Planning a trip? Whether you're camping or cruising, you can go anywhere and do almost anything. It just takes a little planning ahead to handle your diabetes.

Travel can make it hard to keep your blood sugar within your target range because of changes in time zones, meal schedules, and types of foods available.
Check your blood sugar level more often during your time away from home.
Whenever you need to see a doctor away from home, let him or her know you have diabetes. And always wear medical identification. In an emergency, medical identification lets people know that you have diabetes so they can care for you appropriately if you are unable to speak.
 
General Travel Tips
When you are traveling:
1. Use a travel agent who knows the needs of a person with diabetes. The agent can arrange for special meals or other special travel needs.
2. Take extra diabetes pills (if you have type 2 diabetes), insulin and injection supplies, blood sugar meter batteries, test strips, and lancets. You may not find your regular supplies wherever you travel.
3. Double your normal amount of needed supplies for short trips. For long trips, have enough extra supplies to last for 2 weeks more than the length of your trip.
4. To keep your blood sugar at your usual level, try to eat and take your medicine as close to your regular schedule as you can.
For the remaining tips on traveling with diabetes, be sure to visit BlackDoctor.org.

(Photo: dpa/Landov)