You At Your Best

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2017 | OCTOBER - DIABETES NWADG.COM/YOUATYOURBEST | YOU AT YOUR BEST | 11 BY SARAH HANEY NWA DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE The holiday season is synonymous with many things, including food. Family gatherings and holiday office parties wouldn't be the same without great food. We've all been there — trying to resist the temptation of all the home-baked morsels, and usually failing. Food plays such a significant role during the holiday season that many people are worried about overindulging. Some celebrants can afford to overindulge, while others must resist temptation. Diabetics fall into the latter category, as the festive mood of the season does not mean people with diabetes can throw dietary caution to the wind. The availability of sugary treats during the holiday season can tempt diabetics to deviate from their healthy diets. With the holiday season upon us, diabetics can heed the following tips to help them stay on a healthy track. Stick to your normal routine. While the holiday season can be unpredictable, the Center for Disease Control advises diabetics stick to their normal routines as closely as possible. Because holiday guests cannot control food served to them at family gatherings or parties, the CDC recommends diabetics offer to bring a healthy, diabetic-friendly dish along to any parties. In addition, don't skip meals during the day in anticipation of a large holiday meal. Doing so makes it hard to control blood sugar levels and can make you hungry and more likely to overeat. It is also best to eat as close to your usual times as possible, to keep your blood sugar steady. If your meal is served later than normal, eat a small snack at your usual mealtime and eat a little less when dinner is served. Let your plate be your guide when making food choices. Keep an eye on the amount of food you eat, because eating too much can affect your blood sugar levels. A good rule of thumb for your lean meat portion is that it be about the size of a deck of cards. Carbohydrate servings, such as pasta or rice, should be about the size of a fist. To translate this to your plate, lean protein should take up one quarter of your plate while carbohydrates should occupy a quarter as well. Green vegetables and other non-starchy vegetables (such as salads, broccoli, green beans, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, etc.) should take up the remaining half of your plate. Invited to a party? Eat a small, balanced meal or snack before you leave home. If you arrive to the party hungry, you'll be more likely to overindulge (another great reason to not skip breakfast and lunch). Study all of the food options, and think about what you are going to have before you put anything on your plate. Decide which foods are worth eating and which can be ignored, and then stick to that decision. And if you do have a sweet treat, cut back on other carbohydrates (like potatoes and bread) during the meal. Have a small plate of the foods you like best and then move away from the food table. Start with vegetables to take the edge off your appetite — broccoli, baby carrots, cauliflower and tomatoes are good choices that are usually on the appetizer table. Make sure the vegetables are not cooked in oil or butter and take only a small spoonful of dip or skip it entirely. Eat chips and crackers in moderation, and definitely avoid eating them straight from the bag. Put some on a small plate and skip creamy-mayo based dips. It is best to try not to hang out near the food to help avoid grazing. If you make your focus on socializing instead of eating, this can help distract you from the excess food. It's also important to regularly check your blood sugar throughout the holidays and adding a few extra checks on a party day may help guide your choices. Be extra careful with alcohol. Alcohol is served or readily available at many holiday gatherings, and many people overindulge because of the festive mood of the season. Overindulging in alcohol is dangerous for anyone, but diabetics must be especially mindful of their alcohol consumption. Alcohol can lower blood sugar and interact with diabetes medicines. Diabetics who want to enjoy a holiday libation should keep their alcohol consumption to a minimum. Stick to calorie-free drinks such as water, tea, seltzer, or diet sodas instead of punch or mixed drinks. Sipping a large glass of water can help you stay hydrated and provides you with a better option than alcohol. Eating slowly can also benefit anyone during the holiday season. Eating at a leisurely pace gives diners' brains ample time to signal that their bodies are full. By eating quickly, diners may be eating more calories than they hoped to eat, and that can lead to uncomfortable feelings of fullness after a meal. Diabetics who can slow down their eating are less likely to overindulge in less healthy holiday foods that can affect their blood sugar levels. Limit the number of servings of starchy foods on your plate. It can be tempting to have some mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole and rolls, however, try to choose just one of these items. Or just take a few spoonfuls or bites of each. Choose fruits and vegetables served raw, grilled or steamed. Avoid vegetables in creams, gravies and butter. It's very important to remain active as well. The holiday season can be hectic, as adults often must juggle extraordinarily busy social schedules with the responsibilities of everyday life. Many people sacrifice time at the gym to ease the burden of hectic holiday schedules, but diabetics must resist that temptation. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases notes that routine physical activity helps diabetics keep their blood glucose levels in their target range. Physical activity also helps the hormone insulin absorb glucose into all of the body's cells for energy. That extra energy boost can help diabetics fend off holiday-related fatigue. Although you want to stay active, going out more and staying out later often means cutting back on sleep. Sleep loss can make it harder to control your blood sugar, and when you're deprived you'll tend to eat more and prefer high-fat, high-sugar food. You should aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night to guard against mindless eating. Most of all, remember what the season is about — celebrating and connecting with the people you care about. When you focus more on the fun, it's easier to focus less on the food. Diabetics face a lot of temptation come the holiday season. But with the right plan of action in place, men and women with diabetes can enjoy a healthy holiday season. Enjoying the holidays while managing diabetes

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