own. There are two types, drowsy and non drowsy. The non drowsy ones are best for daytime use. Generally speaking antihistamines are safe for diabetics, but check with your pharmacist when purchasing.
If you feel feverish and have aches and pains, you will need an analgesic such as Panadol. There are several of these available and none of them should be taken over more than a few days. Check the label for ingredients and avoid any that contain sugar or fructose.
If you have nasal congestion, beware of oral decongestants such as Sudafed as these can raise your blood sugar. An antihistamine can help nasal congestion as well as a simple analgesic. Most saline nasal sprays can also help and are safe for diabetics.
The annoying cough that sometimes accompanies colds and flu can be calmed with a good cough elixir, but be careful as these sometimes DO contain sugar as part of the flavoring ingredient and can also contain alcohol. For coughs you could use Benylin Adult which is free of sugar and alcohol. Robitussin CF is also made without alcohol or sugar and is also free of PPA. These are okay for diabetics but be careful if you have high blood pressure.
Ingredients are listed on the product labels under two categories: inactive and active. Inactive ingredients aren’t there to treat symptoms. They are mostly just fillers, flavorings, colorings, and ingredients that help maintain a constant consistency. The active ingredients in the products are the ingredients that actually treat the symptoms or colds and flu.
Both active and inactive ingredients in over-the-counter cold and flu symptom relief products can have an effect on blood glucose. Ingredients that are listed under “inactive ingredients,” such as alcohol and sugar, will most assuredly affect blood sugar levels.
Your doctor can recommend over-the-counter products or give you a prescription for a cold and flu symptom relief product that will have a lesser effect on your blood sugar level. Your doctor can also instruct you as to how the recommended products can affect your insulin requirements.
There are natural treatments for colds and flu. The tried and tested chicken soup for colds is well known and still seems to work, although no-one seems to know why! Chicken soup is fine for diabetics. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and can shorten the duration of colds and flu. It’s a good idea to take this vitamin, together with zinc, throughout the cold weather. If you’re a diabetic, make sure your vitamin C contains no sugar,
Diabetes is a serious disease. Diabetics can and do live long, productive, and active lives; but they are required to be constantly aware of the substances that they ingest, and cold and flu symptom relief products are one of the most important ones.
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