The One About Culture

Food is so ingrained in the world’s culture. No matter where you go, food is going to be one of the central elements of society. I believe it is impossible to fully experience the core personality of a culture without having tried its cuisine. If you take a trip to Texas, you will not have a full Texan experience without eating brisket. If you go to the south, you have to eat fried chicken. If you go to London, you have to try high tea. If you go to Belgium, you have to try frites.

As a diabetic, especially one who travels, is it okay to try all of the food? You can justify anything as an “essential cultural experience” if you try hard enough...but isn’t that harmful? Here is how I manage food, travel, and T1D.

My recent struggle as I travel Europe has been all the food paired with all the walking. Normally, if I know I am going to eat a pastry I make sure my blood sugars are at a level low enough to be able to handle it. Here, it is hard to prepare myself in that way because often times a lengthy walk is required to get to a restaurant. I don’t want to go low before I get to the restaurant but I don’t want my blood sugar to be too high to eat once I get there either!

Mapping your route before you go somewhere to eat, even if other people are responsible for leading the way, is essential. Know how much walking is required and how much time is spent on transit. You know your body, so if you see you are going to walk for .5 miles, ride the tube for 10 minutes, then walk for a mile, plan accordingly. I would feel comfortable starting the journey at a steady 100 mg/dL then adjusting while on the tube.

But what if your blood sugar is starting to climb when it’s time to try a new, cultural treat? First off, roll your eyes and throw a small fit in your head because that is SO ANNOYING!! Then sit down. Europe is known for taking it slow. Sit with your friends and enjoy the atmosphere. Bolus, figure it out, do what you need to do. Chances are you will still get to try the food before it is time to move on. You can order a diet coke, a tea, or an almond milk latte while you wait (those things have little to no carbs!)

Usually it's best to *sample* cultural foods rather than indulge. While in Belgium for a long weekend, my friends and I went to the Museum of Chocolate. I love chocolate, and Belgium does chocolate really, really well. Really well. The museum had places to sample chocolate throughout and to be candid...I stuffed my face. Terrible idea. I could have had the full cultural experience from sampling one small truffle. And I would have enjoyed the museum just as much.

Interjection: We have forgotten how to TASTE food. We just inhale it, not focusing on the experience and the flavors. Less is sometimes more when it comes to food. Eating this way teaches you how to savor and enjoy the dish rather than mindlessly scarfing it down.

What if it’s not a dessert you want to experience, but a meal? You can’t "sample" fish and chips. First, obviously, make sure the BG is OK. Bolus for part of it before and eat slowly! Sometimes your body doesn't even need a whole plate of food. Concentrate on the taste, savor it, and be done when you feel satisfied. Then bolus again if you ate more than you anticipated.

As you travel you are going to have to figure out for yourself how to deal with diabetes. The world is not a diabetes friendly place, and that will be true anywhere you go; the more time you spend experiencing things, the more you will be able to adjust accordingly and develop your own plan of action.