Tips Help People With Diabetes Stick With Healthy Habits
Tempting holiday buffets and the added stress of the season are particularly difficult on people with diabetes whose health relies on extra vigilance and careful balance. But it is possible to have a good time, consume some treats, and still keep blood sugar levels in that good range.
"During the holidays, we encourage more frequent monitoring of blood sugars. That's the key to show how things are going. It also helps to keep food records, if possible, between Thanksgiving and New Year's, not to be judgmental but more as an inventory," said Debra Kasprzak, a certified diabetes educator with Advanced Healthcare.
Debra Kasprzak, Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator
Advanced Healthcare
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To healthfully negotiate holiday parties, Kasprzak advises diabetics to continue eating meals at regular times. "If they delay meals or skip them, they risk having blood sugar drop too low. This can create hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and a whole circle of problems," Kasprzak said.
Two helpful habits for diabetics to cultivate are exercise, which helps keep blood sugars in control, and relaxation. "It's important to relax and restore yourself and not keep going and going and going. Take some time to really relax," she advised.
Those who have their blood sugar under control (and their doctor's blessing) may also consume alcohol in moderation. The American Diabetes Association guideline limits intake to one or two drinks once or twice a week. "This is not a problem," Kasprzak said. "But more is a problem." Binge drinking is especially disastrous for someone with diabetes because, though alcohol contains carbohydrates, its effect is to lower blood sugar in diabetics. "It's very important that if a person with diabetes is drinking they also eat some carbohydrates to maintain the blood sugar at a constant level," Kasprzak said.
Read how
stress interferes with diabetes control.
