How to Avoid Hypoglycemia When Traveling
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Written By
Aaron Smith
Aaron Smith
Aaron Smith is a freelance writer specializing in health, lifestyle choices, and overall well-being. A self-proclaimed health and fitness enthusiast, Aaron enjoys writing about topics that help people improve their lives. When he's not writing, he can be found spending time with his wife and two young children.
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Chris Stocker
Chris Stocker
Chris Stocker is a financial services professional and licensed insurance agent. He's also Owner and author of The Life of a Diabetic as well as Type 1 Detour. He's been writing about Diabetes related topics for over 10 years, and has been featured in HealthLine, Diatribe, Diabetes Advocates and JDRF.. He's been writing about Diabetes related topics for over 10 years, and has been featured in HealthLine, Diatribe, Diabetes Advocates and JDRF.
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Last Updated on November 15, 2024
If you have diabetes, traveling means you have to plan accordingly to make sure that you are prepared for any situation, and that includes being prepared for potential hypoglycemia episodes. You need to be aware of the risks of hypoglycemia, a condition that occurs when your blood sugar levels get too low, causing a wide range of symptoms, from feeling shaky, dizzy, sweaty to difficulty speaking or even confusion and a fast heartbeat.
All these could potentially lead to serious consequences, such as loss of consciousness and seizures or even an accident due to impaired judgment. In this blog post, we will discuss some tips for avoiding hypoglycemia when you’re on the road and traveling.
Quick Article Guide
Here’s what we’ll cover in this post:
Make Sure You Always Have Snacks With You
When you travel, you must always bring snacks with you and keep them in a cool place. You never know when your blood sugar might dip low, and having a snack on hand can help prevent serious complications from happening. The best snacks to bring contain protein, fiber, and fat, because they digest slowly, which means your blood sugar won’t spike or dip as quickly. Some good snack options include:
- String cheese and an apple
- Whole-grain crackers with peanut butter
- Trail mix (without chocolate)
- Edamame pods
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Nuts like almonds or walnuts
- Hummus with cut-up veggies like carrots
- Celery sticks and more
You should also consider carrying essential diabetic supplies, such as glucose tablets, test kits, or even a continuous glucose monitor that can provide blood sugar information, so you can know whether your blood sugar is down or up. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Carry Water with You at All Times
People with diabetes are often told to carry water with them at all times. This is because not only does it help you avoid dehydration, but it also helps keep your blood sugar levels balanced. If you’re traveling on a plane for an extended period of time, make sure that there will be fluids available and bring some just in case. If you’re traveling on the road, make sure to carry a water bottle with you at all times.
If you don’t have access to water and get dehydrated, it can cause complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). In this instance, the body breaks down fat instead of glucose for fuel, because there’s no insulin available. This causes acids called ketones to build up in the blood, which can be very dangerous. Get some mini boxes to keep your essentials and extra water bottles for traveling.
Avoid Eating Large Meals Before Traveling
If you’re traveling for an extended time, it’s important to avoid eating large meals before leaving. A full stomach can lead to gastric distress and make traveling more uncomfortable. Instead, try to eat several small meals throughout the day. This will help your body digest food easily. For people with diabetes, this matters, because a large meal can cause blood sugar levels to spike and then drop rapidly.
What you eat matters just as much for a person with diabetes just before traveling. Avoid high-carbohydrate foods and stick to healthy, low-glycemic options like lean protein and vegetables. This will help keep your blood sugar stable while you’re on the go. You don’t want to spend your traveling time feeling sick and tired because of diabetes-related complications.
Plan out Your Food Choices in Advance
Think about what you will be eating in advance before traveling. Not having food on hand can lead to less than optimal choices, resulting in low blood sugar levels. This is especially important when traveling by air, because airplane food or airport food might not necessarily contain the needed nutrients to manage diabetes. Look up diabetes-friendly recipes online and make them at home to take along with you.
Check out the best restaurants in the area you will be visiting. See if they have diabetes-friendly menus or nutritional options available. You don’t want to be stuck without the right, healthy food options, so plan ahead. Don’t forget to take your medications with you as well. If you’re traveling to a different time zone, talk to your doctor about adjusting your medications accordingly.
Know the Symptoms of Hypoglycemia and the Steps to Take
Hypoglycemia affects everyone differently, but most people start to feel symptoms when their blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dl. Those early warnings might include irritability and difficulty concentrating. If that’s all you notice, you can easily correct the problem by eating a snack with some carbs (try half a banana or 15 grams of carbs) and some protein (like a hard-boiled egg).
But if the symptoms persist or get worse, you might experience blurred vision, drowsiness, shakiness, sweating, and in extreme cases, loss of consciousness. If any of those things happen to you while traveling, take these steps:
- First, find a safe place to sit or lie down.
- Then drink a glass of juice, regular soda, or glucose tablets dissolved in water.
- If you’re unable to take anything by mouth, inject yourself with glucagon (ask your health care provider for a prescription and training on how to use it).
- Monitor blood sugar levels frequently and continue to eat small snacks every 15 minutes until levels stabilize.
If you’re traveling with someone who can help monitor your blood sugar, they can also give you a glucagon injection if necessary. Make sure to always carry enough supplies with you on trips so that you don’t have to worry about running out.
Consult Your Doctor If You’re Not Sure About Anything
If you have never traveled with diabetes before, or if you’re unsure how your diabetes will react to a new environment, it’s important to consult your doctor. They can help you create a plan that will help avoid any potential health problems, like hypoglycemia. Doctor’s love talking about topics like this. Don’t be shy and have an open dialogue with them.
Don’t assume anything–ask your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. You should also consider having traveling insurance as well as life insurance for diabetics, just in case of potential emergencies.
Conclusion
People with diabetes can travel just like anyone else but need to take some precautions. Again, remember all the medications and supplies needed for your trip. The biggest concern is maintaining blood glucose control, so it’s best to always have a diabetes management plan in place before traveling, especially when crossing time zones. Be aware of your surroundings, eat healthy snacks and meals, drink plenty of fluids, and exercise when possible.
Also, keep a level head: it’s easy to become stressed when something unexpected happens, but by remaining calm and collected, you can make better choices about your health that will benefit everyone who’s with you on the trip. And if things seem out of control, don’t be afraid to ask for help from any available health care professionals. Most importantly, have a good time and enjoy your trip.
Aaron Smith
Aaron Smith is a freelance writer specializing in health, lifestyle choices, and overall well-being. A self-proclaimed health and fitness enthusiast, Aaron enjoys writing about topics that help people improve their lives. When he's not writing, he can be found spending time with his wife and two young children.
