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Travel in Control

With time-zone changes and on-the-go food, trips may take your blood glucose on a roller-coaster ride if you're not careful. Here are some simple ways to plan for safe yet enjoyable travel.

Travel opens a world of discovery--even about yourself: "If you're in good health, you can do just about anything, even skydiving and scuba diving," says Janis Roszler, a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and author of Diabetes on Your OWN Terms. Here are nine tips Roszler shares with her clients before she bids them bon voyage.

Try a dry run. Take a one-night trip a few weeks before the big trip to help you figure out what to expect. You'll likely determine items you need to pack as well as build confidence for your longer vacation.

Breeze through security. New airport security restrictions mean additional preparation. If you're carrying insulin and needles on a plane, be sure they are labeled with your prescription and have a note from your physician documenting the medical need for such supplies. "Be prepared to have it hand checked," says Roszler.

Endure delays with ease. "Expect the unexpected," Roszler says. Because you may be in places where food isn't readily available or you may miss a meal, be sure to carry snacks.

* Pack portable munchies. Choose easy to eat snacks that will help maintain blood glucose: a diabetes snack bar, granola bar, low-fat cheese cubes and whole grain crackers, nuts, or raisins. Don't carry liquids--many aren't permitted on flights.

* Follow the 15-15 rule. "If your blood glucose is 70 mg/dL or below, eat a 15-gram serving of fast-acting carbs," Roszler says. Choose 2 tablespoons of raisins, three or four hard candies, or half a cup of orange juice or nondiet soda. Consume a snack, wait 15 minutes and test again. Treat the numbers, not the feeling, and repeat the test if necessary.

* Test often for confidence. While traveling, you may bounce between bursts of activity and lounging on the beach, and you'll have a different sleep schedule. The only sure way to know how your body is responding to such changes is to test more frequently than you might at home.

Go internationally safely. Pack twice the amount of prescriptions you'll need. Carry refill prescriptions with you and mention your travel destination--not all insulin types are available in all countries, and they may have different names and potencies. With your doctor, calculate a schedule for time zone changes and when to take medication. Two resources are the International Diabetes Federation (www.idf.org) and the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (www.iamat.org).

Inform travel companions. Wear medical identification and make sure fellow travelers know you have diabetes. "Sometimes the symptoms of low blood glucose can resemble intoxication," Roszler says, "which could prevent you from receiving needed medical attention."

Be kind to your soles. You'll likely do more walking on vacation than you think--and over unfamiliar turf. Check between toes and use a mirror to inspect the bottoms of your feet every day--either before or after a shower. Bring two pairs of comfortable broken-in walking shoes as well as antibiotic ointment to treat small cuts you may find. Never go barefoot.