So the holidays are supposed to be a time of peace, love, light, family and friends… Yet they often come with hustle and bustle, indulgent foods and drinks, late nights and a change in our typical daily schedules.  All of that can take a toll on our health, especially for someone trying to manage Diabetes.   Sometimes, a friendly reminder of the things we can do to help keep ourselves stay healthy during this time is just the gift we need.

Prioritize self-care.

We all know that overeating can leave anyone feeling like not moving, however, keeping moving helps the body with digestion and helps stabilize and even reduce blood sugar levels.  And with family around, it might be just the perfect time to get out and go for winter walk, go ice skating, sledding or other fun activity.

Getting good sleep is also important for your health during the holidays, especially with the extra social events that seem to keep everyone on the move.  Being sleep deprived can actually increase your desire for high fat and sugary foods, and make it harder to manage your blood sugar levels.

Bring a healthy dish to share.

When going out to a social event or a potluck holiday meal, bring an appetizer or side dish that tastes great AND has a healthy flair to it… Bring a cheese and meat board, bring a veggie platter with hummus dip, or bring a sugar free punch to share.  And choose things for your plate that are lower in carbs, opting for proteins and vegetables.

Keep on schedule with your usual mealtimes.

Staying on track with your normal mealtimes helps your body with maintaining your blood sugar level, and with measuring your glucose and possible required insulin.  And with all of the delicious foods around, you might even be tempted to skip a meal to “save up” your carbohydrate count for the day, however, this is not recommended.  It can actually backfire by leading you to overeat at a meal due to extreme hunger.

Slow down and practice mindfulness when you are eating.

With all of that delicious food sitting around, it is easy to start picking and nibbling on things while walking by or standing around and talking to friends near the food table.  Make sure to get a small plate, make healthy choices about what you put on the plate and then walk away from the food table.  Take small bites and pay attention to each flavor, the smell of the food and its texture, and even try to identify the feeling you get from each item.  Spending time doing this will help you slow down your eating, making the food on your plate last and giving your stomach time to digest and feel full. All of this will help you with managing your blood sugars this holiday season!

Now let’s talk about planning out your plate.

The Penn State Extension’s Dining with Diabetes class talks about the Diabetes Choose My Plate method to ensure healthy balanced meals that support a low carbohydrate intake.  It recommends that half of your plate consists of vegetables, as the fiber helps with feeling full and reducing your need to keep eating, plus you will benefit from all of the vitamins and minerals found in vegetables. The remaining areas of the plate should consist of a protein and a carbohydrate, accompanied by water or a zero-calorie beverage.

Managing diabetes any time of year can be challenging, but more so during the holidays.  With a little extra planning and some helpful reminders, you will be able to navigate it all successfully.

Happy Holidays from the Diabetes Coalition of York County!