Dr. R. Asha Rajani,65, a retired professor at Madras Veterinary College has fought diabetes together with breast cancer and hypothyroidism. She talks about how she finally learnt to manage diabetes with running, exercise, diet and lifestyle changes.
Please tell us a bit about your condition - when were you diagnosed, the early symptoms?
I was diagnosed with Diabetes at 36 years of age. My mother had passed away due to a diabetic foot, and both my grandparents from my mom’s side were diabetic.…
Despite being insulin-dependent, Jayesh Shah (54) continues to globe-trot for work. All it needs is a little extra planning, he says. Here, he shares his top tips for travelling safely with diabetes.
• Carry the doctor’s prescription with you
• Inform airport security that you are a diabetic
• When travelling across time zones, adjust your medication and food intake as per the time zone that you are currently in
• Do not skip any meals; over eating is better than fasting, especially during long layovers at airports and missed flights, to avoid possibility of low sugar
• Aisle seats help, especially if you need to use the washroom frequently; if travelling by road try and map out the distance between convenience stops
• Inform the flight attendants / fellow travellers about your diabetes condition if you are travelling alone
• Carry some snacks, candies, etc, in case your sugar drops
• If possible, check out the carbohydrate content and glycaemic index of the local cuisine
• Be careful about alcohol intake as this can cause fluctuations in blood sugar
• Do not feel shy to inform people around you, especially your co-workers, that you have diabetes
• If you are on insulin pump, and your time zone changes, adjust the clock gradually
• Do not skip your exercise routine
Diabetes related supplies are allowed on the plane. One can carry:
• Insulin & insulin pens, alcohol swabs and unlimited numbers of unused syringes
• Blood glucose meters, test strips and lancets
• Liquids (including water, juice, or liquid nutrition); you may face a challenge in explaining this to the security officers, but it is important to do so, especially on long-haul flights.
Carry a doctor’s note describing your condition and the need for carrying liquids.
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