‘Tis the season to be jolly- lights and decorations are popping up, stores are packed with cheery gift shoppers and most of you have already begun having dinners and parties with your friends, coworkers and relatives. The holiday season is fun, but as you know, it carries a lot of potential temptations for your Diabetes. Having Diabetes doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of all of the treats the holidays have to offer- you just have to prepare a bit so that you can enjoy the holiday season and keep your sugar levels under control.
During the holidays you may have less control over the food that is put in front of you, but you still have control over what you actually decide to eat. That is of course easier said than done, but one way to control it is not to let the usual party grub take you by surprise- If you are going to a holiday dinner or party, try to plan ahead and go as prepared as possible.
- Know your trends- figure out the balance of carbs, fats and fiber that works for you. The Dario App can help you figure out how these affect your blood sugar.
- Anticipate what kind of food you’ll encounter at the dinner/party- if you feel comfortable enough, ask. You have a good excuse! Once you know what’s in store for you, you can plan your meals and medication during the day so that you can have a slice of pie or bit of candy.
- Offer to cook a dish that you know you can eat! It is a nice gesture and that way you can make sure you won’t go hungry. Cook a healthy version of your favorite dish.
- If all fails and you are worried you won’t have anything to eat, snack on something beforehand. But don’t skip meals! It will make it much harder to control your blood sugar.
Once you are at the party, it is very easy to get carried away as everyone else will probably be overeating and overdrinking.
- Concentrate on the great people around you instead of the food- indulge in conversations and small talk instead of heading to the snack table.
- Try to be aware of “unconscious eating”- what we do when we pass a plate of snacks and just casually take one without even noticing.
- Control what people put on your plate- don’t let peer pressure get to you! Just say no to seconds and be stingy on the gravy.
- Stay away from alcohol- not only can it wreak havoc on your blood sugar; it can interfere with your medicine. If you do have a drink, make sure it is only one and that you eat with your drink.
- If you already slipped, don’t take it as an excuse to go all out- it’s OK to slip once in a while, but pick yourself up and get back on the wagon.
- Dance the night away! A great way to keep active and control your sugar. And you can be the star of the party while you are at it.
- With all of the strange food and temptations around, be sure to check your blood sugar religiously.
In between the parties and dinners, try to stick to an exercise routine. It will help your body deal with all of the strange food intake and occasional slips.
It may be exhausting and difficult to stay in control on the holidays when everyone else is going over the top, but don’t let it get you down. Keeping your sugar on track will keep you feeling good and in the holiday spirit, so you can really have fun. You can enjoy the holidays and take care of your diabetes with the tips listed above- and think of it this way- it will be worth it when everyone else is crying about the pounds they gained!
By Liran Julia Grunhaus
Learn mone now on Diabetes Management at www.mydario.com