Diabetes management means you need to eat healthy and stay active so your blood sugar stays under control. The holidays are underway – Thanksgiving today and Christmas not far behind.

With a little forward planning, you can manage your diabetes and still enjoy your holiday celebrations. So, for instance, if you are taking food to share to a party, plan a big, colourful salad, or raw vegetables and healthy dips. With diabetes, as you probably know, regular eating is a must. So plan not to have a big gap before the party – because you’ll tend to eat too much when you get there, especially if it’s a buffet, and that will increase blood sugar. Also, if you are on insulin or other diabetes medicines, not eating for extended periods will lower your blood sugar, possibly to dangerous levels.

Some party foods like cake, pie, pasta, bread and starchy vegetables can raise your blood sugar, so you might want to be sure to count your carbs and limit how much you eat (but it doesn’t mean you should ban these foods entirely). Another angle to think of is physical activity – can you organise a walk, some dancing, or a lively game like charades during the celebrations? Physical activity is key element in diabetes management.  And, if you’re on the go during the holidays, don’t forget your diabetes medicines, particularly if your schedule is changing from day to day.

Source:

www.changingdiabetes-us.com (Novo Nordisk)