Traveling With SCD (Article)

[Guest guest]

Traveling with SCD

Traveling with SCD, whether you are traveling for

business or pleasure can be accomplished with the

same kind of planning one uses for eating out in

your own home town. It simply has to be extended.

My husband Harry and I had, even before I went on

SCD, what became known as " the traveling

kitchen " . We liked to attend literature and music

conventions, but our budget did not permit

multiple weekends of dining in hotel restaurants,

and neither of us enjoyed doing fast food all weekend.

Our traveling kitchen consisted of first, a bag or box containing:

# A " picnic set " of inexpensive stainless knives,

forks, and spoons, along with plastic cups, mugs, and plates.

# A washrag, small dishtowel, and a small bottle

of detergent for cleaning up afterwards.

# A roll of paper towels and paper napkins

# A sharp knife, stored in an old paper towel

tube, with the end for the point folded over and

stapled, and the top taped in place. (We later

replaced this with a tube of PVC pipe with an end cap on either end.)

# A small cutting board

# A toaster oven

# Picnic style salt and pepper shakers

Second, a refrigerator / cooler. In the early

days, we used a plain cooler, and started out

with half-gallon milk jugs filled three-quarters

full of water and frozen. This usually kept things cool for 2-3 days.

If we were to be on the road longer than that, we

would either buy some ice, keeping it in its bag,

or ask the hotel / motel to refreeze our jugs for

us. Usually, they were quite happy to refreeze

them, since it meant we weren't cleaning out

their icemakers to fill our chest. Later, we used

" blue ice packs " which could also be refrozen.

Still later, we purchased an electric

refrigerator which could be plugged into the

cigarette lighter while traveling, and into a wall adapter in our hotel room.

We also learned that since the passage of the

Americans with Disabilities Act, a U.S. hotel or

motel must supply you with a refrigerator in your

room if you ask for it. For other countries,

check to see what the local laws require. Some

hotels will try to charge you for this; however,

if it is for medical reasons, it is supposed to

be free. If they ask if I am a diabetic, my

answer is, " Well, I have a real problem with

sugar, so I have to bring my own food. " I've

never seen any reason to go into details about what my health situation is.

Food preparation for the trip includes:

# Baking enough Krivel Krackers to last the

duration. For a short trip, I don't bother to

take nut bread - the crackers handle my craving for something like that.

# Boiling and chilling eggs.

# Preparing beef roast or turkey.

# Making a batch of salad dressing, if I think I may want to eat one.

# Mayo and mustard in small jars (we don't use ketchup.)

# A stick of butter in a snap top container

# Tea bags

# A small bottle of honey

# Yogurt

# Some not-quite ripe bananas (for later in the trip)

# Home dried pineapple, banana slices or other home dried fruits.

# A few small bags of fresh vegetables

# Containers of homemade spice mixes.

# A jug of orange juice

Obviously, anything which needs to be

refrigerated goes in the refrigerator / cooler.

Anything else goes in the other box. This usually

goes inside the car to help keep it cooler if we are traveling.

When we arrive at our hotel/motel, even if it's

an overnight stay enroute to some place else, the

first thing that comes out of the car is the

refrigerator, which gets plugged in. Then the kitchen box.

We plan to add a small Foreman grill to the

kitchen box. Between that and the toaster oven, I

can fix nearly any simple dish I want, either for

dinner, or for breakfast the next morning. Some

people have also suggested including a small electric fry pan.

This covers traveling in your own car.

So what if you're traveling for business, with

other people who expect you to eat with them?

One thing many people can't get through their

heads is that diet is important in this medical

condition because for so many years we have been

told that diet has nothing to do with gut disorders.

When dining out, therefore, you don't have to

explain all the whys and wherefores of what

you're eating, unless you think your eating

partners will be interested. A diabetic does not

have to explain that she or he cannot have sugar

or too many carbohydrates. And no one would sneer

at them for refusing to eat those foods.

If it's a day trip, you could respond with,

" Certainly - grab whatever you want. I'll eat the

lunch I brought. " And make sure you have a lunch with you.

If it's very hot, or very cold out, and your

business partner or boss insists on eating some

place which is a " no outside food, please, "

place, speak to the waiter, or manager. Tell him

or her that " I am on a special diet which permits

no sugar, no starch, no grains, no potatoes, no

natural or artificial flavorings, no soy, no

artificial sweeteners. Is there anything you

serve that meets those parameters? " If they say

yes, ask to see the labels for the food.

If they can't answer yes, or aren't willing to

show you an ingredient list, tell them you're not

willing to risk the hospital, and would they

permit you to bring your own food in since the

rest of your party is eating? And then make it a

point to at least buy a glass of plain tea, or a

cup of coffee, something similar.

One immediate comment which I've seen is that the

boss objects to the SCDer " making a scene " . At

that point, the question for the boss or business

partner is, " Do you want me to do my job? Or do

you want me to spend the day in the rest room? "

What if it's a multi-day business engagement?

That will depend on what your living arrangements are.

Some cross between brown bagging it and the

full-fledged traveling kitchen ought to be

possible. An insulated cart can take the place of

the larger, heavier refrigerator, and is easier

to transport. If cheese is tolerated, it is a

good food because it survives on a minimum of

refrigeration. Hard boiled eggs can make either a

breakfast or a lunch. Home-dried fruit or jerky

works well. A small Foreman grill or electric

frying pan would allow you to purchase fresh meat

and vegetables and cook them in your room in the evening.

If I know it is going to be only a 2-3 day

engagement, I pack an insulated bag with enough

hard boiled eggs for my breakfasts, a block of

cheese to slice for lunches, and a cooked meal

for dinner which can either be reheated if the

means are available, or eaten cold. I also carry

some apples and bananas which can be peeled and

eaten with any meal. All cold food for several

days isn't fun, but can be tolerated - and is

much better than hot illegal foods. I carry

several frozen cold packs, and ask the

proprietors of wherever I'm staying to keep one

in their freezer. Then I swap them out every 12

hours or so, giving them the defrosted one in

exchange for the cold one. (Typically, they would

much rather do this for you than have you raiding their ice!)

What happens if you're traveling by plane?

This makes life both easier, and harder.

The first question is, " What to eat on the

plane? " Pack yourself a lunch and snack bag,

similar to a brown bag lunch. Some people find

that carrying a steel thermos of nice, hot

chicken or beef soup makes a great travel food.

Be sure to carry plenty of legal beverages, and

snacking food. [Note: the thermos and additional

liquids are no longer permitted under the current

3 fluid ounces / 100 milliliters rule.] If you're

traveling with a non-SCD companion, they can eat

your airplane meal. Some people recommend looking

at the diabetic and gluten-free meal options;

having seen what is currently recommended for

both, I prefer to carry my own safe food rather

than trust that miscommunication results in

hidden illegals which could ruin my trip at the outset.

Preparation of this sort saved one trip from

disaster. Fog led to a late connection and

missing the connecting flight. I had a twelve

hour layover until the next flight. There was no

place in, or near the airport which had safe food

for me. If I had not had a well-packed travel

bag, I would have had the option of eating

illegals, or going hungry for almost eighteen

hours. In fact, when I called my husband from the

connecting airport to tell him of the delay, his

first question was, " Do you have enough legal food to eat? "

Be prepared to spend extra time with security at

the airport. When we were headed for the UK in

2002, they took nearly an hour to check out my

insulated bag with their chemical sensors, in

order to make sure I wasn't hiding plastic

explosives or other articles of mayhem in amongst

all the food. On the other hand, in 2004, my bag

went through the X-ray machine with no problems.

The guard in 2002 asked me why I was carrying so

much. I smiled, and said, " For medical reasons,

I'm not allowed any sugar, starch, grains,

potatoes, artificial or natural flavorings,

colors, or sweetening. Given what's in

commercially prepared food today, where does that

leave me? " He replied, " Without anything to eat. "

And I said, " Right... unless I prepare it myself,

which is why you get to stand here and check out all this food. "

Note that there are additional regulations as far

as flying after the latest wave of terrorist

issues, including, but not limited to the TSA's

3-1-1 rule, here: http://www.tsa.gov/311/

Here is a link for travelers with disabilities:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/index.shtm

And a link for traveling with children:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/index.shtm

Also a link for traveling during the holidays:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/holiday_311.shtm

Here is a link on the TSA and food and beverages:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1667.shtm

A response from the TSA to a letter I sent

regarding the difficulty of travel for SCDers gave me the following response:

Passengers are allowed to travel with food as

carry on. Airport officials also said that many

airlines were packing extra drinks. TSA screeners

work hard to maintain the expensive equipment

used to screen passengers and their carry-on

bags. Because spilled food or drinks can damage

security equipment and other passengers'

belongings, there are necessary restrictions on

what you can and cannot bring with you to the checkpoint.

All food must go through the X-ray machine. To

save yourself time, do not bring food to the

security checkpoint unless it is securely wrapped

or in a spill-proof container. Unpeeled natural

foods like fruit are okay, but half-eaten fruits must be properly wrapped.

When traveling with food, the following tips may be helpful:

· Single serving packages of condiments will be

allowed but must fit inside your One (1) clear zip-top quart size plastic bag

· Solid foods that have been frozen must be securely wrapped

· Gel packs are not allowed to refrigerate food, only medication

· Beverages brought from home or purchased

before reaching the security checkpoint must be

discarded unless they are in a 3 oz. or smaller

container and fit comfortably in your one quart-size, zip-top plastic bag

· After clearing security, travelers can now

bring beverages and other items purchased in the

secure boarding area on-board aircraft

The next problem is how to pack a kitchen box and

get it to your destination with you.

It's quite a bit harder to pack a kitchen box in

such a way that it can go through as part of your

luggage. Airline luggage handlers are not noted

for gentle handling of things. We lost a very

nice toaster oven on a trip to Winnipeg, Canada

in 1994 because we failed to take that into

account - when we unpacked our luggage, the glass

door on the oven was shattered, and the aluminum case warped astoundingly.

What we now do is keep a very heavy duty

cardboard box intended for the shipment of

magazines to a local chain bookstore as our

kitchen box. This fits inside one of the large

soft side suitcases, and allows us to give double

protection to our equipment. We took our

Yogourmet, a voltage converter, and a number of

other useful items with us to the U.K. and

Ireland this way. And then, when we needed more

space in the suitcase on the way back (as one

always does!), we simply sealed the box and sent

it through as a piece of luggage.

If you are going to be staying with friends or

relatives, you can check to see if they will have

the tools and equipment you will need for your

stay. If they do, you are in great shape.

If they do not, you might wish to ship your

kitchen box to your friends a week or so ahead of

your intended arrival. If you are shipping your

yogurt maker, make sure you've made enough to

last you the week after you ship it, and for at

least 48 hours after your arrival.

If you will be staying in a hotel, it is usually

possible to ship a box to the hotel and have them

hold it for you on your arrival. Be sure to

arrange this with the hotel in advance. Insure

your package for the replacement value of the

equipment and supplies in it. Your address label

should look something like the following

Your Name

Your Street Address

Your City, State/Province, Zip or Postal Code

Your Name

c/o Name of Hotel

Street Address of Hotel

State/Province, Zip or Postal Code

HOLD FOR ARRIVAL ON Date of Your Arrival

This way, it is clearly stated not only who it is

for but when you will be arriving so that if it

arrives early, they don't reject it, claiming there's no guest by that name.

It's really not practical to make yogurt in a

hotel room, so be sure to bring enough for the

duration of your stay. I pack mine in snap top

round containers, then put three heavy rubber

bands over the top and bottom to hold the lid on

it the container is inadvertently squeezed

somehow. Then I put it in a self sealing plastic

bag on the just-in-case principle - I would

rather not arrive and find my suitcase is awash in yogurt!

Be aware that some motels and hotels prefer that

you do not cook in your room. The electric wiring

in the main part of the room may not be equal to

a toaster oven, electric grill or fry pan. We use

the heavy-duty socket in the bath room which is

intended for electric razors and high-power hair

dryers. We let the toaster oven cool, and put it

away in our kitchen box before leaving the room for the day.

This works very well. Over one Labor Day weekend,

we attended a 50,000 person convention in

Atlanta. I had prepared Creole pot roast and

several kinds of vegetables, as well as grilled

chicken breasts. We took a loaf of breakfast

sausage, block cheddar cheese, Tropicana orange

juice, and hard boiled eggs. I included three

cups of homemade ranch dressing. We also had

homemade pepperoni snacking sticks , dried fruit and nuts.

In the morning, we toasted slices of sausage and

cheese to go with our juice and eggs. I packed

dried fruit, nuts, a small container of ranch

dressing, and a couple of pepperoni sticks in my

shoulder bag. Then we went out and about. If we

were some place where Harry could get something

he liked, we followed the usual rules for eating

out. If not, we shared the food I had in my bag.

At dinnertime, when the lines of people at all

the restaurants and fast food establishments for

a three block radius around the hotel had lines

two dozen people long and an hour to two hours'

wait for food or a table, we retired to our quiet

hotel room, heated up beef or chicken and

vegetables, and had a couple slices of SCD almond

bread or some crackers with it. Then, after a

quiet hour in our hotel room, we were ready to

join in the evening activities at the convention.

If you are traveling internationally, be sure to

find out what the import regulations are for your

destination country and plan your foods

accordingly. Ireland, for instance, has very

strict rules regarding import of dairy or meat

products, even if they are for your personal use.

The United States is very concerned about meat

products. With the BSE scare which has gone

world-wide, you might, for instance, find it more

convenient to carry pre-prepared packets of

spices for making your own sausage and salad

dressings than to try to bring products with you.

When we went to the U.K. in 2002, we had no

difficulty bringing ranch dressing, honey-vanilla

yogurt, cheese, nuts, and the infamous broccoli

and beef pie . We had plastic ware, and paper

plates. We kept things cold by using a insulated

bag, and the hosts of the Bed & Breakfast where

we stayed were willing to freeze our cold packs

for us: we had two sets, one in the insulated

bag, and one in our hosts' freezer.

When traveling to Canada, I did not have a

problem with my pepperoni sticks and chicken

salad since it was for my personal consumption

only. I also did not have a problem bringing the uneaten food back with me.

By planning ahead, you can meet just about any

contingency. The trick is not to say " I can't do

this, " but instead, to say, " I am going to do

this, and here's how I'm going to accomplish it. "

— Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

Traveling With SCD (Article) Posted by: " Wizop Marilyn L. Alm "

LouisianaSCDLagniappe@... marilynxa

Marilyn, Wow!!! What a great article. I thought my husband and I were

eccentric as for several years we have carried a " food box " when we travel. This

was before I started on the SCD protocol. We simply hate restaurant fat food and

the repetition of this type of food.

I copied off your article and want to re-read it at leisure as it gives me

new ideas. I plan to purchase one of those food sealing machines.(Sorry, I can't

think of the correct name) I think this would be great to seal individual

portions prior to freezing them for travel or home meal convenience. Thank you

for sharing.

Ginger in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico

IBS for years, also genetic sensitivity diagnosis for wheat, milk, citrus,

yeast

as well as auto immune - Lichen Sclerosis

SCD since 10/15/07 immediately began feeling much better

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Ginger,

Glad you found the article helpful -- as I said,

some of the foods mentioned may be too advanced

for some of the folks on the list, but it can, perhaps, serve as a " How To. "

<g> I think you're talking about a Food Saver.

Friend of mind lent me hers after extolling its

virtues. I think she's trying to convert me!

— Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

I've had a Food Saver for 15 years and absolutely LOVE it! It has saved me from

throwing away so much frezzer burned food. Foods tha

Re: Re:Traveling With SCD (Article)

Ginger,

Glad you found the article helpful -- as I said,

some of the foods mentioned may be too advanced

for some of the folks on the list, but it can, perhaps, serve as a " How To. "

<g> I think you're talking about a Food Saver.

Friend of mind lent me hers after extolling its

virtues. I think she's trying to convert me!

- Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

Foods thaw much quicker in the Food Saver type vaccum sealed bags than any other

way. I'm spoiled. Food also freezes longer usually. I can't say enough about

it. Of course there are several brands on the market for that type of thing

now.

Bonita

Re: Re:Traveling With SCD (Article)

Ginger,

Glad you found the article helpful -- as I said,

some of the foods mentioned may be too advanced

for some of the folks on the list, but it can, perhaps, serve as a " How To. "

<g> I think you're talking about a Food Saver.

Friend of mind lent me hers after extolling its

virtues. I think she's trying to convert me!

- Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

It's called Seal-A-Meal and I can't wait to be able to buy one. I live in Mexico

and many things aren't available here. Can't find dry cottage cheese. I bought

Meyerberg Goats Milk on my last trip stateside. I've made my own yoghurt but

have now ran out of the powdered milk so I'm cautiously trying cow milk yoghurt.

The Foreman grills are wonderful for cooking chicken breast. I've been eating

tons of chicken soup for breakfast including a scrambled egg and leftover legal

veggies with a dollop of yoghurt. Can't tolerate the nut flour yet - diarrhea.

This site is wonderful and my heart goes out to all the young mothers that are

having such trials with the little ones. I have a developmentally challenged

daughter with mutiple birth defects so I know it's not easy.

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