On Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:42:12 GMT, AKT > wrote:

>I am flying US -> India (15 hours nonstop), staying a couple weeks
>there, then flying back. Any special advice about:
>
>1. Air travel (should I try to order "diabetic" meal on the flight)?
>2. Food in India (staying with vegetarian families mostly)?
>
>Thanks.

Can't answer about food in India; I'll be finding that out
myself next year (so please give us a trip report when you
return:-)

However, on "diabetic" meals, only order those if your
regimen requires a meal composed of an appetiser of starch,
followed by a main of starch, followed by a low-sugar but
high-carb dessert with a bread roll on the side and washed
down by fruit juice. Airline diabetic meals take the ADA
high-carb guidelines to extremes; it can be difficult to
find any fat or protein at all:-)

My standard procedure on long flights is to contact the
senior steward as soon as is reasonably possible after
boarding and let them know I am diabetic, patiently and
politely wait through the "you should have advised us"
lecture and then ask if I could see the menu in advance. I
then choose the "least bad" option; usually it's not too bad
and I can leave the rice/potatoes/stodge and get an
acceptable meal from what is left. This has the added
advantage of getting the meal you prefer rather than finding
that you were the last served and there is no longer a
choice. Often I was the first served as a consequence.

I've done a bit of travelling since diagnosis (see blog).
That has worked very well using Qantas, BA, Aer Lingus, Gulf
Air and Iberian over various long haul flights. On the one
occasion where that didn't work because the Air New Zealand
flight from Brisbane to Auckland had only a choice of thick
Pannini with different fillings, the senior steward arranged
for one of the Business Class smoked salmon dinners to be
sent back to me:-)

And, if all else fails, I usually have a standby snack in my
carry-on.

Cheers, Alan, Australia

d&e, metformin 1500mg, ezetrol 10mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
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