Diet changes are an integral part of management of many chronic conditions. Here are real life experiences of eight women who incorporated diet and nutrition changes in their disease management regimen.
Celiac Disease
When Jeeva Anna George was diagnosed with Celiac disease, an uncommon digestive disorder causing inflammation of the small intestine, her whole life began revolving around food. Here she talks at length about her personal journey and how she learnt the hard way to control…
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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