I have a dear aunt with a deep love of sweets, but she also has diabetes. She takes medications to control her insulin, however, she definitely pushes her sugar intake limits, especially during the holidays. After all, with holiday parties, family gatherings, and her vast expanse of friends, she receives lots of sweet treats and has numerous opportunities to satisfy her sweet tooth!
Furthermore, in our family, holiday meals always include plenty of carbohydrates like potatoes, macaroni & cheese, dinner rolls, and so on. Since carbs are loaded with starch that gets processed as sugar, it presents another danger to diabetics who must control their insulin.
As I’m thinking about my aunt and the senior clients with diabetes we serve at Home Helpers, I want to explore healthy ways to make dealing with diabetes over the holidays easier.
I found a great resource in the Diabetes Food Hub by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) which outlines 6 tips to help diabetics prepare for a happier, healthier holiday season.
- Properly Plan for Alternate Meal Times. We all have family gatherings and holiday parties to attend, but we don’t always have control over the timing of meals. For diabetics, this can be a problem because they often take insulin injections or medications to regulate their blood sugar. The ADA says, “Plan in advance for how you will handle making changes if your meal does not align with your regular meal schedule. If you take insulin injections or a pill that lowers blood sugar, you may need to have a snack at your regular meal time to prevent a low blood sugar reaction. Speak to your diabetes care provider before the holidays so you can best plan for how to handle meal time changes throughout the holiday season.”
- Stay Physically Active. When we get together with family and friends over the holidays, food and drinks often take center stage. However, maintaining physical activity is very important, too. The ADA suggests that more body movement can help. “If you’re surrounded with family and friends around the holiday season, then start a new tradition that involves moving around, such as after dinner walks, active holiday events, or even turn up the music for a little dance party.”
- Consume Healthy Snacks. Holiday party hosts may be unaware of the complications that can exist for guests who are diabetic when it comes to serving meals. If you arrive at a party but have to wait before the meal is served, it is best to consume a healthy snack or appetizer to keep your blood sugar in check. “Check with the host to see when food will be served and if there will be any healthy appetizers to munch on. If you know in advance that the options will be deep fried and high in calories then consider packing a small snack for yourself (like a few pieces of low-fat cheese), or offer to bring a healthy appetizer to share, like a platter of raw vegetables with (a) healthy spinach yogurt dip.”
- Select Foods Carefully. As I mentioned above, there are many carbs and sweet desserts served at holiday meals, at least, they are in my family! The ADA recommends that we select foods carefully to properly regulate our starch intake. “Remember, you don’t have to sample everything that is offered. Focus on dishes that are more “special” or that you only have this time of year. For example, mashed potatoes or a dinner roll might be things you’ll eat any time of year; skipping those can make room for your Aunt’s famous sweet potato casserole or a slice of pumpkin pie.”
- Exercise Portion Control. Here I go again about the carb-rich holiday meals! It’s fine to consume those foods that you really love, but it is in your best interest to be blood glucose-aware and exercise portion control when it comes to potatoes, pasta, dressing, and all things starchy. “Use “Toby’s Two Tablespoon Rule” which involves scouting everything that is available (you can always ask the host what is going to be served). Then take two tablespoon “samples” of your favorites. But keep in mind that even in small portions, these things can add up. Remember, to maintain blood glucose in the normal ranges, you want to keep your total carbohydrate intake similar to a regular day.”
- Eat Your Veggies.A caregiver friend told me that when she visits her in-laws over the holidays, veggies are rarely included on the menu. It’s primarily meat and carbs. However, everyone needs healthy vegetable options at the holiday table, whether they have diabetes or not! The ADA says, “During the holidays the vegetable selection tends to be limited. However, just a few simple vegetable dishes can add beautiful colors (and nutrients) to the table. Offer to bring a green salad or a side of steamed or roasted vegetables seasoned with delicious herbs or spices. If you choose to bring a vegetable dish, opt for non-starchy vegetables (like cauliflower, broccoli, or spinach) which are low in carbohydrates and calories. This will help fill you up and make it easier to reduce portions of other high-calorie, high-carbohydrate, and high-fat foods that are being offered.”
In one of my recent blogs, I relayed 9 tips to manage other dietary considerations over the holidays but knowing that so many people have diabetes or are pre-diabetic, I wanted to shine a spotlight on these 6 specific suggestions for diabetics to make the holidays healthier this year.
I want to reiterate that my Home Helpers® caregivers are your family when family can’t be there, and they assist seniors with diabetes on a daily basis. If you are or know a senior with diabetes living alone in the Clearwater area, a caregiver can help make life easier by providing a variety of in-home care services. They can offer medication reminders, do the grocery shopping, and plan and prepare timely, delicious, nutritious meals and snacks during the holidays and into the new year to keep diabetics on the right track.
If you or a senior loved one would benefit from assistance with healthy meal planning and preparation, I gladly offer a FREE Consultation to discuss and assess specific needs, so I can match the perfect caregiver to help.
We, at Home Helpers® Clearwater, are honored to have been ranked among the Home Care Pulse Top 100 Leaders in Experience for home care providers in 2023 and to have received the Best of Home Care® Provider of Choice Award 2023, the Best of Home Care® Employer of Choice Award 2023, and the Best of Home Care® Leader in Experience Award 2023.
We proudly serve male and female seniors in Clearwater, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Holiday, New Port Richey, Trinity, Port Richey, Hudson, and surrounding areas. Home Helpers®…we are Making Life Easier℠ 727.942.2539
Source:
American Diabetes Association
