The Holidays & Diabetes!

You may have school vacation, but there's no vacation from diabetes! So let's try to keep our diabetes under control while we still have a good holiday season!

My trainer recently read that the average American consumes 26,000 EXTRA calories between mid-November and January because of the holidays. 26,000 calories not only means you would be gaining obvious extra body fat, but also seriously needing to increase your insulin dosages, if at least for an temporary period of time.

The holidays really are not an excuse to pig out! It’s supposed to be about spending time with family and acknowledging how much you love each other! So, how can you keep those extra calories from piling up to 26,000? Here are a few suggestions:


1. Don’t go to Christmas parties on an empty stomach! Yes, you want to enjoy some fun food during the holidays but if you show up on an empty stomach you’re inevitably going to overeat the junk food. Have a healthy meal before you go, even if it’s smaller than usual, and of course try to limit the amount of indulging at the party. If you want to try several different desserts, share them with a friend or family member.

2. Keep exercising! Just because we’re eating more food doesn’t mean we should just say, “Oh, no matter how much I exercise it won’t make a difference right now because I’m eating so much sweets!” It STILL matters. Exercising after a big holiday meal can really help you burn off that extra glucose and keep your insulin sensitivity in check. Simply going for a walk after dinner is GREAT! Three weeks of sitting around at parties eating fruitcake can really take its toll, so hit the gym with your family, too!

3. Try to focus any non-party meal on really eating well. I know there are probably piles of Christmas cookies all over the kitchen table and boxes filled with santa-shaped chocolates, but if you can make sure that you breakfast and lunch are lean and healthy, that’s better than giving up entirely just because you know dinner is going to involve ham, mashed potatoes and chocolate cake.

4. Don’t forget to use temporary boluses or temporarily increasing your long-acting insulin doses. If you know your family tends to snack all morning during Christmas day or your headed to a long party where you’ll be munching on appetizers, then a meal, then dessert, give your body a little assistance by increasing your insulin doses. Of course, your doctor can help you figure out how to do this safely. And you should be checking your blood sugar regularly to keep up with all the changes.

5. Don’t feel guilty for trying this dessert or that dessert, just keep yourself in check. Take your insulin, check your blood sugar and do the best you can. It is not surprising if your numbers are a little higher during the holidays but that doesn’t mean you should give up entirely, just keep aiming for a number in range and remember that your body needs a little extra help this time of year.