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DESANG KITBAGS: GREAT FOR TRAVELLING!
The Desang
range of diabetes
kitbags are
now exclusively
available from
Diabetes UK's
online shop.
Just in time for
summer travels!
Classic, Slim
or Pen Pack.
When travelling long-distance, it
stands to reason that you'd want to keep
blood testing so you know what's going
on, so make sure you keep your kit handy.
You will probably need to amend your
insulin doses, both in terms of amount
(you may need slightly less as you will be
seated and inactive) as well as timings,
amending them based on the time zones
you are heading towards. You can plan
a schedule of injections by plotting them
so that you do smaller injections more
frequently, which is particualry helpful
for background insulin doses which are
normally taken once (or sometimes) twice
a day. This is much easier on an insulin
pump, where you can keep updating the
time on the pump every few hours or so,
keeping your basal delivery rate in keeping
with how your daytime hours are shifting.
For more general aspects of comfort
while on a long-distance flight, you
might want to consider taking a pair of
compression socks with you, and wearing
them during the flight. Not everyone is
at risk of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT),
but long-distance can increase risk.
According to NHS/Livewell (www.nhs.
uk/travelhealth), wearing compression
stockings during flights of four hours or
more can significantly reduce your risk
of DVT, as well as leg swelling (oedema).
The below-knee stockings apply gentle
pressure to the ankle to help blood flow.
They come in a variety of sizes and there
are also different levels of compression.
Fitlegs is a new brand from suppliers
G&N Medical, which has a record for
post-surgery compression socks and
has recently branched out with ranges
based outside the hospital arena with a
range of diabetes socks and everyday
compression socks 'for work and travel'.
The soft material they are made of has no
seams, has heel support, comes in four
sizes and has a compression level of 14-
17mmHg (a measure of pressure using
mercury as used in pressure gauges).
www.gandn.com/health/socks
Jet lag should no longer be a cause
for concern when booking long haul
holidays if you follow guidance from The
Sleep Council, which advocates that you
drink plenty of water on your journey,
and while on holiday, to keep your body
feeling hydrated and refreshed. Once on
the plane, set your watch to local time of
your destination. Pack an eye mask and
earplugs and use them if it is night-time
where you're going; equally keep the light
on and mask off if it's daytime. During
your break away, maintain a healthy diet
to help control your wakefulness: high
protein meals increase your alertness; lots
of carbohydrates make you feel sleepier.