Many say that it is not easy to travel overseas for holiday if you have Diabetes. From packing your insulin to food restriction, there are just too many things to look out for. This condition affects 8% of the American population and you will be surprise to know that many of them are enjoying the fun of traveling too! You just need to make sure you are discipline and know how to take care of yourself.

1. Pre-departure - Make sure that you take a short trip to your doctor first before traveling. Vaccinations is essential not only to protect you from foreign infectious diseases but also might be part of the travel insurance policies requirements. You should be able to get more information from your travel agent. It is always wise to let your travel agency know that you have diabetes so that he can offer you value advices based on their experience of the tour. If you need to take injections, and you have a kit for doing so, request a letter from your doctor stating that you have diabetes and also that the kit is required for insulin, if your doctor has not already provided you with one. It is also best to have a diabetes ID card to carry around.

2. Packing - While you might like to pack and travel light, there are some important items that you cannot miss. Make sure that you have more than enough insulin and drugs, just to make extra sure that you will not lack anything. If you are travelling with someone else, then you can split the essentials, so that if one bag is lost, there is always another left. You should also carry extra medication in your hand luggage. This should be for emergency purposes only—sufficient for not more than three doses. Make sure that you have all your insulin on you because the aircraft hold can be very low, and since insulin has a high freezing point, it will freeze in extreme cases. Also, bring a simple first aid kit and enough food and drink in your handbag so that you have something to munch on if there are any delays. This is so that you can maintain your sugar level and your diet regime is not affected. Remember to bring glucose monitoring devices to check your sugar level as well.

3. The Journey - Get your diabetes specialist to make very accurate insulin doses and bring at least double this in different bags. You can make use of either your mobile phone or watch to monitor the local time in your destination. This will help remind you of your meals and insulin doses. Do not take in alcohol, at least not on the plane, and bring your own sugar-free drinks because you cannot expect the airlines to have sugar-free drinks all the time.

4. Foot care - You should try your best to protect your feet and not walk barefoot, especially on sand. It is important to bring shoes that fit your feet well, especially for long walking trips. Design is not that important. Be reminded to check your feet everyday in the morning and at night before you sleep. If you happen to get a blister, cover it up with plaster right away and make sure to keep it clean.

5. Insurance - If you want to travel with a peace of mind, it is always wise to keep yourself updated with the latest insurance requirements.