When making travel preparations there are steps you normally take: deciding where to go, booking the tickets and reservations, the anticipation of the trip, packing your belongings and finally the trip itself. Even if you are normally healthy there are always uncertainties – what to pack, where to visit, will you have a good time, etc. However, when you are traveling with diabetes there are other things that you need to take into consideration yet you do not need to let these considerations prevent you from travelling or enjoying yourself while you are away.

Here are some guidelines for travelling when you have diabetes:

•    It is important to keep a list of your medications with you at all times. You want to make sure to bring enough medicine and supplies with you on your trip. Be sure you keep all medicines, syringes, and blood sugar testing supplies in your carry-on bag; do not check these supplies in case your luggage is lost. Take copies of your prescriptions and put them in your carry-on bag as well and you may want to consider getting a medical alert bracelet.

•    Research your area of travel and be sure that you will be able to find replacement medication if necessary. If you have lost your bags or your medications your first stop should be the local hospital where you should be able to get enough supplies to see you through. If need be you may want to carry the number to the International Diabetes Federation for the country you are visiting so you can have help immediately.

•    Make sure you bring a prescription letter from your own doctor, listing by both generic and brand name the medication you use. On the prescription letter don’t forget to include such items as blood glucose testing equipment and syringes.

•    Before leaving home you may want to become a member of the International Association of Medical Assistance to Travellers. This organization has a network of doctors around the world who have been trained either in the USA or Europe and are able to give you competent care. The organization will supply you with a list of these doctors and where to find them.

Diabetes does not need to keep you homebound. With proper preparation and a bit of research you should be able to have a wonderful holiday!

The World Health Organization believes that by the year 2030,  336 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with diabetes. 90-95% of those diagnosed have type two diabetes which is largely dependent on weight and lifestyle choices. So, how can you know if you have diabetes and what is normal blood sugar range?

Depending on the time of day you test you will notice that your blood glucose levels will vary. The best time of day to test yourself is six to eight hours after you have last eaten and is known as your fasting blood glucose level. Typically this will be the first thing in the morning. A normal range for fasting blood glucose is 70-100 mg/dl (milligrams/deciliter).

After you eat your blood glucose level will increase and if you are “normal” this level should never go above 140 mg/dl.  If your glucose levels drop below 65 you may experience symptoms such as shaking, racing heart, or a feeling of hunger. When you eat these symptoms will go away but this is known as hypoglycemia. If levels drop below 50 there is a potential for seizures and even unconsciousness.  If your glucose levels are above 180 you are leaving sugars in your blood rather than them being absorbed into your body’s cells. This is known as hyperglycemia and can cause damage to many of your body’s organs if your levels do not decrease.

You can prevent becoming a statistic in the WHO’s database. The best way to keep your levels in the normal blood sugar range is to eat a proper diet that is low in carbs and to get exercise on a regular basis.

If you have diabetes it is essential that you make attempts to lower your stress levels. Stress and diabetes are a dangerous combination since stress has been found to increase your glucose levels. Yet, everyone who has diabetes knows that the disease naturally lends itself to stress and worry. So, how can you alleviate your stress so you are not increasing your glucose levels? Here are a few suggestions.

Exercise is not only a great way to lose weight and increase your insulin sensitivity but also releases endorphins which have the ability to relieve pain, reduce stress and even help your immune system. 

Depending on the recommendations from your physician you can choose anything from walking to aerobics to strength training. While getting started on an exercise regime can be difficult, if you set aside a set time each day and stick with it, after a week you will actually begin to look forward to it and should notice your stress levels lowering.

Meditation is another great way to reduce stress. When you meditate your heart rate decreases, your blood pressure normalizes, your immune functions improve, and you use oxygen more efficiently. It is a simple process which simply involves sitting in a relaxed position and letting your mind relax by concentrating on regular, deep breathing, Unlike exercise, which may not always be available when you need it, meditation is free and can be done anywhere by anyone.

Relieving yourself of stress is a vital element when it comes to regulating your glucose levels. Diabetes and stress are a vicious combination but with a bit of exercise or relaxation you can lower your stress and live a healthier life.

While managing your glucose levels is vital when you have diabetes there are times when you may notice that it is too high. If you experience the symptoms of high blood sugar and need to lower blood sugar quickly there are two options that are incredibly successful.

The first option is exercise. Exercise is not only good for your heart and wellbeing but has been proven to help regular blood sugar and improve your body’s insulin sensitivity. If you need to lower blood sugar quickly the best option is to run or jog for 15 minutes. If this is not possible try jumping jacks or any other activity that can increase your heart rate and keep it elevated for at least 15 minutes. If you are wheel-chair bound try swinging your arms windmill style.

The second option is to drink 2 8 ounce glasses of water in quick succession then wait 5 minutes and drink another and urinate as soon as possible.  Excess glucose stays in your blood and you can use the water to dilute the glucose in the blood. The excess will flow over into your bladder and leave your body when you urinate.

The best option is to maintain normal glucose levels on a continual basis. Unfortunately the best option doesn’t always happen. If you find the need to lower blood sugar quickly these two options should help. If they don’t you should contact your physician, especially if your levels are excessively high and you feel dizzy or lightheaded.

There are a variety of reasons why you may be checking your glucose levels. Perhaps you belong to a high risk group or your physician told you that you were borderline diabetic. Whatever the reason it is important to recognize what is a normal morning blood sugar level and what is not.

First of all, you want to test in the morning before you have anything to eat. This is known as a fasting blood glucose level. The fasting level should be 6 to 8 hours since the last time you have eaten. A normal range for morning blood sugar level is 70 – 100 mg/dl. Your morning blood sugar level should be the lowest level of the day since once you eat your body will be dealing with absorbing the glucose.

If you find that your glucose levels in the morning are higher than at other times of the day you may be experiencing what is known as the “dawn phenomenon” which describes the process your body goes through when it begins to wake up and release hormones.

It is vital to take copious notes of your glucose levels and what you eat and what medications you take and show these records to your physician so any spikes or trends can be addressed.

Gymnema Sylvestre (Gurmar) is truly nature’s gift to diabetics. A climbing plant native to India, gymnema  has been used for thousands of years for its medicinal benefits yet one of its primary uses is to control blood glucose levels. Gurmar, translated as “sugar destroyer”, has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels through increasing production of insulin, slowing absorption of glucose into the blood, as well as increasing the activity of glucose through the use of enzymes. This is pretty fantastic news for diabetics however this is not all that gymnema can do.

A common side effect of diabetes is high cholesterol and here Gymnema Sylvestre can help as well. Studies found that Gymnema Sylvestre interferes with absorption of fats leading to an overall lowering of triglyceride, HDL and LDL cholesterol levels.

Finally Gymnema Sylvestre has been proven to be effective as a weight loss tool. An extract from the leaf of the plant has been found to interfere with our taste buds ability to taste sweets which has led to people cutting back on them. This is definitely an effective way to reduce our weight.

In Gymnema Sylvestre we have the perfect trifecta for diabetes. Diabetes, cholesterol and weight issues all dealt with with a single herbal supplement. How much  more could anyone wish for?

Diabetes risk factors include a variety of environmental factors that are under your control including weight, diet, and level of activity. However there are a variety of risk factors that you have no control over such as genetic influence, ethnicity and age. The good news is that even those areas that are out of your control can be influenced by your diet, exercise level and weight.

Obesity is the number one cause of type 2 diabetes. This is due to a poor diet and lack of routine exercise. If you have a family history of diabetes and want to reduce your diabetes risk factor it is essential that you maintain a healthy weight level. The best way to do this is eat a diet that is rich in vegetables and fish and low in starches which turn into sugar as soon as they enter your digestive system and can make absorbing the sugar into your cells more difficult. Exercise is also essential to maintain a healthy weight. However you may not know that exercise is also key for other reasons such as increasing stimulation of the pancreas which increases insulin production which in turn stimulates absorption and helps maintain normal blood sugar levels.

As I mentioned above, the risk factors that are out of our control include age, ethnicity and family history. While it is not understood why certain ethnic groups are more likely to develop diabetes it is certain that if you take control over those areas that I have mentioned (diet, exercise, and weight) you reduce your risk exponentially.  The same goes for age. As we age we tend to become more sedentary and consume a diet that is high in starches. Therefore it is recommended that after the age of 45 you are tested yearly, especially if you are in a high risk category (family history or ethnicity).

Regardless of your family history and ethnicity you do have a certain amount of control over this disease. Maintain a proper weight, eat a balanced diet, and exercise regularly and you will increase your odds of ever getting this horrific disease.

When making travel preparations there are certain diabetes guidelines that will help make your trip easier: deciding where to go, booking the tickets and reservations, the anticipation of the trip, packing your belongings and finally the trip itself. Even if you are normally healthy there are always uncertainties – what to pack, where to visit, will you have a good time, etc. However, when you are travelling with diabetes there are other things that you need to take into consideration yet you do not need to let these considerations prevent you from travelling or enjoying yourself while you are away.

Here are some guidelines for travelling when you have diabetes:

• It is important to keep a list of your medications with you at all times. You want to make sure to bring enough medicine and supplies with you on your trip. Be sure you keep all medicines, syringes, and blood sugar testing supplies in your carry-on bag; do not check these supplies in case your luggage is lost. Take copies of your prescriptions and put them in your carry-on bag as well and you may want to consider getting a medical alert bracelet.
• Research your area of travel and be sure that you will be able to find replacement medication if necessary. If you have lost your bags or your medications your first stop should be the local hospital where you should be able to get enough supplies to see you through. If need be you may want to carry the number to the International Diabetes Federation for the country you are visiting so you can have help immediately.
• Make sure you bring a prescription letter from your own doctor, listing by both generic and brand name the medication you use. On the prescription letter don’t forget to include such items as blood glucose testing equipment and syringes.
• Before leaving home you may want to become a member of the International Association of Medical Assistance to Travellers. This organization has a network of doctors around the world who have been trained either in the USA or Europe and are able to give you competent care. The organization will supply you with a list of these doctors and where to find them.

Diabetes does not need to keep you homebound. With proper preparation and a bit of research you should be able to have a wonderful holiday!