This content originally appeared on diaTribe. Republished with permission.

By April Hopcroft

Individuals with diabetes who’re U.S. residents or everlasting residents can apply for an America the Beautiful Pass, which offers access to over 2,000 parks, monuments, and landmarks. Plus, national parks’ lover Alex Day, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 20 years, shares suggestions for exercising outdoors safely.

While living with diabetes brings many day by day challenges, there are just a few special opportunities that you might not find out about. One in all these perks is the flexibility to acquire a lifetime National Park Pass without cost.

Called an Access Pass, it is a free lifetime version of the National Park Service’s (NPS) America the Beautiful Pass, which costs $80 per yr. The pass provides access to over 2,000 federal recreation sites, from iconic National Parks – resembling Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite – to historical sites, battlefields, and other landmarks.

National Parks are great places to go on a walk, hike, or bike ride while soaking within the fresh air with friends or family members. Indeed, physical activity has many advantages for diabetes care. For instance, exercise lowers blood glucose during and for as much as 24 hours afterwards, and also can stabilize post-meal blood sugar.

Physical activity has also been shown to improve mental health; movement of any form could be type of self-care. And most significantly, the advantages kick in instantly – even short chunks of exercise can have positive effects on diabetes management.

Who’s eligible for an America the Beautiful Access Pass?

U.S. residents or everlasting residents with everlasting disabilities are eligible. Diabetes is taken into account a disability because “it substantially limits the function of the endocrine system,” in accordance with the American Diabetes Association.

To qualify, it’s essential to show one in all the next types of evidence of disability:

• An announcement by a licensed physician noting that you’ve gotten a everlasting disability, that it limits a number of elements of your day by day life, and the character of those limitations.
• A document issued by a federal agency, resembling the Veteran’s Administration, Social Security Disability Income, or Supplemental Security Income.
• A document issued by a state agency, resembling a vocational rehabilitation agency.

How do you apply?

There are three alternative ways to use to your America the Beautiful Access Pass:

• In person (free): Use this website to see where you should purchase a pass at a federal recreation site. It’s idea to contact the positioning ahead of time to substantiate the present hours of operation and be sure that the pass is accessible at that specific location. That is the one option without additional processing fees.
• Online ($10): Order your pass from the USGS Store. You’ll must register for an account and will probably be charged $10 for processing. Plan to attend not less than three weeks for order processing and delivery.
• Mail ($10): Download, print, and fill out the following application form. You’ll must pay $10 for processing, along with the price of postage. Mail the finished form to the address on the shape. Plan to attend not less than three weeks for order processing and delivery.

Suggestions for getting outside with diabetes

Alex Day, director of promoting and communications at Washington’s National Park Fund, has lived with type 1 diabetes for over 20 years. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Day began exploring many parks and obtained her Access Pass while visiting Yellowstone National Park.

“I’m hoping more individuals with diabetes know they’re eligible to receive the Access pass,” Day said. “It’s such an incredible strategy to experience National Parks, and it also covers other federal lands, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management sites.”

1. Be prepared

Generally, Day said it’s idea to “calibrate your precautions to the extent of challenge of your camping trip or hike.” Multi-day trips over varied terrain would require more advanced preparation and research, while a day day hike may not require as much planning.

Before you head out, consider how different environmental conditions – resembling altitude, sun exposure, and extreme weather – can affect diabetes management.

It’s possible you’ll also need to research accessibility at your destination. Day said that the NPS has resources to assist individuals with disabilities like impaired mobility and vision loss. As an example, many parks provide maps and illustrations showing how steep a trail is, which is important information for individuals who use wheelchairs or produce other mobility challenges.

No matter your plans, Day said she encourages people to check with rangers at each National Park as they will provide overview of the trail and weather conditions.

2. Carry extra supplies

Rule primary is to “all the time, all the time, all the time have extra supplies,” Day said. For her, this includes extra insulin, test strips, and a complete set of manual supplies in case her DIY loop or continuous glucose monitor (CGM) stops working.

It’s possible you’ll need to ask your healthcare provider for a prescription for extra manual supplies so which you could feel secure on the trail. It’s also idea to substantiate your basal insulin dose, in case that you must switch off a pump and back to multiple day by day injections.

Individuals with diabetes must also be prepared for hypoglycemia. It’s idea to hold a bag of “low supplies,” including ready-to-use glucagon and snacks to quickly raise blood sugar. Day said she often reduces her basal rate barely during mountaineering to scale back the chance of low blood sugar.

Ultimately, Day urged individuals with diabetes to “plan for the worst and hope for the most effective” when exercising outside and visiting national parks.

3. Eat a balanced breakfast

It’s necessary to eat a breakfast that has even carbs, fat, and protein before a protracted hike or other outdoor activity. Avoiding “spiky” carbs is very necessary so that you just minimize highs and lows and might concentrate on having fun with your time outside.

Speaking from personal experience, Day said she once ate a donut before her hike, which inevitably led to a blood sugar spike followed by a crash. Eating a breakfast that mixes fat and protein reduces glucose spikes and might make exercise more manageable and enjoyable.

See just a few recipe ideas below:

4. Store insulin and other diabetes medications properly

Every medication has an optimal temperature range listed on its packaging. When insulin is stored outside of the really useful temperatures, it could actually lose a few of its glucose-lowering abilities.

Day said she learned the hard way not to depart insulin within the automotive, even for those who think it’s temperature-controlled. Weather can change quickly, and insulin left within the cooler could freeze, while insulin left in a hot automotive could grow to be ineffective.

For decent hikes, bring a cooling case or pack and keep medications under a layer of garments to guard them from the sun’s rays. Meanwhile, in cold weather, keep your diabetes supplies near your skin, or in a warm, insulated container.

5. Take a buddy – it’s safer and more fun

It’s all the time higher to hike with a friend, whether or not you’ve gotten diabetes or a chronic health condition. Climbing with a buddy means you’ll have someone to troubleshoot unexpected events, from treating a minor scrape to getting lost to experiencing a diabetes emergency.

Ideally, the buddy can be “a trusted friend who can discover the signs of hypoglycemia and assist if needed,” Day said. If you happen to plan to hike alone, it’s idea to decide on a busier trail. That way, you already know there are other people around in case of an emergency.

While you might must do a bit of trial and error to optimize diabetes management for outdoor physical activities, Day said you shouldn’t let diabetes prevent you from getting on the market.

“Don’t be afraid, go together with a buddy, and don’t let diabetes hold you back,” she said. “Diabetes doesn’t must be a barrier, especially to things like the nice outdoors.”

Learn more about getting outside and exercising with diabetes: