Published: November 25, 2008 11:45 am         

Diabetics should be on guard during holidays

Health Watch by Adam Moller

The North Jefferson News



The holiday season can be a difficult time for anyone trying to avoid holiday weight gain.

This time of the year can also be difficult for people with diabetes who have to monitor blood sugars in addition to their waist line.

Holiday parties, family gatherings and hectic schedules present many challenges to the millions of Americans with diabetes. Fortunately, with the right strategy even diabetics can enjoy the holiday and still maintain control of their blood sugars.

The most important thing that a person with diabetes can do is plan ahead. When planning for the holidays it is important to stay active, maintain a balanced diet and speak to your diabetes educator about how to enjoy the many rich foods, candies and sweets you will encounter this season.

The holidays can be a busy time and it is often difficult to fit everything into the day. Often the first things that are dropped from the schedule are exercising and cooking, which leads to people eating out more and burning fewer calories. Consider dropping items from the schedule that won’t affect your health, such as watching television.

A little exercise can help to prevent high blood sugars during the holidays and help everyone keep off those holiday pounds. Simply walking for 30 to 60 minutes prior to a meal can increase your metabolism and help to lower blood sugar levels after the meal.

Maintaining a balanced diet is a big part of keeping blood sugar levels normal.

Here are a few techniques for controlling your diet:

• Continue to eat at least three meals per day. Skipping breakfast and lunch makes it more difficult to control blood sugars and offers less energy to tackle that busy schedule.

• Appetites can be controlled by eating a healthy snack or small meal before going to a party and waiting at least 15 minutes before going for a second serving.

• Drinking water and eating foods that are high in fiber, such as vegetables and some cereals, can help with appetite control.

• When enjoying food that is high in carbohydrates and fat, smaller portions are always best.

When hosting a holiday gathering, a few simple things can be done to make it a healthier holiday celebration.

Offer guests a variety of low fat, high fiber foods. Low fat options include fresh fruit, vegetables, and many grilled or broiled meats, such as fish, turkey and skinless chicken. High fiber options include whole grain breads, peas, and beans. For healthy easy appetizers, offer a fruit/vegetable platter and dip (such as hummus).

Many traditional holiday dishes can be made healthier by substituting ingredients with low-fat alternatives. For instance substitute cream cheese in some recipes with low-fat cream cheese or non-fat yogurt.

Avoid creamy sauces, cheese-topped or fried vegetables and instead opt for steamed, roasted, baked or stir-fried vegetables. Also, don’t forget to offer your guests activities other than eating for enjoyment.

Remember, the holidays are about seeing family and getting together with friends and other loved ones. Although food plays a role, it does not have to be the main event.

Alcohol can be an additional problem for people with diabetes during the holidays. Alcohol is high in calories. The best thing people with diabetes can do is avoid alcohol because of its unpredictable effects on blood sugar.

If you do drink alcohol, drinking in moderation, never drinking on an empty stomach and alternating drinks with a glass of water can help control its effect. Instead of mixed drinks or hard liquor, consider the following: seltzer with lemon, lime or other citrus fruits; wine spritzers (wine mixed with club soda); mulled cider; and chilled water with slices of oranges or cumbers.

Having diabetes doesn’t mean avoiding all of the rich foods and sweets during the holidays. Diabetes educators and dieticians can help people with diabetes enjoy these treats and still maintain control of blood sugars.

Safely enjoying these items may be as simple as eating less of other treats, having sugar-free treats, getting more exercise or increasing insulin dosages.

Make this a healthier holiday season. With the right combination of exercise, diet control and advice from your diabetes educator, even people with diabetes can safely enjoy the tastes of the holidays.

Adam Moller is a student at Samford University’s McWhorter School of Pharamcy and a Pharm-D candidate working at The Pharmacy in Mt. Olive. The Pharmacy can be reached at 631-1201.