Stuck in airport queues? What should a diabetic do?

Before travel

Eat a healthy meal at home before embarking on your journey. Ensure you are well-rested prior to a long journey.

At the airport

1) Carry some healthy snacks, protein bars, complex carbohydrates and nuts in your handbag so that you don’t go for the quickest, easiest and usually the unhealthiest option you come across. Foods like fruits, smoothies, dry fruits and trail mixes are good options before boarding the flight.

2) Keep your medicines in your handbag, and carry emergency ones too.

3) Use those hallways and walks from terminal to terminal to your advantage. Stay active during the long hours at the airport.

4) If you don’t want to aimlessly walk the terminals, another option could be to find a quiet space, perhaps one of those empty gates or a dedicated yoga room and do some stretching. Your airport downtime is a great opportunity to take care of your body and improve your health through some gentle exercises. Some airports across the world are equipped with swimming pools, gymnasiums and wellness centres.

5) A way to relieve the stress of travelling and continue feeling relaxed and energised is by treating yourself to a massage. Spa facilities are available at most airports.

On the flight

1) Finding ways to both get active and relax on the airplane can make the flight more enjoyable as well as help prevent blood clots, cabin fever, boredom and ensure that you arrive at your destination feeling good.

2) If you’re sitting in the bulkhead, just put your feet up the wall to help drain the blood from your feet (it helps with swelling)

3) Use those long aisles to take a hike. Get up and walk every hour or so to help prevent your feet from swelling. This drill will also help to keep you calm.

4) Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol/coffee as they can leave you extremely dehydrated and can bring on a headache. Staying well hydrated during your travel is of paramount importance.

5) Use those long aisles to stretch it out. Stretching can help prevent blood clots and soreness from the long bout of being cramped in your seat.

6) If you have trouble sleeping on planes, try a natural magnesium supplement. Other helpful options are noise-cancelling headphones and an eye patch to help sleep better.

7) Any delay in travel time and being stationary can affect your blood sugar levels. Carry a prescription and medication handy, saying that you suffer from diabetes or any other condition, just to ensure the right treatment should there be an emergency. Let the attendants know what to do in case of a sudden drop in blood sugar. Carry your insulin with you and declare if you are wearing a pump. Inject insulin only when you see the cabin crew come down the aisle for service. If you take your insulin too much in advance, the delay in meal service could lead to a drop in your blood sugar. Usually, most airlines exempt the 100 ml rule for people with diabetes for medicines and gel packs to keep insulin cool.