Diabetic Eating While Traveling
Maintenance of your diabetes does not take a holiday when you are eating while traveling with diabetes. To keep blood sugar levels in your target range, you have to go on almost the same meal plan and constantly keep a watch on your consumption of carbohydrate even on vacation although it may not be easy as travel accommodations does not allow cooking and food have to be dependent upon restaurants and other situations. Although there may be hotels and restaurants which provide low-fat, vegetarian and other special food requests, such matters are uncertain, even in America. Since holidays to other countries leaves the diabetic hardly any choice in the preparation as well as the ingredients of the food, the best thing to do is to approximate the carbohydrate count of the meal later have tests to know the level of blood sugar after each meal. So, you have to depend upon more often blood glucose monitoring to assist you to know the effect of the meals on your blood sugar.
Although we know how difficult it is to have any food requests met while eating in restaurants, hotels or any dining place, you ought to make your request for the food from your personal meal plan, although such a menu does not appear. Airlines do try to cater to special food needs of their passengers. Of course, your requests should be voiced a minimum two days before take-off. When it comes to big dinner parties, it is usually not possible to cater to the food requests of a few diabetics. That being the case, you could eat something which is similar to your meal plan before attending the party just to meet friends, or bring along some food that fits your meal plan and eat it at the party.
Diabetes and Travel | HealthiNation – Video Guide
Having ready-made snacks with the aim of replacing a meal when needed is a good idea when on vacation. Cheese and cracker packets, fruit cups, trail mix, and granola bars are suitable snacks to have ready just in case the right meals for diabetes are unavailable. So, be prepared with adequate snacks to either replace or add to meals as and when necessary. Such snacks can easily be replaced as you travel along. Sometimes, a box of a snack can contained a number of packets of food. You can used a small packet for each snack.
Looking for appropriate snacks is not easily done as foods in some countries are not as well labeled as those in America. The contents and carbohydrate counts are not given on their labels and making an approximation of them can be difficult. So, if travelling to other countries, it is wise to buy local snacks and carry them along, using them only when it is really necessary to do so. Fortunately, even in these foreign countries, there are foods that are very similar to those in America. You can buy canned fruit roasted nuts, cheese, crackers, and small hard candies wherever you go. If you have been practicing carbohydrate counting, your estimation of food contents and values ought to be sufficiently correct for any meal or snacks replaced. A book which can give you correct food count can be of help to you while travelling.
Be aware that water in some countries may not be as clean as to ensure you do not suffer from diarrhea. So, unless you are eating in one of those bigger hotels where it is stated clearly that their water is safe for drinking, you should be drinking from a bottle and not using any ice unless you are assured that purified water is used in ice-making. Even when brushing your teeth, bottled drinking water ought to be used. Ice cubes from unpurified water can also cause “traveler’s diarrhea”.
In such countries where clean water is suspect, all food must come cooked thoroughly; and soups, tea, and coffee made with water which has been boiled. Fresh fruits sealed with a peel are safe; examples being oranges, bananas, melons, and grapefruit. All fresh, uncooked vegetables and salads must not be eaten as they are usually not washed with purified water. Food such as raw shellfish, raw dairy foods or foods left in the open should be avoided. Recently, experts claim dirty hands of those preparing the food bring more sickness than dirty water; so when uncertainty about cleanliness arises, resort to bottled water and canned foods for your safety.
Tips
Inform your healthcare team of your plan to travel about four to six weeks before the journey. Your medical practitioner may have the opportunity to monitor your diabetes. You must remember that management of your diabetes care according to your situation is necessary when you travel. Remember that wherever you go, you still have your diabetes with you. So, take along your diabetes care.