Staying Ahead of Low Blood Sugar on Long-Distance Flights: Essential Tips for a Safe Journey
Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial, especially during air travel. The unique conditions found in airplanes can cause fluctuations in blood glucose, which may not be easily noticed by passengers without proper monitoring tools.
Understanding the Ideal Blood Sugar Range A healthy individual's fasting blood sugar level should range between 70 to 99 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), and a postprandial (after eating) value of less than or equal to 140 mg/dL. This optimal range is crucial for preventing potential health complications associated with high or low blood sugar levels.
Monitoring Blood Sugar During Flight While it might be challenging to carry all the necessary equipment, including glucometers and continuous glucose monitors, when traveling by air, passengers can take a few essential precautions:
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Before your flight, prepare yourself physically and mentally for travel. A stable diet rich blood sugar level 9.1 in fiber from foods such as fruits and vegetables can help maintain optimal 147 blood sugar in the morning blood sugar levels.
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Pack snacks that are low on the glycemic index (GI) to prevent sudden spikes in glucose.
Staying Hydrated and Comfortable During Flight To avoid potential discomfort or distress associated with changes in air pressure, consume plenty of fluids throughout your journey. Opt for a drink like water, herbal foods to stabilize blood sugar tea, or clear broth instead of coffee, as it is better tolerated by the body during flight. Additionally:
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Try to stay comfortable; wear loose clothing and layers that can be easily removed.
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To reduce stress-induced blood sugar fluctuations, consider practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation or deep breathing exercises.
Managing Air Travel Stress on Blood Sugar Levels Air travel itself isn't a trigger for low blood sugar but the anxiety associated with being in an unfamiliar environment combined with the confinement of air travel can potentially cause changes to your emotional state. In turn this could lead fluctuations in glucose levels, particularly when stress is released as cortisol.
Tips for Dealing With Unexpected Delays or Turbulence When encountering turbulence or flight delays:
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Stay calm; focus on relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and visualization exercises.
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Keep healthy snacks readily available to prevent dips in blood sugar that can be caused by lack of nutrition when food options are unavailable.
Preparing for Emergency Situations While Flying In case you're unsure about the cause or symptoms associated with low blood sugar:
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Consult your healthcare provider for advice on low blood pressure high sugar managing emergencies while traveling.
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Have a backup plan to obtain medical help quickly; always travel prepared.
By understanding these potential challenges and preparing beforehand, travelers can minimize their risk of experiencing complications from fluctuations in blood glucose during long-distance flights.
Join us on this podcast as we dive deep into the world of diabetes management with the Canadian pharmacist, Leena Thomas Kappen. In this exclusive interview, Leena shares her insights, experiences, and the latest advancements in diabetes care, all discussed in her native tongue, Malayalam. Ah, diabetes, the condition where your body's relationship with sugar goes from a sweet romance to a dramatic soap opera. Here's a whirlwind tour through the land of high blood sugar, peppered with the buzzwords that make diabetes discussions sound like a secret code between healthcare professionals: Diabetes, fundamentally, is when your blood glucose levels decide to party too hard. This can happen because your pancreas, the organ that produces the hormone insulin, either underperforms (Type 1 diabetes - think of it as the pancreas going on an indefinite strike), or your body's cells start ignoring insulin's invitation to take in glucose (Type 2 diabetes - akin to a party where everyone's too cool to dance). Key terms here? Insulin resistance, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which make you feel like your body's hosting an unstable rollercoaster of energy levels. Now, if we're talking complications, diabetes doesn't play nice. It can lead to a trio of trouble: retinopathy (eye damage), nephropathy (kidney disease), and neuropathy (nerve damage), turning your body into a battlefield of its own. Glycemic control, HbA1c (a measure of average blood sugar over 2-3 months), and metformin (the go-to drug that makes your liver less stingy with glucose) become your new best friends. And let's not forget gestational diabetes, where pregnancy brings on temporary diabetes, and prediabetes, the prequel where your body hints it might go full diabetes if you don't change your ways. Lifestyle changes, diet, and exercise become the unsung heroes in managing this condition, alongside oral medications or insulin therapy, making diabetes management feel like running a marathon with no finish line in sight. Disclaimer When you comment here, please remember to be respectful and follow youtube community guidelines. The views, opinions, and statements expressed in the comments section of this YouTube channel are solely those of the individuals posting them and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this youtube channel. ................................. CREDIT for news clips: Asianet News, 24 News, MediaOne, Reporter TV Videos used for news reporting purposes [ Acknowledgment ] The videos are used in this video for news reporting purposes. I, Sunitha Devadas, use the brief clips from above sources to identify the subject of the news report, which comes under the fair use policy of Youtube. No copyright infringement is intended from the use of the videos. ________________________________________________________________________________ Connect with Sunitha Devadas : [email protected] Instagram: Facebook: Facebook Page: Twitter: #malayalamnewslive #malayalamnews #news #sunithadevadas #cpm #bjp #congress #KeralaNewsLive #MalayalamNewsLive