With the holidays right around the corner, keeping blood sugars in control can be somewhat of a challenge. Whether you’ve “fallen off the bandwagon” in the past or done a relatively good job eating healthy, the following suggestions may help you get through the holidays without cramping your lifestyle.
- Always take your medications. Be sure to stay on a schedule with your medications and don’t forget them if you are traveling away from home. Don’t be embarrassed about having to take medications in front of family or friends. You can always excuse yourself and go to another room to check blood sugars and take medications. Most people will understand or won’t even notice.
- Keep checking blood sugars as instructed by your doctor. When eating different foods and doing different activities you may find that managing blood sugars can be a bit more challenging. Continuing to check blood sugars is critical to staying in control.
- Carry glucose tabs or another form of fast-acting sugar with you. As mentioned above, by doing other activities you may be more likely to have unexplained high or low blood sugars. Have a form of fast-acting sugar on hand in case of a low (e.g., glucose tabs).
- Get some form of physical activity every day. Go for a walk after dinner, play with the kids, go dancing, etc. The holidays can bring many opportunities for activity with loved ones.
- Eat a healthy snack before going to a party to avoid overeating unhealthy foods. When you are hungry you are much more likely to make unhealthy food decisions and temptations can be harder to resist. If you show up not hungry you are much more likely to resist those yummy temptations.
- Find out what will be served before going to a party to plan it into your meal plan. There is no need to feel shy about asking the host of a party what will be served before showing up. When you know what will be served you can decide beforehand what you will eat and won’t have to make a decision in the moment (as it may be harder to make a healthy one).
- Bring a healthy dish to a party to share with others! You can always bring something you can eat, and others will most likely appreciate it as well. With 1 in 11 Americans having Type 2 diabetes, and more than 1 in 3 having Pre-Diabetes (2), you aren’t alone!
- While socializing, go to a room where the food isn’t being served to avoid snacking. Get yourself out of temptation’s way. If after a while of being away from it for a while and you want to eat, you can go back and consciously eat.
- Choose low or no carb drinks such as sparkling water, unsweetened tea, or diet beverages. An easy way to avoid too many carbs is by avoiding sugary drinks. High sugar drinks can quickly put you over your carb limit.
- Make the focus of your festivities people and activities instead of food. The holidays aren’t just about food. Enjoy the relationships you have and don’t be scared to strengthen them during the holidays.
- When eating, focus on vegetables and protein before carbs. When loading up your plate, be aware of what has carbs and what doesn’t, to avoid setting yourself up for failure.
- Don’t overeat. You’ll thank yourself later
- Plan ahead if you will be traveling. Keep in mind different time zones, availability of a refrigerator and medications. Talk to your health care provider with more specifics if you are concerned.
- Be wary of treats brought over by friends and neighbors. The holidays can be a time for baked sweets and sharing them. Graciously thank others for their thoughtfulness but don’t allow yourself to lose control. Plan treats into your meal plan if possible, and give the rest to someone who may want them.
Remember, the holidays are for enjoying and growing closer to others and not just about the food. By having good control of your Diabetes during the holidays, you will feel better and have better BGs without any regret (3).
References:
1. “Managing Your Diabetes During the Holidays.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17 Nov. 2014. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.
2. “2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 May 2015. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.
3. “The Importance of Controlling Blood Sugar.” The Importance of Controlling Blood Sugar. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2015.
Annette Valle, RN, CDE
Cecelia Health CDE