Navigating holidays with diabetes
������������������
��������������
��������������
��������������������������
The availability of sugary treats during the holiday season can tempt diabetics to deviate from their healthy
diets.
��������������������������������
����������������
Caribbean L 34 ife, October 4 - 10, 2019 BQ
��������������������������
��������������������������
����������������������
��������������������
����������������������
������������������
��������������������������
����������������������
����������������������������
������������������
����������������
������������������������
������������������������
��������������
������������������������������������������
��������������������������������������������������
��������������������������������
Our doctors including Weill Cornell Medicine experts
provide a wide range of services including primary care,
OB/GYN, cardiology, orthopedics, and more at over 25
locations in Brooklyn.
���������������������������� 844-425-5697
or nyp.org/medgroupbrooklyn
Amid a season of sweets
and special foods, it
sometimes can be challenging
for diabetics to maintain
their dietary discipline.
But eating certain foods in
moderation can help people
with diabetes enjoy the fl avors
of the holidays without
compromising their health.
The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention says
more than 29 million people
in the United States have diabetes,
while another 86 million
adults have prediabetes.
One in four people with diabetes
do not know they have
the disease.
Managing diabetes is more
than just avoiding candy and
cookies. Foods with a lot of fat
or those that are high in carbohydrates
also can be problematic.
Such foods may not
be so easy to avoid come the
holiday season, but the following
are a few tips to help
men and women with diabetes
maintain their health
through the holidays:
Anticipate foods. Certain
foods are staples of the
holiday season. If you anticipate
potentially problematic
foods, then you can develop a
plan to avoid them or eat them
in moderation in advance of
arriving at a family gathering
or holiday party.
Eat a healthy snack.
Prior to going to a holiday
party, eat something that
will satisfy your hunger to
avoid overeating once you are
there.
Ask about foods. Don’t
be shy to ask the host or hostess
about what will be served.
This will help you develop
a strategy that will fi t your
meal plan.
Limit alcohol consumption.
Only drink in moderation
and eat something beforehand
to prevent low blood
glucose levels later. Avoid
drinks with high calorie mixers
or ones packed with extra
sugar.
Bring a dish. Make something
that is diabetic-friendly
and bring it to the party.
Chances are someone else attending
the party is diabetic
and will appreciate having a
healthy choice as well.
Opt for fruit. Choose fruit
over sweets at the dessert table.
If you bring a baked good,
consider recipes with reduced
sugar or ones that use a sugar
substitute.
Control your portions.
Fill up your dish with healthy
foods, leaving only a small
spot for something indulgent.
Test diligently. Now is the
time to monitor your bloodsugar
levels like a hawk. Monitor
your levels more closely
so you can see how holiday
foods are affecting your levels
and so you know if you need
to make any adjustments.
Rebound quickly. Experts
advise that if you go
overboard on a particular
day, get back on your feet the
next. Exercise, revisit meal
plans, and cut portion sizes.
Diabetics cannot stop
monitoring their diets just
because the holidays have arrived.
With planning and diligence,
it’s possible to enjoy
the foods and fl avors of the
holidays without compromising
your health.
Health
/medgroupbrooklyn
